El Paso County commissioners have approved more than $2.1 million in funding for improvements at multiple county parks, bringing new amenities such as shade shelters, benches, grills and trash receptacles to communities across the county.

During Monday’s Commissioners Court meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a supplemental contract between El Paso County and Exerplay Incorporated for the installation of park improvements. The contract is valued at $2,186,397.87 and will be funded through the county’s 2024 voter-approved Proposition A Park Improvement bond program.

According to Public Works Director Norma Rivera Palacios, the project includes installing shade shelters, benches, grills, and trash receptacles at several county parks.

Among the parks slated for improvements are Gallegos Park in Canutillo and Milagro Park in Northeast El Paso, along with other county-owned parks.

Rivera Palacios also told commissioners that plans for one park could change if additional funding cannot be secured for restroom construction.

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“If we’re not able to secure additional funds for park bathrooms, a portion of this budget will be used to construct bathrooms at Ruben Estrella Park and forgo the shelters,” she said.

She clarified that only the planned shelters at Ruben Estrella Park would be affected if funds are redirected toward restroom construction.

County officials said they are actively working to identify additional funding to build restrooms at parks that currently lack bathroom facilities.

“We are working to try to identify that funding for bathrooms for all of our parks that don’t have bathrooms,” officials told the court, adding that funding options will be brought back before commissioners in the coming weeks.

The motion was approved with Commissioners David Stout Butler and Iliana Holguin Coronado absent from the meeting.

County leaders said the park improvements are part of ongoing efforts to enhance recreational spaces and amenities for residents throughout El Paso County.

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