Belen park gazebo to be demolished; bigger, steel structure

BELEN--Some say “out with the old, in with the new,” while others maintain that the city’s history is in its structures.

Despite an outcry from some on social media of the city’s decision to demolish the gazebo at the south end of Anna Becker Park no one took the opportunity to voice their concerns at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

The demolition was supposed to begin on Tuesday, but Mayor Robert Noblin decided to halt the work to allow residents to opine on the subject at Tuesday’s council meeting.

The mayor told the News-Bulletin the city will continue with the plans to rehabilitate the park, which includes tearing down the gazebo and building a new one.

Belen Parks and Recreation Director Greg Coon was the only person to talk about the park and gazebo during the public comment section of the meeting. He told the council he realizes the gazebo is a “treasured gathering place for weddings, concerts and community celebrations.

“We also understand how meaningful this structure is to the residents, and I want to ensure the public that replacing it is a careful and necessary decision.”

Coon explained the current gazebo has “reached the end of its life” and has increased structural and maintenance concerns. He said by replacing it now, it will ensure safety, longterm durability and continued use for decades to come.

Coon reminded the council that community input has been vital to the project, having had two meetings to discuss the plans for the park. He presented two schematic renderings to the council in August, which included the new design for the gazebo.

“We gathered that input through the process, which has shaped project’s direction,” he said.

Coon said the new gazebo will be twice the size of the current structure — from 12-feet in diameter to 24 feet. He said the gazebo will be able to be used by bands and be available for weddings and other events.

It will be constructed entirely of steel for durability, and will be ADA compliant.

Noblin told the News-Bulletin the structure will be half has high as it is now.

Coon said the new gazebo will include lockable electrical outlets to make sure they can “power” all the events, and controllable lighting.

The city is currently gathering quotes from qualified vendors to build the new gazebo. Coon said he’s encouraged them to visit the park and gazebo and design a structure that will reflect the “nostalgic look” with a similar shape, style and color.

Coon said while the city usually will accept the low bid on most projects, this isn’t one of them. He said while it’s important to have quality and longterm value, compatibility will determine the final selection of the vendor.

After the demolition takes place, which hasn’t been rescheduled yet, the engineering phase of the project will be about two to three weeks for drawings, Coon said. He estimates 10-12 weeks for manufacturing and four to five weeks for installation.

If the city issues a purchase order in March, construction will begin in July. Coon said the park will remain open during construction and asks those who visit to observe from a safe place.

Belen city officials decided last year to rehabilitate Anna Becker Park on Reinken Avenue. In August, Coon presented two schematic renderings of what the park could look like.

The park renovations will include shade structures, a dog park, multi-sport court, areas for markets and picnics, a playground, horseshoe pit, benches and a portable restroom enclosure.

The city has been working on the irrigation system at the park, which costs more than $350,000 to complete. Several trees have also been cut down because of safety concerns.

“Anna Becker is a beloved park for Belen — it’s sorta like a mini Central Park,” Coon said last year. “Its a true hub of the community.”

During the council comments Tuesday evening, both Mayor Robert Noblin and Councilor Rudy Espinoza said they were disappointed that no one had voiced their concerns in person.

While Espinoza said he received dozens of calls from residents concerned about the demolition of the gazebo, Noblin told the News-Bulletin that he received one email.

“I just know the intent of the council is to always have the best interest of the city and its residents,” Noblin said. “There were ample opportunities (for people) to speak and I wanted to allow the community to come in. So here we are. It's disappointing that the concerns weren’t brought to city hall.”