Bernalillo County will hold a community event on Saturday, November 22 at 10 a.m. to mark the dedication and renaming of Laura Mae Hovland Park, located at 1116 Cielo Vista Del Sur NW.
The park, previously a traffic circle landscape, is named in honor of Laura Mae Hovland. She lived for many years on the circle and her estate included the land that has now been dedicated to the county. The Sky View Acres Neighborhood Association led efforts to formalize the property’s dedication after an extended probate process and requested the name change to recognize Hovland’s impact in the area.
The association worked with Bernalillo County Parks, Recreation & Open Space to create restoration plans for the site. These plans aim to return the area to its native West Mesa landscape and include water harvesting features and habitat boxes that support wildlife while maintaining open space. Maintenance of the park will largely be handled by neighborhood volunteers through the county’s Adopt-a-Spot program.
District 4 Commissioner Walt Benson, representatives from Parks, Recreation & Open Space, and members of the Sky View Acres Neighborhood Association are expected to attend the ceremony.
Bernalillo County covers 1,160 square miles and is New Mexico’s most populous county with more than 676,000 residents. The county provides services to residents in Albuquerque, Los Ranchos, Tijeras, as well as about 106,000 people living in unincorporated areas. It employs around 2,500 staff members and manages an annual budget exceeding $1 billion. Elected officials include five commissioners along with other roles such as assessor and sheriff.
In related news affecting Bernalillo County’s justice system,
the District Attorney has expressed concern about suspects being released without GPS monitors despite court orders requiring them. One recent case involved Jawid Yaqubi who was accused of aggravated assault but was released before trial despite objections from prosecutors.
