ALBUQUERQUE, NM (KRQE) — A group of Albuquerque businesses is pushing to establish an approved homeless camp at a Westside shelter. The Greater Albuquerque Business Alliance met Thursday night to discuss how to proceed after campers were evacuated from Coronado Park.
Mayor Tim Keller announced that the city would close the problem-ridden park near Third and I-40 sometime in August, but the city was still working out what to do next. One possibility, the mayor said, would be to turn the park into a sanctioned camp, but the business coalition says they don’t want to see the campers back. “When talking about treatments, the resources to go to them are instead walking on the sidewalk like they do in our neighborhood,” said Connie Vigil, Greater Albuquerque Business Alliance.
People have to stop in and out by bus to the remote shelter in the west of town near Double Eagle Airport. The alliance would rather see the expansion of services there. Mayor Keller says other possibilities for Coronado Park include reopening it as a public park or giving it to the fire department for station expansion.