City says recent cleanup has improved conditions, but larger changes will take time
GRANTS, N.M. – Over the weekend, Grants Mayor Erik Garcia urged residents to take another look at Grants Riverwalk Park.
“Go walk the Riverwalk now,” Garcia wrote in a text message to the Cibola Citizen. “The other day it was bad, today it’s clear and clean all over, the ditch, trail bridge, it’s awesome.”
The message reflects the city’s effort to draw attention to recent cleanup at one of Grants’ most visible public spaces. But city officials say the Riverwalk’s long-term future depends on much more than routine maintenance.
Riverwalk Park sits in a prominent section of downtown and is tied directly to the Rio San Jose, making it both a public gathering place and a working drainage corridor. Residents use the park for walking, fishing and community events, but it has also drawn complaints about litter, overgrowth, water conditions and the health of ducks, geese and fish.
Garcia acknowledged those concerns during a recent walkthrough of the park, but said conditions have improved compared with earlier years, when parts of the corridor were more heavily overgrown.
Still, he said the Riverwalk’s larger problems are not just cosmetic.
“The Riverwalk is the Rio San Jose,” Garcia said. “This is a legit major drainage.”
That means floodwater, sediment and debris all affect the park over time. Garcia said the city’s longer-term goals include engineering work, pond excavation and redesign efforts meant to improve how the Riverwalk functions and how it looks.
Garcia said the Riverwalk’s water areas are now roughly 35 years old and have accumulated years of buildup. He said a larger redesign could involve excavation, relining and reworking how water moves through the area so that the park is more attractive, more functional and easier to maintain. He spoke about the possibility of a continuous, more controlled water flow and a cleaner, more intentional design through parts of the corridor.
According to Garcia, the city is pursuing grant funding tied to Riverwalk improvements and wants to continue building engineering plans even if outside money does not come through immediately.
Among the city’s biggest goals, he said, is pursuing engineering work that would help redesign and improve the ponds and water features in the Riverwalk area. Garcia said city officials are seeking major grant funding tied to the park and believe the Riverwalk is one of Grants’ most marketable public assets, especially along Route 66 and near downtown.
According to Garcia, one proposal would involve excavating the ponds, improving the aquatic environment and creating a better long-term design for the area. He said that even if major grant money does not come through, the city still intends to move toward engineering work so it can build a shovel-ready plan for the Riverwalk’s future.
He said the Riverwalk is one of Grants’ most marketable public spaces, particularly because of its location in downtown and along Route 66.
Garcia also said the city is continuing smaller visible improvements where it can, including cleanup work and other efforts meant to make the area more attractive and usable.
For the city, the Riverwalk is about more than appearances. Garcia said it is part of a broader effort to make Grants feel cleaner, safer and more welcoming for both residents and visitors.
“If it’s clean, it’s safe,” Garcia said. “If it’s clean and safe, you create economics.”
For now, Riverwalk Park remains a place where residents can see both progress and unfinished work at the same time.