ONLY ON ABC-7: County to create a fairgrounds at Ascarate Park
El Paso county officials are close to finalizing a business plan for Ascarate Park in South-Central El Paso.
They’re mapping out the future use for the area that has sat vacant since Western Playland Amusement Park moved out 8 years ago.
It took nearly two years of extensive clean-up — removing oil barrels, several abandoned rides, and old buildings. But the county is finished looking back at what once sat on the land — and is now looking forward to establishing the 16-acre space as festival grounds complete with grass, an electrial system and restrooms.
“We feel that with the events we could possibly bring in and by talking with different promoters, they’ve said, ‘If you can provide this venue, we can bring our venues out here,'” said Ernie Carrizal, the director of the county’s Public Works Department.
The county has already been using the space to host several events, including the new Beats and Eats Music and Food Festival in August and the Sun City Music Festival in September.
“Once we get everything completed, (Ascarate) lake will complement the facility here,” said Carrizal. “It’s outdoors, there’s plenty of parking and it’s conveniently located.”
Carrizal thinks this space, the largest open space in the county already equipped with infrastructure such as parking, plumbing and fencing, hasn’t even reached its potential.
“This is something that can be utilized for different organizations for fundraising, for company picnics,” Carrizal said. “It’s a quality-of-life item that the city and the county really need.”
El Pasoan Brian Rittel already comes out to Ascarate Park to fish. But the idea of a grassy festival grounds is appealing to him.
“I think it’d be a really good idea,” Rittel said. “It’d bring a lot of people out here the way it used to be when they had the old Western Playland out here.”
If all goes according to plan, the money generated from rental fees would go back into improving the festival grounds.
Carrizal said he and his staff hope to take the business plan to county commissioners court before the end of the year.
