ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The city shut down Coronado Park and a notorious homeless camp inside it; now, the last standing piece of that park has a buyer ready to take over.
The dog park sits right across from the old Coronado Park, and if all goes according to plan, the plot may soon be the property of Creamland Dairy.
After councilors declared the Coronado Dog Park on 3rd and McKnight “not essential” for city use this year, then put it up for sale in June, now there is a potential buyer. Creamland Dairy is now trying to enter a sale agreement with the city to possibly buy the park property.
According to the agreement, the nearly two-acre plot could sell for just over a million dollars. However, as part of that sale, Creamland said it will only buy the property if the city also abandons the nearby McKnight Avenue between 2nd and 3rd and wraps that into the deal.
“It’s sad; it’s bittersweet to lose a park,” said Ricardo Guillermo, board member for Wells Park Neighborhood Association.
Guillermo has been outspoken about trying to keep and improve both pieces of Coronado Park. While he said the neighborhood hoped they’d be included in the process of what to do with the dog park, he is optimistic about Creamland buying the property.
“We hope that it gets enhanced with whatever comes here. Looking forward to their next plans and if we can take a role in helping design these parks so that there are amenities in them,” stated Guillermo.
City Council will eventually vote on the property sale, but before the property could change hands, the city needs to go through the public process of vacating “McKnight Avenue,” which could take several months.
The city said proceeds from the land sale will eventually go into beautifying other nearby parks. Creamland has not gotten back to us about what they plan to do with the property.