North Campus Development

In the daily Lobo on November 5th I read about how President Shmidly and the University Board of Regents are looking at proposals to develop part of the land on the North campus golf course. It talked about how the university looking to make some money has decided to look into options for developing the land, so far making a retirement community the most likely bet. Their plan is to take part of the land and build the home that would cater to retired faculty staff and alumni and with that they estimate they could generate a couple million dollars to put into other programs on campus.

However many people seem to be opposed to this plan as am I. Not only are they attacking the golf course, which over the many years since it was built has gone from 27 holes to nine, but they are also attacking valuable green space. As it is the Albuquerque metro/ university area is lacking in green, being built up every minute, but building, if even only on a part of the land, is only encouraging the developing. I can understand how they want to utilize what resources they have to make some much needed money instead of spending it on water for the course but if they start in one corner what would stop them from making excuses to build up on the rest.

Luckily, and this might be the only time I’m on Martin Chavez side , the Mayor and apparently the city are as opposed to the idea as most of the North Campus neighborhood. They don’t want to see the golf course divided up and green space taken away, and have openly said they will not support any bid to develop on the land. Even tough the University owns the land they need the cities permission to build and ultimately one would hope the University listened to the community because I feel we all own the University. The President of the University and the board of regents are there to help the place run but it’s the community that supports it, the students that fund it and all the other people who contribute something or other or work there that own it, and as such I think we should all have a say in what happens. Taking a place that harbors recreation, calmness and peace in nature (even if it is just a golf game, a weekend picnic a walk) and diminishing it by building in it and marketing to a certain age group and clientele. Just kind of stinks.

This is how I personally feel but Id love to hear other opinions, or other sides of the story. I read a couple articles on the matter but I was not present at the rally or anything having read about it later. But what about the green space issue, should it not be built upon just because it’s green space, or should more be taken into account. Does the University have a point trying to make more money and at that should the University be allowed to do with their land what they want to do or should the community and city be heard too.

-Maria