By HOPE JARAMILLOLos Alamos
I have lived in Los Alamos almost my whole life. I went to elementary school, middle school and graduated from LAHS and am raising my children here.
Over the 35 years I have lived in this beautiful community, I have seen over and over proposed improvements to Los Alamos get rejected. Why is it so hard for our community to change? Look how long it took for the County Municipal Building to get approved. We live where the main employer strives to improve the health, safety, future of not only our community but the world and these are the same residents who refuse to improve the health, safety and future of our community, children and future of Los Alamos.
For those who are so against this bond, I’m wondering how many of you showed up to voice your concerns at the MANY town meetings the County Council held. If not, you did not see all the young hockey players, softball players, golfers, parents, coaches and school staff there voicing the NEED for this bond.
We have school aged hockey players practicing until 10 p.m. because we only have one sheet of ice. Hockey is growing very fast and our kids and parents are having to drive to Santa Fe to practice if our rink is not open and guess what they are probably eating out and shopping while they are there.
The safety issue of teenagers driving home late at night from practice in the middle of winter is a disaster waiting to happen. The new softball field in White Rock also is a NEED as our girls high school team does not have their own field to call home and the little league softball players have to share fields with not only the high school but also boy’s baseball.
There also is a huge safety hazard at the current fields. When the varsity plays on their field we have at least one close call per game of a fan or child being hit by a foul ball and trust me these are not lightly hit balls. The splash pad would be a great edition to White Rock especially for the younger kids who can’t swim yet or don’t have memberships to the pools.
Come on Los Alamos, an estimated $20 extra per month is one lunch out or a few coffees per month but the benefit is huge not only to the community but to our children and the future of Los Alamos.
Let’s show our children that we not only care about their education but also their interest outside of school. I feel this bond will benefit the whole community. I know a lot of people where opposed to the new Smith’s Marketplace but I’m pretty sure everyone uses it now.
I’m asking you as a resident, coach and most of all parent to vote YES on the Rec Bond.
