Seniors in Tijeras are hoping to eventually have new pickleball courts built that could help them maintain an active lifestyle.
The Village Council approved an infrastructure capital improvement plan list this week for the senior center that includes pickleball courts at the top. The list also includes a shade structure for the garden.
The infrastructure capital improvement plans are lists of priority projects. Having a project on the ICIP list makes it more likely to receive funding, including capital outlay money.
While pickleball courts are being built at the Los Vecinos Community Center as part of its upgrades, those courts will not be available for seniors to use during the summer. Having the courts at the senior center will make them more accessible to seniors.
A previous ICIP list included funding for upgrades to the senior center to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. That project received $100,000 of capital outlay funds this year. Among other things, the funds will increase access to restroom facilities at the senior center.
Village officials say the first matter of business is making sure the bathrooms have buttons that can be pushed to open the doors so that seniors who are in wheelchairs or using walkers do not have to rely on other people holding the doors for them.
The village found out the bathrooms were not accessible for everyone the “hard way,” officials say.
