City of Albuquerque Continues on Path Forward for 4-H Park

Dec. 2, 2021

Today, the City of Albuquerque consulted with representatives from tribal communities to solidify next steps to care for the burial site at 4-H Park associated with the former Albuquerque Indian School. The City scheduled four more community input sessions in January 2022, where the public is invited to share information, provide input and learn more about what the City is doing to protect the sacred site.

“A high priority for tribes and Pueblos, and the general public, is learning more about the site,” said David Simon, Director of the City Parks and Recreation Department. “As we conduct additional research in step with Native American stakeholders, we also want to continue to learn about its history from those who were affected by it, and continue working together to forge the future of this sacred space.”

Representatives at today’s meeting include Navajo Nation President Nez, Cochiti Pueblo Governor Herrera, Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Heart, delegates from the Ute Tribe, Laguna Pueblo as well as Councilor Isaac Benton from the City’s district two.

The City has been seeking historical information in records and archives at the local, state, and federal levels. As one of the recommendations from earlier community and stakeholder meetings, the City plans to conduct non-invasive archeological investigations at the site using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) beginning in late December. The results will be shared first with tribes and Pueblos and then with the general public. The City has also engaged Consensus Planning, a landscape architecture firm, to assist with re-designing the park. 

“The most sensitive areas of the park have been demarcated and closed to public access and we ask the public to be respectful of that space,” said Terry Sloan, Intergovernmental Tribal Liaison for the City of Albuquerque.

The City invites anyone who may have information about the former Albuquerque Indian School, including artifacts, pictures or documents, to attend any of the upcoming sessions. Community members are encouraged to share their stories about family members, neighbors and loved ones who may have attended the Albuquerque Indian School during the input sessions, which are intended to be safe and inclusive spaces. The City will share the research and information that it receives on its website.

Both in-person and virtual meetings will be offered, with additional details to be released prior to the event:

• Tuesday, January 11, 2022 from 4:30-6:30pm at Los Duranes Community Center
• Wednesday, January 12, 2022 from 4:30-6:30pm, virtual
• Thursday, January 13, 2022 from 1:30-3:30pm, virtual
• Friday, January 14, 2022 from 9:30-11:30am, virtual

COVID-safe practices will be in place for the in-person meeting and registration will be required for the events. All events and information about them can be found here.

For additional information regarding the 4-H Park, including notes from the first meeting and a detailed action plan, visit cabq.gov/oei.

Members of the public who would like to provide input and are not able to attend a session can email the City of Albuquerque’s Office of Equity and Inclusion at [email protected].