July 6, 2026 Community Hall Newsletter

Summer is here, Albuquerque,

Longer days mean more opportunities to get outside, connect with neighbors, and enjoy everything our city has to offer. This month, we've continued investing in the places, programs, and partnerships that make Albuquerque a welcoming place to live while celebrating the people and cultures that make our community unique.

We're continuing to invest in the spaces that bring people together. This month we celebrated the opening of People's Market in the International District, creating a permanent home for local businesses, entrepreneurs, and community gatherings. We also kicked off another season at the Loma Linda Giving Garden, where expanded gardens, a new adobe horno, and dedicated volunteers are helping improve food access while creating a place for neighbors to grow, learn, and connect. On the westside, the opening of San Antonio Oxbow Bluffs Open Space added another beautiful destination where residents can enjoy Albuquerque's incredible natural landscape.

Arts and culture continue to thrive across our city. We unveiled plans for the expanded 516 ARTS facility, creating new opportunities for artists and creative collaboration downtown. At the Sunport, a new exhibit in the Great Hall now welcomes travelers with the stories and history that have shaped Albuquerque, while we hosted thousands of arts leaders from around the country for the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention, showcasing our city's vibrant creative community on a national stage.

June also gave us many reasons to celebrate the people who make Albuquerque stronger. We had the Raising of the Pride Flag Civic Plaza, continuing our commitment to being a city where everyone belongs, and joined thousands for the annual Pride Parade. We celebrated Juneteenth with events honoring freedom, culture, and community, and recognized World Refugee Day by welcoming those who have made Albuquerque their home while celebrating the many cultures that enrich our city.

We're also continuing to invest in safer, healthier neighborhoods. Students participating in Albuquerque Community Safety's School-Based Violence Intervention Program celebrated another successful year, demonstrating the impact that mentorship and early intervention can have on young people's lives. ACS also launched new initiatives with Youth Development, Inc. to expand healing, stability, and violence prevention services for young people. Meanwhile, the completion of a new pedestrian crossing on Central Avenue improves safety and accessibility as the Rail Trail project continues to take shape.

We celebrated the retirement of longtime Arts & Culture Director Dr. Shelle VanEtten de Sanchez through our Stories of Us series. Her decades of leadership helped expand access to arts, libraries, museums, public art, and cultural programming, leaving a lasting mark on Albuquerque and enriching the lives of generations of residents.

This month also brought renewed attention to the impact fentanyl continues to have on communities across New Mexico. Every life lost is one too many, and we remain committed to prevention, treatment, strong public safety partnerships, and advocating for the transparency our residents deserve as we continue working to keep Albuquerque families safe.

From parks and public art to safer streets and stronger neighborhoods, June reminds us that Albuquerque's greatest strength has always been its people. Together, we're creating a city where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Here's to another month of progress, pride, and connection,

Mayor Tim Keller

This month, Mayor Tim Keller highlighted:

• Improvements Coming at San Antonio Oxbow Bluffs Open Space
• Local Arts Leader Honored on National Stage During Americans for the Arts Annual Conference
• Out-of-State Lazy Landlords List