(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) Oct. 25, 2011 — The City of Albuquerque has awarded to Mountain West Golfscapes of Albuquerque the $1.7 million job to install a new irrigation system at Ladera Golf Course on the city’s West Side.
The project begins in early November and will take about 190 days, with closure of first the back nine and then the front nine of the Dick Phelps design, which opened in 1980.
City officials said the contract involves reseeding or returfing areas taken out of play for conservation purposes several years ago when it was clear Ladera’s 31-year-old irrigation system could not achieve coverage.
Councilors Debbie O’Malley and Ken Sanchez put $2 million for the irrigation project into the General Obligation bond package approved by Albuquerque voters in October 2009.
The project will save millions of gallons of water by eliminating leaks and boosting Ladera’s irrigation efficiency from around 50 percent to between 70 and 75 percent, said David Salas, head of the city’s Golf Division.
The project will involve installation of 1,650 modern water-savings irrigation heads and about 100,000 feet of 16- and 4-inch PVC pipe, said John Mondragon president of Mountain West Golfscapes, whose company has xeriscaped city street medians and the “Big I” intersection of interstates 25 and 40.
Mountain West Golfscapes maintains the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course.
Elsewhere:
UNM Update: A “golf summit” for people interested in discussing how to keep the money-losing UNM Championship Golf Course open will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, at the golf course.
Veteran’s Day: Pueblo de Cochiti Golf Course will allow veterans and current members of the military to play the golf course for $19.99 plus tax on Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day, said Jude Suina, head professional.
— Dan Vukelich
