OR APPROXIMATELY TWENTY YEARS RESIDENTS AT RANCHO QUEMADO AND ARENA VILLAGES HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A COMMUNITY CENTRE AS THE EXISTING BUILDING, WHICH ONCE HOUSED A PRESCHOOL, REMAINS IN TOTAL DISREPAIR, FORCING RESIDENTS TO FIND ALTERNATIVE VENUES TO HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS.
MANY WHO GREW UP IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE ATTENDED THE PRESCHOOL WHERE MARTHA SIMON AKA MISS LINDA WOULD HAVE TAUGHT THEM.
BUT TODAY, THE FACILITY REMAINS A SHELL WITH THE ROOF BEING BLOWN OFF PREVIOUSLY AND THE UPPER FLOOR COLLAPSING AFTER YEARS OF NEGLECT. THIS COMMUNITY CENTRE IS WITHIN A STONE’S THROW AWAY FROM THE LA BREA’S SUB-CONSTITUENCY OFFICE OF STEPHEN MC CLASHIE, WHO IS ALSO THE LABOUR MINISTER.
THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AND REMAINS A PNM STRONGHOLD.
YESTERDAY, THERE WAS A FUNCTION HELD FOR CHILDREN WITHIN THE RANCHO QUEMADO COMMUNITY AND SUCH HAD TO BE DONE UNDER TENTS AND CHAIRS WHICH WERE RENTED BY A FAMILY AND PLACED ON THE COMPOUND OF THE DERELICT COMMUNITY CENTRE.
