Los Alamos Invites Public Input on North Mesa Picnic Renovation

On Jan. 7 Los Alamos County Community Services issued a notice launching the next phase of the North Mesa Picnic Grounds Master Plan and inviting residents to a listening session Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Fuller Lodge. Community members unable to attend in person may join virtually via Zoom at us06web.zoom.us/j/87587269593. For project updates and details the county directs the public to its website under Projects/Picnic Grounds at North Mesa.

County officials say the picnic grounds’ shelters, restrooms and other park amenities are outdated and have been identified in both the County’s Integrated Master Plan and ADA Transition Plan as needing upgrades and improved accessibility. The proposed renovations are intended to modernize the site and ensure compliance with federal accessibility standards, an element that local planners say will expand access for residents of differing mobility and age.

The county has retained contractor Sites Southwest to lead community outreach and to collect feedback from staff, stakeholders and community members. That input will inform a plan focused on enhancing recreational opportunities while maintaining the picnic grounds’ role as a local gathering place. The process represents a routine step in municipal capital planning: moving from assessment to design with public input shaping priorities and trade-offs.

For Los Alamos residents the project touches daily life and civic use of public space. Upgrades to restrooms, shelters and pathways can affect the safety and comfort of family gatherings, school and civic events, and informal recreational use that rely on the site. Improved accessibility is also likely to broaden participation in outdoor activities by residents with disabilities and older adults, and may reduce future maintenance burdens through updated infrastructure.

The listening session offers a direct venue for neighbors to raise concerns about design, connectivity, parking, preservation of open space and how improvements will be phased. County staff and the contractor will collect comments that will be used to shape design alternatives and timelines. Those who cannot attend in person can comment via the Zoom link provided.

Next steps include consolidation of community feedback, preparation of design options by Sites Southwest, and further public review as the project advances. Residents seeking more information or updates are instructed to consult Los Alamos County’s Projects/Picnic Grounds at North Mesa webpage.