Rep. Lozano And Business Partner Unveil Plan For Ascarate Park
EL PASO, TX – City Representative Alejandro Lozano presented County Commissioners with a more detailed plan of his vision for Ascarate Park.
Lozano and his partner, Pete Flores, known collectively as “Image Group,” crafted a plan for the county-owned park that will result in a vast recreation of the lake. In regards to the project, Lozano tells ABC-7 he is acting as a businessman and not as a member of the city council.
The new design for the park includes a resort hotel, a professional soccer field and an Imax theater. The most drastic change would be made to the lake itself. Image Group stated it is working with the water district to increase the size of the lake to 200 acres – three times larger than it’s current size.
In order to accomplish such a feat, the nine-hole golf course near the park would have to be covered to make a new water reservoir in the area, Image Group said.
Several residents in attendance at the meeting told the court they believed the plan would be a great benefit to El Paso’s economy and entertainment industry.
However, the court stated it is still months away from making a decision on the future of the park. Commissioners said further discussions on the matter will not begin until October, when the court is done finalizing the budget.
“There are all sorts of groups that need to be consulted and it really needs to be a community decision of what we want the park to be…it can’t be the decision of just five people,” stated County Commissioner Veronica Escobar. She also believes the new plan will no leave enough openspaceat the park. “When you’re putting up hotels, an IMAX and Insights on existing green space, you are eating up the green space and putting up concrete parking lots and such,” she said.
Frank de la Rosa, the president of the Ascarate Fishing Club, tells ABC-7 the new plan for the park will affect his quiet pastime. He believes the addition of hotels and a theaterin the park will create traffic and congestion problems. “It’s not a jewel…it’s just something that the lord placed there for us…the lake is clean, the water is clean, the fish are edible and the sheriff patrols it…its safe,” he said, pointing out the park does not need new additions.
Lozano said the new plan will provide a venue for everyone. Boaters, fishermen and golfers will be taken care of, he claims.
de la Rosa hopes Commissioners take the Ascarate community into consideration when they decide the future of the park. “Ascarate lake is a community lake and it belongs to the people…the people should make the decision of what goes in there and if they should build anything.”
