Extensive Upgrade Work Approved for Busy, Multi-Purpose Center in Tijeras

A popular community gathering place located in the Village of Tijeras may soon see substantial facility improvements.

Los Vecinos Community Center, at 478 New Mexico State Highway 333, has long been a local favorite, housing a multi-purpose room, gymnasium, computer lab, dance room, and kitchen, among other amenities.

The center is particularly known for its three pickleball courts.

Now members of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners have given their approval to targeting up to $1 million to upgrade the two-story facility. The funding, according to county documents, will also go for what is described as “site renovations.’

Work will include the building of a new skateboard park, and improved Americans with Disabilities Act access to both the center itself and adjacent parking lot.

Also planned: a new stage, updated draining, irrigation, and lighting systems, and the replacement of the current soccer field.

The $1 million designated for the project is coming out of the county’s general fund. According to the publication Independent News, Eric Olivas, county commission board member, noted that the center is a “not just one of the oldest centers across the country, it’s a pillar of the East Mountain community.”

A 10-year master plan for the facility developed in 2014 noted that the center serves one of the largest communities in the county and has always had an emphasis on providing activities that “promote personal and social well-being.”

County figures have indicated that the center has accommodates more than 40,000 visits from area residents on a yearly basis.
​
Work on the center is expected to begin next month.

By Garry Boulard

---