On Tuesday, the Amarillo City Council approved a $250,000 resolution to fund security improvements at Transformation Park. The money will go toward installing security cameras, internet connectivity, and other safety equipment, as well as hiring security guards for the facility.
Mark Zimmerman, executive director of Transformation Park, explained that these security measures were not included in the original budget, which is why they sought city funding.
“It wasn’t in the city’s construction budget and it wasn’t in our budget, so it was kind of an add that we needed to do,” Zimmerman said. “The main part of it is the camera system, and then the other part is for a metal detector and a bag scanner to come into the site. The last part is job creation—we are going to try to create two to three security jobs.”
Zimmerman emphasized the importance of safety for residents, volunteers, and staff. The plan includes perimeter cameras and on-site security personnel.
“We want to make sure our residents are safe, we want to make sure our volunteers are safe, and our staff is safe,” he said. “This camera system will be a huge part of that.”
To ease privacy concerns, Zimmerman assured that the cameras would not intrude on nearby homes, as the facility is surrounded by a bus station, an open field, and a cabinet shop.
Additionally, the new security system will be linked to the Amarillo Regional Crime Center, allowing Amarillo Police Department (APD) officers to monitor activity in real-time.
“We want our APD tied directly in with that so they can see those cameras and see what is going on if they have an issue,” said Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley. “We want their staff over there to be able to exercise all the safety measures they have.”
Zimmerman hopes these measures will reduce the need for police intervention at Transformation Park.
“That’s our main goal—to head off issues before we have to call APD. We try to take care of things before it ever gets to that point,” he said.
Transformation Park’s ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for April 12, with the first residents moving into the cabin community on April 16. Interviews and selection for the initial group of residents will begin next week, with plans to open the first 50 spots in the facility’s safe space shortly after.
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