The northern edge of the Austin Terrace neighborhood in Central El Paso will get a brand new park this year, a beneficiary of the 2012 Quality of Life bonds. The City of El Paso held a meeting last week to inform the public about the coming project.
The approximately three-acre park will be located on Radford Street just south of Pershing Avenue. The park site is part of a larger eight-acre property that borders Fort Bliss near the Pershing Gate. Part of the property was recently used to construct a large water tank by El Paso Water Utilities.
New amenities for the planned park include two playground areas, one for toddlers and one for school-age children, bike racks, sidewalks, and lighting. According to the site plan, paths will meander through the park, which is located on a somewhat-sloped property. Two sports courts will be located in the southwest quadrant of the park, including one that can be used for hard-court soccer or basketball.
The landscaping plan includes new sod, shrubs, trees, ground cover, mulch, and rock walls. “Native landscape” areas will be protected by fencing. An irrigation system will use reclaimed water for the landscaping.
Parking will be added to the site via an extension of Mobile Avenue, which will create a cul-de-sac that park visitors can use. Mobile currently ends at Radford Street.
Construction will begin this month and should be completed by August 2014. Crews will work only Monday through Friday of each week, beginning at 7:00 a.m. and normally lasting through 6:00 p.m.
The $611,570 contract was awarded last year to Medlock Commercial Contractors, LLC, of El Paso. Another $137,525 was previously set aside for playground and general park equipment. Medlock has previously worked on additions to Blackie Chesher Park and is currently working on the skate park at the Northeast Regional Park.