REQUESTING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, TOURISM DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH THE TOWN OF EDGEWOOD, PROJECT ADVANCEMENT CORPORATION OF EDGEWOOD AND EDGEWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO PRESERVE, REVITALIZE AND PROMOTE CULTURAL AND HISTORIC SITES, TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE EDGEWOOD REGION.

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico wishes to protect, preserve, conserve, interpret and celebrate its historically and culturally significant structures and vistas, especially assets related to historic route 66 communities in New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico recognizes the benefit of developing heritage tourism, which promotes local commitment to historic preservation and conservation of historic route 66 and other culturally significant structures and locations; and

WHEREAS, heritage tourism related to historic route 66 can help communities located along what is known as "America's Main Street" and the "Mother Road"; and

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico wishes to work with route 66 communities to diversify local economies with heritage tourism; and

WHEREAS, the culturally significant highway known as route 66 passes directly through the town of Edgewood; and

WHEREAS, a key New Mexico transportation and tourism artery, interstate 40, also passes directly through the town of Edgewood; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood is the exact east-west halfway point of both route 66 and interstate 40 across the state of New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, within the town limits of Edgewood is an original 1930s-era work progress administration project schoolhouse, located at historic route 66 and state highway 344, which is in jeopardy of being razed; and

WHEREAS, the work progress administration school house building has been named to New Mexico's 2002 most endangered place list by New Mexico's heritage preservation alliance; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood has other traditional historic and cultural markers of the rapidly disappearing small-town lifestyle in farming and ranching communities of New Mexico that are also in jeopardy of being lost; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood and surrounding areas offer notable recreational opportunities, such as Wildlife West nature park, horseback riding, hiking, mountains and wide open spaces; and

WHEREAS, Edgewood hosts the annual "Rt. 66 Run, Rally & Rock" festival celebrating the highway's influence on New Mexico's past, present and future; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood already has in place a number of tourist conveniences, such as fuel station, restaurants, repair services, camping and lodging, that would benefit from increased tourism; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood is the eastern gateway to the greater Albuquerque metropolitan area and the southern gateway to Santa Fe county; and

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico wishes to use state and federal scenic byway funds to assist in the management, preservation and promotion of historic route 66 in New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico wishes to develop tourism within the state from both in-state and out-of-state tourists; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood wishes to preserve and promote its underdeveloped cultural and tourism assets; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood wishes to use, through adaptive reuse, the 1930s work progress administration schoolhouse to create a memorial and interpretive center honoring the workers who built route 66 and small-town life; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood wishes to establish and house in the work progress administration schoolhouse building a cooperative art gallery to serve the region and promote the local economy; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood wishes to establish and use the remaining classroom in the work progress administration schoolhouse as a unique hands-on learning center; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood wishes to establish a main street program to preserve existing sites and address with foresight issues of development along route 66 within the town limits in order to preserve and promote the cultural integrity of the highway as a tourism asset; and

WHEREAS, the town of Edgewood wishes to work with the state to strengthen the economic vitality of the Edgewood region;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the economic development department, tourism department, office of cultural affairs and state highway and transportation department work with the town of Edgewood, project advancement corporation of Edgewood and Edgewood chamber of commerce in the acquisition, preservation, conservation and promotion of culturally and historically significant structures, roadways and locations within the town of Edgewood and the surrounding region; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of economic development, the secretary of tourism, the state cultural affairs officer, the secretary of highways and transportation, the New Mexico route 66 association and New Mexico arts.