Zona Revived

Children who live on Santa Fe's Southside will have a new option for summer camp in their neighborhood following the city's announcement today that the Boys and Girls Club will lease a city property in Tierra Contenta.

The building known as Zona del Sol has been vacant since February, when the city evicted a nonprofit of the same name that was supposed to provide services there. City officials said those efforts were insufficient.

The Boys and Girls Club can immediately provide a summer program for up to 50 kids between the ages of 5 and 18 there and is ready to put on after school learning, art and recreation opportunities beginning in the in next school year.

Roman Abeyta, the club's executive director, says many of the kids who already use the Boys and Girls Club on the north side actually live on the other side of town.

"If you look at our numbers now, what has been happening historically over the last four or five years, the numbers enrolled have been declining at the Alto location and our clubs in Jacabo and off Highway 14 reach capacity every summer," he says. "That is where the services are needed, and that is where the families live."

City Councilor Carmichael Dominguez says Tuesday in a city press release that he is excited about the news.

"I'm grateful to the hard work put in by city staff and the Boys and Girls Club in making this happen, and I know the impact of this agreement will be felt by Santa Feans all across the south side who will have greater access than ever before to critical services. We can't wait to see this site grow and evolve, and look forward to a long, fruitful relationship."

During the term of the 20-year lease, the Boys and Girls Club may sublease portions of the site to other nonprofits, develop the property in ways that contribute to the mission, and offset the monetary value of the rent with the value of the services provided at the site, according to the city's statement.

Abeyta says the club is already accepting registration for the summer program and expects to open the office at Zona for that purpose early next week. If more than 50 students apply, he says, the club will start taking action to lobby the city, county and state for funds to expand the facility. Program capacity could also increase if the club forgoes its license and grants from the state Children, Youth and Families Department, which set the limit.

"That would allow us to increase the occupancy of the building to whatever the fire marshal says we can hold," he tells SFR.

Santa Fe Reporter