Committee approves movement on railroad park

CLOVIS — Efforts to beautify and promote education of the historic downtown railroad district are making progress.

The city of Clovis Parks, Recreation and Beautification Committee approved moving forward in finalizing designs for the Historic Railroad Park on Monday.

The park will be located by the former Clovis Depot Model Train Museum, which was sold to new owners Jordan and Tate Nichols from Farwell in August.

Clovis MainStreet Executive Director Lisa Pellegrino-Spear said she received a grant for the park through a New Mexico MainStreet Capital Outlay grant.

“We wanted to make it a friendly park with something that contributed to the visual of our downtown into our railroad district, as well as a usable park that would also be accessible for children, families and also provide education for those that wanted to learn about the 9005 locomotive,” said Pellegrino-Spear. “The train depot has sold, and we’re hoping that with this park, it’ll help increase the desire for that whole entire district.”

Plans include building a waiting station on the south side with an early 1900s historic look, Pellegrino-Spear said, and also hopes to include a monument acknowledging former train depot owner Phil Williams.

Pellegrino-Spear also said the locomotive in the park would be used for cosmetic restoration, with MainStreet having the funds to do so.

She added another goal is to do natural landscaping while using a drip water system for watering the park.

MainStreet board member Gayla Brumfield said the locomotive park would be a jump-start for other potential ventures.

“This has always been really something that’s been near and dear to my heart, is to have the work on this historic railroad district because obviously that’s what started Clovis,” said Brumfield. “What we’re trying to do is not only promote our historic railroad district but also to provide beautification in our downtown area, and so this will greatly add to it.”

She added the new owners of the former museum are considering turning the space into a brew pub while keeping the historic memorabilia of the museum.

“There’s a lot potentially that we have, and I think this (locomotive park) will jump start it,” said Brumfield.

The following were other actions taken during the meeting:

• Committee members approved adding striping to the basketball court at Pat Sandoval Park after re-paving.

Kelly Marshall, treasurer for the Clovis/Curry County Senior Olympics Board, requested the court be striped for pickleball in addition to basketball.

Marshall added pickleball players share the space with basketball players with no interference.

A budget change for the work will be brought to the city commission in their next meeting.

• Committee members approved installing eight feet wide of crusher fines at the Hillcrest Park walking trail.

Parks Director Mark Dayhoff said maintenance will be for 1.6 miles of the trail and will utilize .05 miles of the east dog park and .35 miles of the pond loop already in good shape.

He added money is already designated for walking trails. It would cost $74,200 to fix the trail.

Dayhoff suggested other improvements could include installing more benches and signs along the trail.

• Committee members approved the location and construction of a new bathroom at the Clovis Youth Soccer Association area by Hillcrest Park.

The bathroom will be located in the center of the soccer field area, Dayhoff said.

He said the only issue was figuring out sewage, adding Two Horse Construction recommended the use of a double-pump grinder that pumps sewage up with a line connected to the aquatic center.

Money has already been designated for the project, Dayhoff said. The proposed cost is $81,000.

• Committee members tabled discussion of the use of the former pool area at the Colonial Park Golf Course.

Dayhoff said the pool is in bad shape currently, with concrete possibly needing to be ripped out and re-done entirely.

Dayhoff said he would try to do landscaping designs and make some estimates regarding how the area can be used, with suggestions including turning the space into a banquet or event area.

• Assistant City Manager Claire Burroughes reported on behalf of City Commissioner Gary Elliott that he and Commissioners Fidel Madrid, Tom Martin and Chris Bryant met with New Mexico Game and Fish last week to discuss plans for the Clovis Archery and Wing Shooting Training Center.

Once plans are finalized, they will be sent to Game and Fish, who will prepare conceptual plans for what the area will look like to determine acreage, Burroughes added.

• Burroughes reported plans for a disc golf park at Goodwin Lake Trails were discontinued.

Burroughes said City Attorney David Richards reported to administration it would not be appropriate to develop the area into a park, since the current agreement between the area owners and the city prevents the city from using the area for park development.

Burroughes added they are currently working with the Disc Golf Club to determine other potential areas.

• Dayhoff reported the laying concrete runways at the Model Airplane Drivers’ Association would begin late this week or sometime next week.

• Dayhoff reported new windows were installed at the Colonial Park banquet room.