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    <title>New Mexico</title>
    <category>New Mexico</category>
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    <description>Stay informed with the latest breaking news, local stories, sports, business, weather, and community events from Durango, Southwest Colorado, and the Four Corners region.</description>
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        <link>https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/outdoors/sipapu-kicks-off-new-mexicos-ski-season/</link>
        <title>Sipapu kicks off New Mexico’s ski season</title>
        <description>Purgatory ready to open on Friday</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:52:22 -0700</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[A skier makes some turns at Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort in this undated photo. The ski area opened for the season on Friday, Nov. 21, becoming the first New Mexico mountain to open for the 2025/2-26 season. Courtesy SipapuccaPurgatory ready to open on FridaySipapu Ski and Summer Resort started spinning its lifts Nov. 21, once again becoming the first ski area in New Mexico to open for the season.The ski area only fired up its Big Magic Carpet for the opening, but plans on opening more terrain through Thanksgiving week as conditions allow.“We’ve used this extended window of fair weather to continue construction on our new Lift 3 project,” said John Paul Bradley, General Manager. “The excellent weather conditions have allowed us to conduct construction ahead of schedule, and we’re excited to welcome guests for what promises to be an excellent ski season.”The new Lift 3 represents a major infrastructure improvement for the resort, enhancing the skiing experience for guests of all skill levels. The new two-person chairlift is replacing a 47-year old surface lift, making it easier to access some of the mountain’s best beginner and intermediate terrain.Lift tickets at Sipapu start at $19, but guests will need to purchase them and their rentals in advance. No walk-ups are allowed at the resort this year.With only a 12-inch base, the ski area is also reminding people to be smart on its slopes, take it easy on those first few runs and remember what their edges feel like.Sipapu is located 20 miles southeast of Taos, about two hours north of Albuquerque.Sipapu began as the first lift-served ski area in New Mexico, back in 1952, and is proud to be the state’s longest running lift ski resort with the longest ski season.Red River Ski and Summer Area, meanwhile, became the second ski area in the state to open Wednesday. It was reporting a 12-inch base with two trails open. Red River held a frozen turkey race Thursday, where guests race down the hill while sitting on a frozen bird, and for Saturday a “Thanksjibbing” rail jam, torchlight parade and fireworks.Three more New Mexico ski areas opened this week. Taos Ski Valley opened Friday, while Ski Apache and Ski Santa Fe opened Saturday.Angel Fire Resort, Pajarito Mountain Ski Resort and Sandia Peak Ski Area all plan on opening Dec. 12. The Enchanted Forest Ski Area, for cross-country skiing, is scheduled to open Dec. 19.Purgatory Resort in Durango is also ready to open its slopes after pushing back its initial opening. Purgatory opened for the season Friday.“After several weeks of warm temperatures, high humidity and highly variable overnight conditions, we’re excited to share the news everyone has been waiting for: Purgatory Resort will open for our 60th winter season this Friday, November 28th. We can’t wait to ski you there!” the mountain’s homepage said Wednesday next to a countdown to the opening.Purgatory is a Power Pass Resort, along with Sipapu, Sandia Peak, Pajarito and others.Purgatory Resort has been blowing snow since the weekend of Nov. 15, and is now ready to open for the season on Friday, Nov. 28. Courtesy of Purgatory Resortcca]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/outdoors/new-mexico-to-allow-cyclists-to-roll-through-stop-signs/</link>
        <title>New Mexico to allow cyclists to roll through stop signs</title>
        <description>Law will allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs</description>
        <pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2025 15:31:29 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Jason Culver rides his bicycle to meet a friend at a local coffee shop on Wednesday in Santa Fe. Culver said he has rolled through stop signs and he would be glad not to receive a ticket for doing it, but he thinks Senate Bill 73 could create problems in the short term, because New Mexico is already such a dangerous place to drive. “Even if you have a green light, sometimes you have to look both ways and wait, how it is here,” he said. Austin Fisher/Source NMccaLaw will allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signsStarting on July 1, people riding bicycles in New Mexico will be able to ride through stop signs without coming to a full stop, and stop at red traffic lights and continue even if the light hasn’t turned green – as long as it’s safe to do so.That’s according to a new state law Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed on Friday.Senate Bill 73 changes New Mexico’s traffic law to allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, and to treat red traffic lights as stop signs and proceed if there are no other cars, cyclists or pedestrians.While it may seem counterintuitive to people who don’t use bicycles, this is already common practice among bicycle riders in New Mexico because a cyclist wants to carry their momentum on the bike, said Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, who carried the bill, during a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.Doing this gets the cyclist out of the blind spot of motorists who have stopped at an intersection, Sedillo Lopez told the committee.Eric Biedermann, a board member at-large of nonprofit advocacy organization BikeABQ, told the committee being able to treat a stop sign as a yield sign and a traffic light as a stop sign enhances cyclist safety because it reduces their exposure to cars, increases their visibility to cars and reduces the risk of being “right hooked” if a car doesn’t see them or a “left cross” from oncoming traffic.“There are a number of ways in which being able to proceed through an intersection with a head start before the cars move really enhances cyclist safety,” Biedermann told the committee. He was also speaking on behalf of Bike Santa Fe and Velo Cruces.The so-called “Idaho stop” – taking its name from the first U.S. state to ease traffic laws for cyclists – resulted in a 14.5% reduction in cyclist injuries a year after the state of Idaho enacted a similar law in 1982, according to a review of Idaho Office of Highway Safety data.In New Mexico, between 2019 and 2023, 1,457 cyclists had crashes, according to the University of New Mexico Geospatial and Population Studies Center. Of those, 39 were killed, 115 were seriously injured and 694 were able to walk away.Lynn Pickard, a retired New Mexico Court of Appeals judge and member of Santa Fe Seniors on Bikes, told the committee data show that as many as half of collisions between cars and bikes happen within intersections.“So anything we can do to get cyclists into and out of the intersections quickly – leaving of course, for us, to determine our own safety if there are other cars there or pedestrians there – would be really helpful for us,” she said.Source NM is an independent, nonprofit news organization that shines a light on governments, policies and public officials.]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/outdoors/roost-the-ridges-enduro-beats-the-weather/</link>
        <title>Roost the Ridges Enduro beats the weather</title>
        <description>Race draws local, regional riders</description>
        <pubDate>Tue, 21 Mar 2023 02:57:37 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Race draws local, regional ridersRoost the Ridges Enduro rider drops into timed section of the course. (Courtesy Aztec Adventures)Roost the Ridges Enduro managed to avoid recent rain and snowstorms, taking place Saturday, March 18, at Lions Wilderness Park.The race, hosted by Aztec Adventures, drew 125 mountain bikers from Farmington and Durango area, as well as riders from Albuquerque, Gallup and Flagstaff.Enduro-style races have nontimed uphill portions and timed downhill portions. There are also transfer sections of the course, where riders are not timed but cannot receive outside assistance.Only the timed portions of the race count toward the rider’s final time. (Courtesy Aztec Adventures)The race’s total distance was 25 miles, with the three timed stages averaging about 1.5 miles each. Only the timed sections contribute to the official finishing time, which determines the winners in each category.Open Pro Men podium (right to left): Cody Wilderman, Dylan Stucki, Toby Hassett, Keiran Eagen and Cole Fiene.Open Pro Men top finishersToby Hassett, 7:52.96Dylan Stucki, 8:00.35Keiran Eagen, 8:00.45Cody Wilderman, 8:04.45Cole Fiene, 8:06.00Open Pro Women podium (right to left): Riley Huston, Ellae Montoya, Kiya Kelley and Maya Zarlingo.Open Pro Women top finishersKiya Kelley, 9:50.44Ellae Montoya, 9:51.08Maya Zarlingo, 9:53.37Riley Huston, 10:00.69Nico Brecht, 10:08.90Intermediate Men podium (right to left) James Booth, Dylan Timmerman and Liam Bezek. (Courtesy Aztec Adventures)Intermediate Men top finishersDylan Timmerman, 8:28.24James Booth, 8:57.04Liam Bezek, 9:00.76Jeff Lewis, 9:01.20Dillon Burns, 9:07.67Intermediate Women top finishersShannon Yoell, 12:00.70Lauralyn Nez, 15:06.72U16 Grom Men podium (right to left): Milo Deem, Chase Conners and Cedar Bremmer. (Courtesy Aztec Adventures)U16 Grom Men top finishersChase Connors, 8:17.25Milo Deem, 9:09.21Cedar Bremner, 9:09.36Jaden Eagleman, 9:18.50Antonio Pell, 9:30.60U16 Grom Women podium (right to left): Emma Bahe, June Bremner and Janaria Segay. (Courtesy Aztec Adventures)U16 Grom Women top finishersJune Bremner, 10:49.33Emma Bahe, 11:29.33Janaria Segay, 14:54.57Rain Jackson, 15:02.29Beginner Men top five finishersEduardo Trevizo, 8:56.82Bret Brachman-Goldstein, 9:12.01Everard Silas, 9:16.27Murphy Becenti, 10:22.74Jeremy Boucher, 10:58.57Beginner Women top five finishersShlye Goodluck, 13:00.52The Hangover Food Truck fed riders and spectators alike during the event and Revolution Enduro conducted timing for the race.Rider catches air on a downhill section of the course. (Courtesy Aztec Adventures)Aztec Adventure owners Neil Hannum and William Farmer said in an email, that the race “would not be possible without the great turnout from the members of the community, the city of Farmington and all of our sponsors: Desert Sun Coffee, The Wells Group Real Estate, Zuberfizz, Bedrock Bags, 1st Southwest Bank, Tailwind Nutrition, Sandstone Cycles, Rocky Mountain Roastery, 505 Cycles, Yellowman Builder, Cooper Fire Protection, King Cage Bisti Bicycles and Ziems Ford Corners.”]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/outdoors/aztec-receives-39999-for-outdoor-spaces-master-plan/</link>
        <title>Aztec receives $39,999 for outdoor spaces master plan</title>
        <description>Trails, recreation facilities and open space development to follow</description>
        <pubDate>Thu, 16 Mar 2023 01:43:56 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Trails, recreation facilities and open space development to followA biker climbs out of a canyon in New Mexico last year at an event put on by Aztec Adventures. Aztec Adventures will hold a new race in the area, the Holy Grit, in Sept. 17. (Courtesy)ccaThe city of Aztec received a state grant of $39,999, which has been earmarked to develop a 20-year master plan for trails, recreation facilities and open space.City Manager Jeff Blackburn said their internal document, which has been around for years, will be focused and narrowed down as a result of this new project.“We have been conducting outdoor recreation stakeholder meetings for the past few months and will use some of that information to provide direction,” Blackburn stated in an email.He said the public will be invited back for additional meetings on the park’s plan.“This will help us formalize that plan and seek more grants,” Blackburn stated in a recent article.Blackburn said that they plan on using $50,000 already appropriated by the City Commission to finalize the “plan and begin implementing some of its recommendations.”Blackburn said the plan will place an emphasis on enhanced trails system. Along with nine city parks, Aztec has access to 520 acres of Bureau of Land Management land that can be used for recreational purposes. This could include the motor sports field, he said.“The city of Aztec is committed to outdoor recreation for the local users, for our local manufacturing business, for tourism, and is working to develop funds to attract outdoor recreation industry,” Blackburn stated.]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/outdoors/brookside-skatepark-to-be-reworked-or-rebuilt/</link>
        <title>Brookside Skatepark to be reworked or rebuilt</title>
        <description>Local skateboarding icon envisions new skatepark as best idea</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:05:48 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Local skateboarding icon envisions new skatepark as best ideaRoss Herrera readies for takeoff in bowl at Brookside Skatepark. (David Edward Albright/Durango Herald)ccaCity of Farmington Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs department is looking at two options for creating a Brookside Skatepark. One option is to renovate the existing park, while the other option is a complete rebuild.Ross Herrera, 35, has been skating for 23 years.“My primary vision for the park kind of goes a few different ways,” he said.From his perspective, a different location may be the most logical and ideal, but otherwise the current park needs a complete rebuild.Herrera and his wife, Annette, opened 505 Shredz Skateboard in September in downtown Farmington at 211 W. Main St. They welcome local skaters of all ages to enjoy the friendly vibe of their shop, where a video monitor shows local skaters performing tricks at Brookside Skatepark and other locales. Annette said business has been steady.The city of Farmington has scheduled a community input meeting for 5:45 p.m. Monday, March 20, at Brookside Park. Annette expects a good turnout from skateboard enthusiasts. “We shared it and we’re hoping all our riders show up,” she said.City of Farmington spokesperson Christa Chapman said in an email that the planning team is working with Pland Collaborative and subcontractor Spohn Ranch Skateparks, for the design of the skatepark.Spohn Ranch Skate Parks, an award-winning skateboard designer based in Los Angeles, has three decades of experience building skateboard parks in more than 40 states and 15 countries.Herrera and other avid skaters love to skate and film at Brookside Skatepark. “Everybody films everybody down there,” Annette said. They film and upload to YouTube, she said, as a video of skaters played on the screen in her shop. One of Herrera’s “homies” filmed him doing an airborne skateboard trick called the “backside flip,” which became their business logo and clothing-gear image.The shop was a family venture, but they got some help from San Juan College with their website.“We’re still new, so we’re working on certain products,” Herrera said. “We’re here to serve the skating community … the kids who just want a place to hang out or chill … they’re all welcome. It’s just a good, friendly place.”Their shop also has hosted local competitions.Herrera enjoys working with kids who don’t have quite enough money for a board. “We want to keep everyone riding, whether you’re trying to go pro or just ride around town,” he said.Herrera estimated there are at least 100 local skaters, but many more come into Farmington from the surrounding region.Herrera has competed at events in Albuquerque and Durango, but has skated at some of the best parks around. He has been to a few of the skateparks built by Spohn Ranch and mentioned Fifth Pocket Skateparks from Philadelphia, as another great builder.He said Fifth Pocket just built a skatepark in Two Grey Hills region in the area of Newcomb. Herrera rides for Enchantment Skatepark in Gallup, which was built by Spohn Ranch. “It’s a really nice park … like the one they built in Santa Fe.”When asked if he considers himself to be a mentor for young skaters, Herrera said, “I really don’t like to answer that question because I might sound cocky. But when I hear them and others talking, ‘I’m a Brookside legend!’”“I started here from Day One. It kept me away from gangs. It kept me away from drugs. It kept me away from major trouble,” Herrera said. No matter where his family traveled – Las Vegas or Denver – he headed to the skatepark.Ross dedicated this photo to his recently deceased friend, Willem “Tomatoes” Tolerdo. “I love you, man,” he said. (David Edward Albright/Durango Herald)cca“It was literally my love,” he said. That’s why he and his wife opened Shredz and why he hangs out with the young skaters filming and posting on YouTube. Herrera was there with several teenage skaters on a blustery mid-March day.“My main thing for skateboarding is, it don’t matter if you’re doing it for tricks or riding to school, as long as you’re on a skateboard you’re a skater,” Herrera said. “It does’t matter your age, your gender, your ethnicity – skateboarding is for everyone. That’s what make skaters united. And have fun.”Dorian Thrasher, 14, focused on the social benefit.“What he said about keeping drugs away from the park and (expletive) is almost like – true! ‘Cause I know all these people could have been in really serious trouble … but they came here and kind of distracted themselves … and learned to love it.”Logan Bates, 15, a sophomore at Piedra Vista High School, has skateboarded about three years.“It’s just a stress release. It’s pretty fun,” he said.Logan Bates is one of Herrera’s talented young protégés. (David Edward Albright/Durango Herald)cca“The prefab stuff has to go,” Herrera said, “along with some of the steel features that have dangerous protruding seams and lips.”A whole new skatepark makes more sense to Herrera from a cost standpoint. The current one could remain as is while another is built to keep pace with more up-to-date industry standards in the skateboard world.He said they have had two sit-down sessions with park officials to discuss redoing the park.The area that is landscaped with wood chips above several of the obstacles at the park also pose a problem, Herrera said, because inevitably the wood chips end up on the skatepark features. Ross said he and the skaters now take care of certain cleanup issues like clearing out dirt, leaves and landscape bark. The current park is overdue for a remodel, he said.Herrera suggested that redoing the existing park with new obstacles would inspire young skaters who have never seen newer features before and motivated them to work harder for what they love and are passionate about.Rachelle Crosby, park planner for the city of Farmington, heads up the project. The design phase of the project has been funded. Brookside Skatepark, built in the early 1990s, is “considered one of our regional parks, and the skatepark is highly used daily throughout the year,” according to Chapman.]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/outdoors/farmington-police-department-donates-bikes/</link>
        <title>Farmington Police Department donates bikes</title>
        <description>Bikes donated to bicycle maintenance class</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:20:55 -0700</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Farmington Police Department recently donated bikes to Aztec High School’s Bike Tech program. (Courtesy photo)Bikes donated to bicycle maintenance classFarmington Police Department recently donated 20 bikes to Aztec High School’s bicycle maintenance class.The bikes were donated to the police department by Walmart and Target over the past several years. The donated bikes had been returned to the stores and were in need of various levels of repair.According to FPD spokeswoman Shanice Gonzales, the bikes were donated to the department for use at events such as National Night Out, where officers might give out bikes to area youths. Because these bikes were in need of repair, they were donated to the high school’s program.The bicycle maintenance program at Aztec High School was established in November 2022 in partnership with Bike Tech in School, a division of Project Bike Tech. The nonprofit organization’s program teaches students skills necessary to work as a professional bicycle mechanic. The knowledge students gain also serves as a foundation for careers such as fabrication and engineering, marketing and publications, and even writing for bicycle-related publications.The Bike Tech in School program has developed a standards-based curriculum on the mechanics of the bicycle that is provided in a hands-on, multisensory learning environment. The curriculum provides full lessons plans that support CORE and STEM requirements, as well as Career and Technical Education requirements.The program also focus on improving personal health and safety through participating in biking activities and creating a sense of environmental stewardship so biking areas are cared for and preserved for others. It also promotes cycling as a form of sustainable transportation and a lifelong recreational activity.Aztec High School’s Bike Tech program and NICA mountain bike team were funded through an NMPED Outdoor Learning grant. (Courtesy photo)Students who complete the program earn two certificates, a Bike Safety Certification and a Bike Technology: Level 1 certificate, which is endorsed many organizations in the bicycle industry.Because the Bike Tech in Schools curriculum is standardized and supported by the cycling industry, it instills confidence in potential employers that students are capable of entering the bicycle maintenance and repair industry with the skills necessary for an entry-level position.According to Aztec Municipal Schools Career and Technical Education Director Cory Gropp, the program at AHS is funded by a New Mexico Public Education Department Outdoor Learning grant. The grant awarded was in the amount of $30,000.AHS teacher Robert Henderson led the effort to apply for the grant and get the program started. He is also the main instructor for the program, which pairs well with other technical classes he teaches such as construction and engineering.Students in the Bike Tech program learn bike safety and how to service bicycles, such as the ones donated by FPD. Gropp said students in the program will also use the bikes they work on as members of the school’s National Interscholastic Cycling Association mountain bike team. The newly formed team is also funded by the NMPED Outdoor Learning grant award.This will be the team’s first year of competition, and they are seeking coaching staff. The teams plans to compete in events in such as the Alien Run Mountain Bike Race in May. They will also compete in events against schools and private clubs in Albuquerque and southern Colorado.Gropp said there is a great interest in outdoor recreation locally and this program is a way to allow students to not only participate in mountain biking but to also learn the skills needed to work in the industry and help build up outdoor recreation in their community.]]></content:encoded>
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        <link>https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/outdoors/farmington-trails-weave-through-town/</link>
        <title>Farmington trails weave through town</title>
        <description>Some of the walkways even lead down to the Animas River</description>
        <pubDate>Thu, 06 May 2021 00:53:00 -0600</pubDate>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Some of the walkways even lead down to the Animas RiverNell Lindenmeyer finishes her 3.2-mile hike last week on the Nature Trail in Animas Park in Farmington, one of Farmington’s many trails. Jerry McBride/Durango HeraldJerry McBrideFARMINGTON – The city of Farmington’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs is encouraging walking city trails with a Walking Trail Guide, available online and to print, that showcases some of the trail highlights of Farmington and San Juan County.The guide, which can be found at www.fmtn.org/WalkingTrails, is available to read online or to print as PDF versions.Emma Manzanares of Farmington walks the Westland Trail on Thursday in Farmington. Jerry McBride/Durango HeraldJerry McBrideWithin the guide, there are tips about healthy walking, such as wearing sunscreen, packing water and wearing items to protect from the elements, such as a hat and sunglasses. There are even tips for walking with pets in the sun, perfect for parks like Westland Park and Dog Park that has a half-mile walking trail loop through trees, along the river and on a dirt path.The park also has a play structure, basketball courts, open turf and shaded trees.The Walking Trail Guide includes a section about how to start a walking program. The section has tips for maintaining a walking schedule and how to be safe while having fun and getting in shape. There is also a walking log in the guide to help keep walkers on track and engaged.There are 27 listed trails or walking parks in Farmington and each one has unique features."What I love best about Kiwanis (Park) is its location so close to the bluffs,” said Rachelle Crosby, park planner for the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. “It's this great juxtaposition of our arid environment and the lushness and mature trees of the park. There's plenty of space to spread out with a dog or picnic and the walking path connecting Beckland Park is great.”Different wildlife can be seen near the Nature Trail in Animas Park in Farmington. Jerry McBride/Durango HeraldJerry McBrideAnother well-loved park is Northridge Park Walking Trail, said Christa Chapman, spokeswoman for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and it is the favorite of one of the department’s business analysts.Bob and Patti Davis walk their dogs, Chuck and Tesa, on the Westland Trail on their way to the dog park last week in Farmington. Jerry McBride/Durango HeraldJerry McBride“Northridge Park has a more intimate setting and is one of our smaller parks with a nice view,” said Shay Jacquez, business analyst for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. “It has great playground space and amenities for both young and older kids.”Shaña Reeves, director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, said while the department provides “many beautiful parks, playgrounds and trails,” one of her favorites would be Westside Estates.“Nestled in a subdivision on the outskirts of Farmington, this park boasts amazing views of the incredible bluffs and of beautiful Shiprock,” Reeves said. “The park has a great open area to run and play, but also has an exciting play structure. One of the nicest amenities is the lighted walking path, coupled with the exercise equipment – a great spot for multigenerational healthy habits to occur.”Reeves said Westside Estates is loved by “neighbors who keep a watchful eye.”“I love Westside Estates because it truly embodies the meaningfulness of parks and recreation in a community: people, space, accessibility, a place to belong and an extension of home,” Reeves said.Chapman said the city is working on the Among the Waters Trail extension project. The new section of trail will add about 1½ miles to the city’s river trails network running along the San Juan and Animas rivers, Chapman said. The city plans to connect the new portion to trails at Boyd Park to create a continuous route to the Berg/Animas Park trail segments.Physical copies of the Walking Trail Guide are available at the Farmington Museum; Farmington Aquatic Center; Lions Pool; the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs administration offices at 600 Reilly Ave.; the Farmington Recreation Center; and the Farmington Civic Center.mmitchell@durangoherald.com]]></content:encoded>
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