San Jacinto Plaza clears hurdle with hoisting of canopy frame

El Pasoans have waited so long — more than two years at this point — to see San Jacinto Plaza finished.

It’s not there yet, but many sensed completion can’t be far behind after watching the project’s massive canopy hoisted into place Monday morning.

“Myself, the contractor, our office,” City of El Paso Project Manager Gilbert Guerrero said, “everybody is glad it’s going up today.”

You can say that again!

Guerrero said raising the canopy at San Jacinto Plaza is a major milestone for the often-delayed project.

“The critical path was this canopy going up,” he said. “This will allow us to complete the project without any further delays.”

Guerrero called the 50-by-50 foot canopy “one of a kind.” El Pasoans seem to like the look, but can’t forget all the delays.

“I’ve noticed its been a while,” El Pasoan Julian Anglen said as he watched it hoisted into place.

“I guess better late than never,” added El Pasoan Terry Bell, who is frustrated it took 45 days to replace a damaged cable from Germany. “We’ve placed men on the moon, sent rovers on Mars, but yet there is no company in America that can put together a cable like this?”

Once the cables are attached, this 80,000 pound canopy will appear as if it’s floating in the air above San Jacinto Plaza.

“It’s nice to see this part of the plaza look nice again,” said student Adriana Martinez.

“That is going to look really great, it really is,” Bell added. “It’s going to be, not just for El Paso, but I think it’ll be a pretty good statement for Texas.”

“It’s been a really long time,” added Adam Sayre, who works Downtown. “But it’s good to finally see some progress.”

Guerrero said the Los Legartos statue will be re-installed in a couple weeks. However, he wouldn’t speculate how much longer it will take to complete San Jacinto Plaza, saying only “early next year.”