EL PASO, Texas – (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 El Paso County commissioners are taking public feedback today on proposed improvements at Ascarate Park, including what comes next for the park\u2019s duck pond.<\/p>\n
Commissioners are expected to take a closer look at the duck pond\u2019s future and discuss renovation options during a presentation that follows earlier public pushback to previous ideas for the pond.<\/p>\n
RELATED: County seeks more input as Ascarate Park redesign considers removing duck pond<\/a><\/p>\n The two options in today\u2019s presentation would keep the duck pond, but they differ significantly in cost and scope.<\/p>\n One option, estimated at $1.6 million, would focus on improving water quality by adding aerators and a new pump station. <\/p>\n It also includes repairing the shoreline and adding a walking trail.<\/p>\n A second option, estimated at $7.2 million, would involve a major renovation of the pond. <\/p>\n That plan would drain the pond, install a new liner and remove built-up sediment, with plans to eventually refill it.<\/p>\n FULL PRESENTATION:<\/p>\n PowerPoint Presentation – 7e95091f-b487-43c7-a76e-711226283af8PDF previewPreview PDF<\/p>\n View PDF<\/a><\/p>\n The presentation also estimates that water is leaving both the main lake and the duck pond, though it does not show where the water is going. <\/p>\n After accounting for rain and evaporation, the presentation estimates about 365,000 gallons a day could be leaving the main lake and about 63,000 gallons a day from the duck pond. <\/p>\n Those figures are based on one week of measurements.<\/p>\n A meeting in August included residents urging the county to keep the duck pond, but no decision was made about its future. <\/p>\n Today\u2019s presentation asks commissioners to give direction to staff before county officials return to the public with another community meeting.<\/p>\n RELATED: County delays Ascarate duck pond decision, extends timeline for residents to weigh in<\/a><\/p>\n