ABQ Times

The University of New Mexico-Gallup completed the demolition of Lions Hall in July, but the legacy of the branch campus’ first official building will live on.

Lions Hall, donated to UNM-Gallup by the local Lions Club in 1969, was instrumental in establishing the current site of the branch campus. Unfortunately, it was torn down because of contaminants that needed to be abated, and renovating the building was no longer feasible.

“UNM-Gallup will be forever grateful to the Gallup Lion’s Club,” Chancellor Sabrina Ezzell said. “The generous donation of their clubhouse back in 1969 led to UNM-Gallup becoming the successful community college that it is today.”

The Gallup Lions Club donated their clubhouse and six acres of piñon-wooded hills to UNM-Gallup on Aug. 7, 1969, as part of a community service project. Lions Hall was the first official building of the branch campus at its current site.

The land for the Lions Club site was donated by Bert Cresto. The construction of the building was the result of more than 250 Lions Club members who donated their time, talent and labor.

Lions Dan Brentari, Henry Whipple, Art Garcia, J.A. “Red” Abeyta and Bill Lewis were instrumental in fulfilling the Lions Club’s desire to return the building to the community since local citizens had funded and built the structure.

Named Lions Hall, the building was remodeled to include administrative offices and classrooms.

Later in 1969, Clair Gurley donated an adjacent parcel of 70 acres to the college, which allowed the campus to grow and expand into what it has become today.

Prior to the Lions Hall donation, UNM-Gallup classes were held at Gallup High School where it originally served 128 students.

UNM-Gallup now serves approximately 2,900 students online and in-person with a campus that includes ten buildings on more than eighty acres.

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