ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It’s been almost two years since city leaders closed Coronado Park after years of violence, and homeless camps taking over the park.

Now, plans to change the park are moving forward, but it’s not coming back as a park. Instead, it will be rezoned for an Albuquerque Fire Rescue extension.

Despite their efforts to restore Coronado Park, nearby business owners are happy that something is being done to help out this side of town.

“I mean, if you can’t have a park, next best thing is the fire station,” said Denise Baker, owner of Rio Bravo Brewing Company. 

The Coronado Park off I-40 has been shut down since August 2022. Now, it’s time to make some changes.

The Environmental Planning Commission unanimously voted to rezone the park. It will now be home to Albuquerque Fire Rescue’s training facility.

Baker says she is happy for the change.

“We’re very supportive of the fire department, and we feel it’s an asset to our community and to the area,” said Baker. 

Baker bought the building that houses Rio Bravo Brewing Company back in 2014. One of the reasons they picked the location is because they liked the view they had of the park. That’s until homeless camps started popping up in the area.

“About four years ago, the camp grew to 100 people or more. We’d find people sleeping in the gutters, in our parking lot, on our patio, we ended up putting blue flags over our front patio, so customers couldn’t see out that way,” Baker said. 

When people started to speak up about their concerns about homelessness in the park, Baker was one of them.

“Not only was it an eyesore, but it hurt to see people actually living that way, and it just grew so big that we just had to complain and make something happen, and I’m glad I was a part of that,” said Baker.  

Even though she wanted to see a park again, she’s okay with the changes that are coming.

“To have a training center and fire department expanded that brings in more people to this area and the community, and I think it’s wonderful. I think it was the best thing they could’ve done with it given the options,” said Baker.  

Baker says Rio Bravo Brewing is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a full kitchen. So the construction workers or firefighters in training have a place close by if they get hungry.