Our community sports center created a home for organized team sports.
When Border Partners began working in Palomas, none of the five sites in town designated as parks had functioning, safe play equipment for children. Equipment at elementary schools was very old and some quite dangerous. There were:
- No soccer fields in good repair.
- No youth leagues for any sport.
- No bike trails.
- Few sidewalks.
- No skateboard park.
- Few people had bicycles in good repair.
- No bike repair shop.
- There were several basketball courts, but most of the baskets were broken.
A work crew unites around construction of new playground equipment in a Palomas park.
And there was no government support to improve or maintain any of this.
In addition to improving nutrition, Border Partners promotes exercise to support good health and avoid health problems, such as diabetes and obesity. We augment programs already in place–like public parks-–and initiate programs to get community residents active.
Community recreation accomplishments
Since 2008, together with the community, Border Partners has:
- built two major new recreation facilities – a sports center with soccer, basketball and volleyball courts and a dirt bike track,
- opened a former school gym to public use on weekends, and
- added major improvements at several of the town’s public parks, including children’s play equipment and a climbing wall.
In addition, through the health promoters, we
- sponsor bicycle events throughout the year,
- plan and organize soccer and volleyball tournaments and
- maintain a bicycle repair shop staffed by volunteers.