¡Colores!; 1401; Albuquerque's Historic Neighborhoods; Interview with Resident from Princess Jeanne Park

In just the three years that I mean, three or four years. Well you have to remember in three years, I mean how many of those home owners, original home owners have, have become even more frail and as older. You know, the neighbors have lived on both sides of us, where original home owners and both of them are getting up there. And then with the economy being battered the way it is right now, and then you have to remember that most of the people who are retired rely on that money, you know, on the retirement accounts. And so much of that has been lost in the bad economy, that if it comes to eating between, if you have to choose, the story that I started to tell you was before all the houses came along and when the maces were still fairly empty. One of the great things was the wildflowers would spring up after the monsoon season. And you'd walk and as far as I could see, you'd see all these wildflowers and there was

one particular flower, it looked like a white pansy, but it just went on forever. You know, it made you feel like you were in the Wizard of Oz, you know, walking through the poppy fields. And my parents, you know, saw the wildlife, saw the deer, but even when we were growing up and the area had been developed somewhat, you could catch bluetailed lizards, the horned toads that all the boys would scare the girls with, you know. There was still, you know, there's still enough of a rural aspect to it that made it kind of fun to grow up with, you know. And this was way before, I mean, before Wantobo was filming, that was nothing but a dirt road. There were times when my father would, you know, would have a difficult time getting to the base because you bank wasn't paved. And if it was a very wet season, he'd have traveled through mud, you know, the car would have to, you know, slide through mud to get to the base.

So it was fun. I stopped here for a second, but it's all right. For four years. Right. And the neighborhood association. There was a commitment. And we nobody wants to let go of memories. This house has seen all seven of us grow up and all the grandchildren, you know, this is where they visited Grandma and Grandpa. And this house is like the safe harbor, you know, as each of us drifts off with our little load of goodies out into the world, this is where we come back to replenish, you know, family strength and family love and caring for each other. And this is, you know, this is a home port. And it's hard to let go of memories like that, especially as you get older. But then I had to qualify that because even the younger members of my family, the grandchildren and the great grandchildren, they enjoy hearing the stories just as much as we old time members do. That's a wonderful thing to see happen, you know, as each generation gets, that's to hear

the stories of what it was like, be care before. And they get to see their mom and dad and uncles and aunts and grandmas and grandpas, you know, do a little stroll down memory lane. So it's a wonderful thing to see, that continuity. So this was a great neighborhood and hopefully someday we'll be again. Yes, and I feel, and I think it will be again, a vital part of the city. And I think that's going to rely on people's involvement and commitment to keeping it a neighborhood that continues to grow instead of declining. And again, it's just, you know, I know there's talk about budget cuts and money and, you know, we don't have the money, but this neighborhood has contributed to the success of the city and it's time for the city, you know, to give a little bit back to the residents.

Very important thing to say, obviously. It seems like each neighborhood, if you kind of have a healthy city, a vibrant city, a dynamic city, you can think of almost each neighborhood as a child of the city. And as each child grows up, they all become a little different, which is a good thing. And so do you see, do you see it that way? Do you see the neighborhoods as being important? The health of each neighborhood and growth of each neighborhood is being as important to the city as a whole? I think it's essential. I think that the city has to recognize, I mean, one of the slogans for the city of Albuquerque is that it touts its diversity, the diverse population. Well, it can't tout it on one hand and ignore it on the other. Each neighborhood contributes something to the personality of the city, the culture, the way people see it.

And like any family, each child is different, but none is loved less because it is. You know, that's what creates a good family. And the city, being a parental figure, has to start listening to its constituents and its residents as to what that area needs. And the residents need to start speaking up. Good. I have nothing else to say. You did a wonderful job.