Mayor Garza gives shoutout to Letty Leija at grand opening of Edinburg’s ACE Center

EDINBURG, Texas – At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the City of Edinburg’s new Arts, Culture and Events (ACE) Center, Mayor Ramiro Garza made a point of singling out for praise Letty Leija.

The director for the office of library and cultural arts played a big role in the project from the very beginning, the mayor said. 

“I want to take this moment to highlight the extraordinary contributions of a lady named Letty Leija. We all know who she is. Her dedication and work were vital in bringing this dream to fruition,” Garza said.

“Ms. Letty, I just want to tell you on behalf of myself – and I don’t think I’ll be off the wall here to speak on behalf of even former leaders here that are in the audience – your leadership has been a driving force behind this project. Your efforts made a lasting impact in Edinburg’s cultural future, and we are forever grateful to you.”

Garza said Leija would no doubt pay tribute to the team she had around her and the many volunteers that played their part. 

“But you were the driving force. And yes, there are a lot of people here, lot of volunteers that have been behind this, but you were the driving force. And I just want to say thank you for all that you have done and for making sure that no matter who was in office, you guys are pushing and pushing to make this happen. So let’s give her a hand please.”

There was loud applause from the audience. 

The ACE Center is located at 315 W. McIntyre in Edinburg, next to City Hall. The 36,000-square-foot venue is a $14 million joint investment by the City and Edinburg EDC. It’s designed to be a hub for creativity, discovery, and artistic growth.

“Let me just mention real quick what this facility is about. This is a hub for artistic expression, cultural celebration and community connection. It’s a place where creativity has no boundaries, welcoming all ages with programming that reflects the diversity and richness of our evolving culture,” Mayor Garza said.

“This state of the art facility features spaces for dance, theater and music, studios for painting, a digital and graphic arts computer lab and gallery spaces to showcase the talent of local, national and international artists. It will serve as a home for theater performances, creative workshops, and, of course, as a heartbeat to all our Edinburgh many festivals.”

Mayor Garza started his remarks by pointing out that the project has been 15 years in the making.

“This facility is a testament to what can happen when we come together with vision, dedication and collaboration. The idea started many, many years ago, and I don’t want to get in trouble by saying the exact date or the exact individuals, but there are a lot of people we need to recognize. As mayor and (my colleagues on the) current council, we’re just lucky to be here as it’s been completed.”

Garza said he thinks the project started in the 2008-2009 period, when Richard Garcia was mayor. Garcia, along with his successor, Richard Molina, were in the audience. Mayor Garza recognized both of his predecessors. 

“Every year after that, no matter who was the mayor, (or who was on) the council, everybody took the next step to making this a reality,” Garza said. “The truth is, so many people been involved with this. This is a landmark investment and the future of our city.”

Mayor Garza also recognized Edinburg CISD, as the property used to belong to the instituion, and the original Edinburg Cultural Activities Board. Looking out at the audience, Garza said there were many supporters of the project who did not sit on a city board.

“But you’ve always been here. You’ve always been at our city council meetings, pushing to make sure that there was funding set aside. And to all of you, I say thank you. Thank you to all our local artists that also pushed to get this done, because today wouldn’t have been possible without your help.”

Garza added: “As was mentioned (earlier), we’re not just opening a building. We’re opening the door to limitless possibilities for artistic expression, cultural enrichment and community pride.”

Commenting on social media later, Brian Godinez, CEO of ERO Architects, said: “Today is a great day for the City of Edinburg and ERO. The ribbon-cutting and grand opening of the new Edinburg Arts, Culture and Events Center next door to City Hall was held today. A beautiful building that will provide a new hub for the arts and events in downtown Edinburg.  We thank the city council, the city manager and staff, the EDC and the cultural arts committee and community for allowing ERO to design and be a part of this wonderful facility.”

Editor’s Note: Here is an audio recording of the remarks of Mayor Garza at the ACE Center ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with those of Aaron “Ronny” Rivera, chairman of Edinburg EDC:

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