In 2017, vendors, from the La Familia Growers Market and community members from the South Valley held our first community meeting to discuss design improvements at the Dolores Huerta Park. The recommendations included more shade through the planting of more trees and shade structures in the children’s playground due to the increasing heat, better lighting, more green spaces, seating and tables, a performance stage, and more space for families and community members to have gatherings and celebrations.

In 2018, the New Mexico Office of Economic Development New Mexico MainStreet provided an architect consultant to develop preliminary drawings of our community vision for improvements. Then in 2019, the New Mexico MainStreet awarded the South Valley MainStreet in partnership with Bernalillo County a Capital Outlay grant in the amount of $51,400.00 to hire an architecture firm to develop construction ready documents with the design recommendations from the community and a portion of the grant dedicated to implementation of the design improvements.

In 2020, the MRWM Landscape Architecture Firm was hired to develop the final construction documents for Dolores Huerta Gateway Park Improvements in partnership with the South Valley MainStreet and Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation and Open Space, taking the community's vision and developing construction ready documents. A community meeting was held in February 2020 whereby community members held a vote on final design improvements. Ambitiously moving forward, amid COVID-19, MRWM (Plans Collaborative) completed the 100% construction ready documents in early September 2020 in partnership with the South Valley MainStreet and Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation and Open Space. To view the 100% construction ready documents click on the video link to the left of this narrative.

Since the development of the construction plans the South Valley MainStreet partnered with Bernalillo County, New Mexico MainStreet, and New Mexico State Legislative Representatives to secure over $2.1 million in public funding to complete the renovations at the Dolores Huerta Gateway Park. In the summer of 2024 phase 1 of construction began and we will prepare for a celebration to take place in December 2024.

This project is an example of what is possible when community is at the table and provides leadership in partnership with Bernalillo County and the New Mexico MainStreet which is under the New Mexico Economic Development Department, community-based and led economic redevelopment.