Both embankment slides now open at Albuquerque's Juan Tabo Hills Park
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – After two years and multiple delays, both embankment slides at Juan Tabo Hills Park are finally open to the public. The city celebrated the opening of the second slide Saturday, thanks in part to a determined local 10-year-old named Benny Metzger.
Benny, who recently celebrated his birthday, was the first to ride down the long-awaited yellow tube slide. 'I have literally never been the guest of honor at a place, ever, in my whole entire life,' Bennie said.
His big moment came after he wrote a letter to Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Director Dave Simon, asking when the slide would finally be fixed.
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'I would appreciate it very much if the yellow tube slide could be fixed or replaced before this summer. Thank you for considering this matter. Sincerely, Benny.'
Benny Metzger (partial quote from his letter)
'I thought, maybe they've forgotten about it, or maybe the contract is taking longer than expected,' Benny explained. His letter helped shine a spotlight on the unfinished project, part of a more than half-a-million-dollar investment in the park.
The first of the two slides opened to the public last year. City officials said delays in equipment delivery and additional safety modifications pushed back the second opening.
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'Our number one goal was to make a slide that was incredibly fun and exciting—but safe for children,' said Parks and Recreation Director Dave Simon.
Now, both slides are open and ready for kids to enjoy. Bennie's review?
'You just go through it, and you don't know where the light is, and then you're like—ahhh!' he exclaimed.
The city reminds the public that while the slides are built for fun, they are designed specifically for children, not teens or adults.
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