EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County commissioners got an update Thursday morning on several voter-approved bond projects, including a major slate of upgrades planned for Ascarate Park.
The Ascarate Park project remains in the design phase, but after months of community input, the county is narrowing its scope on the changes and improvements.
The bond project includes more than $31 million in renovations, with plans for parking improvements, walking trails, lighting and a new outdoor festival stage.
The county is also beginning the process of finding a construction manager at risk, a company hired to help with construction and final design.
According to the presentation, the County hopes to begin putting out proposals starting this summer, to award the contract by January 2027, with possible construction set for Spring 2027 and lasting until 2029, as it will be done in two phases, so parkgoers can still visit Ascarate as the project is ongoing.
FULL PRESENTATION:
RELATED: County awards design contract for Ascarate Park upgrades
Exigo, the architectural team behind the design of the project, looked at more than 1,400 votes on design options, after hundreds of people attended three community meetings where the design options were presented.
Through that input, residents identified the lake as a priority.
Lake plans focus on water quality, fishing access and shoreline improvements.
Upgrades to the lake are not part of the bond project, but they do have funding from previous tax notes totaling about $13.5 million.
The discussion also included the possible removal of the duck pond.
The presentation said some community groups support removing the duck pond in favor of a circuit track, while fishing groups would prefer to keep the duck pond as they see it as a back-up location for fishing. option.
The presentation said repair costs for the pond are unknown, while removal could lower maintenance costs and refocus improvements on the main lake.
El Paso County Park Manager Tim Fulton also shared the toxicity levels found at the duck pond, saying that due to its water levels, the temperature of the water and the fact that people feed the ducks when they are not supposed to, has led to an environment rich with golden algae which can be toxic and kill fish when it blooms, according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife.
The county’s dashboard tracking bond project progress lists the Ascarate Park project as slated for completion by fall 2029.
You can find that dashboard here.
RELATED: El Paso County bond projects advance as commissioners get update, seek community input
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