Elisabeth Garrison

Janis Hirsh

Nora

Kris Blad

Debra Green

Jeff Donult

What’s the word around town?

—J. PATTERSON
Rio Rancho and the west side of Albuquerque have been growing fast in the last few years. Here’s what people around town have to say about all of the new development.

• Elisabeth Garrison, who works at Quiznos in Bernalillo, told me, “I don’t think they should develop as much as they are. I think it needs to be much more planned. You don’t build before you have the infrastructure to support something. And also, of course, water is always an issue here. It’s like the chicken and the egg—you have to pick which you want to come first.”

• Janis Hirsh, who was enjoying the beautiful weather at the shopping center in Bernalillo, had this to say: “I think the infrastructure in Rio Rancho and the west side is better than it is in this particular area. I think Bernalillo really needs to make an effort to do what’s really necessary in this area.”

• Nora, who was on break out in front of Quiznos in Bernalillo, said, “They really need to work on the roads—it takes too long to get across the river. They need to fix the traffic, make more lanes maybe, and they should have another Park and Ride—by Sprint might be a good place.”

• Kris Blad, who owns Buttons and Bows in Placitas, said, “They’d better have a good plan for water if they’re going to have more development. The aquifers aren’t going to support everybody. The water we have won’t sustain all of us just with runoff. We simply don’t get enough rain. There are lots of houses going up across the street, and there are lots of houses going up across the river.
“I’m also concerned about wildlife. What’s going to happen to all the horses, the birds, the lizards, and so on, that we’re encroaching on?”

• Debra Green, who works for Presbyterian Hospital on the west side, responded, “Most of the population of Albuquerque will be on the west side. That’s why Presbyterian is building a new hospital out on the west side. I think they’re doing a good job. They’re building more schools and adding parks, which is good. I know the more people who are out there, the more things they will have to develop for out here. There’s a nice mall out here. We’ve lived here for six years and we hardly have to go into Albuquerque to do anything, even work.”

• Jeff Donult, owner of the Bernalillo Birding Company in Bernalillo said, “As long as they keep a lot of open space, they will be doing okay. I grew up in Florida, where they pretty much just made it all into an urban jungle. I just hope they consider the environment out here better, as far as keeping open land and keeping it more natural in places.”

If you have an idea or question for “What’s the Word,”
send it to: email@sandovalsignpost.com, or mail it to:
Signpost, P. O. Box 889, Placitas, NM 87043.