County Working To Change Perception Of Ascarate Park
The County of El Paso showed off its new fleet of golf carts today at Ascarate Golf Course.
But that’s just one of many of the $5 million in improvements completed or underway. County Commissioners hope will change perceptions of the park.
The County Judge put it bluntly at Wednesday’s cart ribbon-cutting ceremony. She said she realizes when people haven’t been to Ascarate in a while talk about the park, it usually involves some pretty disparaging remarks. The goal, she said, is to change that by getting people to take another look.
“I hear a lot of negativity,” Escobar said. “We need to push back a little and say that’s not accurate. Please come back to the park, please visit us, please spend some time here. Take a look at what we are becoming. We are really changing the face of the park.”
In addition to Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting for new golf carts, Ascarate Golf Course has new cart paths; a freshly renovated clubhouse, including a new pro shop; and a new entrance is on the way.
“We’re getting more and more stakeholders who are wanting to partner with the park and that’s a great sign,” Escobar said.
Work continues in the old Western Playland part of the park, but commissioners say they are committed to changing the perception of Ascarate.
“I think people are missing a lot,” said Commissioner Sergio Lewis, one of many leading the effort for a new and improved Ascarate. “It bothers me (when people talk badly about Ascarate). This is a jewel in the desert.”
A jewel that Lewis thinks will shine off the surface of Ascarate Lake with a little more work.
“Everybody in El Paso will hopefully jump on the bandwagon,” Lewis said. “We will all become friends of the lake.”
El Paso golfers, who frequent Ascarate, have noticed the difference.
“There’s been a tremendous change in the last year, two years,” said El Pasoan Bobby Vasquez, who plays at Ascarate often. “It used to be we were always fighting for carts that never made nine holes or 18 holes. But now everything has changed.”
