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Alamosa staff unveil $2 million alley and Centennial Park revitalization plan; council, neighbors weigh in
Summary
Development Services presented a DOLA‑funded $2 million alley revitalization with additional beautification for Centennial Park, including trash enclosures, murals, seating, trees and a water feature; staff said final design will be completed this summer and construction bids issued in the fall.
Development Services presented a plan July 1 to revitalize downtown alleys and redesign Centennial Park after securing a $2 million DOLA Main Street revitalization grant. Staff said infrastructure construction is underway and that just over $1 million will pay for alley infrastructure while the remaining funds will support park beautification and amenities.
The presentation by Rachel (Development Services) and project manager Darren outlined a phasing schedule: infrastructure engineering is complete, Robins Construction is finishing the second alley block, final design for park and beautification is expected in August, the team plans to put the project out to bid in September and begin construction in October. Darren said the grant allowed additional design features such as murals, string lighting, trash enclosures and site furnishings that will help activate rear entrances to downtown businesses.
"We're going to encourage businesses to hang blade signs on the rear of their buildings," Darren said, and the plan calls for CMU trash enclosures, crash‑protection bollards around utility infrastructure, mature trees, native plantings, and a variety of seating and shade structures. Staff emphasized an ADA transition plan and an accessibility audit that will review parks and city‑owned facilities.
Council members pressed on several design and operational points. Mark Martinez asked about drought resilience for a proposed water feature; Darren said the design favors self‑contained systems that recirculate water, limiting reliance on city potable supply. Councilor Yan Vhill asked why an existing stage would be removed; staff said the stage is underutilized and that retaining it would require significant accessibility upgrades (ramps, railings) that limit design flexibility. "To make that stage accessible would be a significant effort," one staff member said.
The plan also addresses community concerns raised during public outreach. Ruthie Brown, who has voluntarily maintained flags in the park for years, told council during public comment that she felt "accused" by an email from staff about donated flags; council members and staff recognized her longtime contributions and said the redesign will preserve space for the flags while moving dumpsters out of the central park area into an adjacent parking lot to improve visitor experience.
Staff noted outreach to directly adjacent businesses (Papers of Distinction, Dolores and others) and said those owners have been consulted and are supportive of the current design direction. The presentation included renderings of proposed new seating, swing benches, shade structures, a bottle filler and dog fountain, and placeholders for public art.
Next steps: staff will finalize design details this summer, put beautification elements out to bid in September and begin construction in October, with follow‑up to council and continued community outreach as plans are refined.
