Perez's Office Secures $1.2 Million for Rural Parks

County Commissioner Vince Perez's office spearheaded an initiative to secure more than a million dollars for rural parks.

Park space within the city of El Paso is in abundance but out in the rural communities there is very little area for children to play in safely. There's a park in Fabens proper, there's San Felipe (you've never heard of it if you aren't from the valley but its on the way to Cattleman's and if you don't know how to get there you'd never find it, even by accident)

Its not an exaggeration at all to say that dog parks in east El Paso have far better amenities than the parks in unincorporated communities. Most of the time what passes for a park is an every-so-often graded patch of dirt.

This has been a need for communities in the unincorporated areas for many, many, years.

While the amount might seem like its a lot of money, it is somewhat of a drop in the bucket when you consider how much need there is in the community for parks. The bulk of the fund will go to two parks, Ruben Estrella Park in Montana Vista and Miguel Teran Park in Agua Dulce.

However, Commissioner Pat Abeln fought hard for funds to be specifically allocated to Precinct 4 as well. Frankly this is pretty commendable on his behalf because he knows that it is highly unlikely that Andrew Haggerty will be defeated by Julio Diaz in November and Haggerty has apparently already questioned the need for any rural parks. So the fact that Abeln wants to get whatever he can for Precinct 4 while he can is to be commended.

Here is a look at the design elements for Miguel Teran and Ruben Estrella Parks.

Currently Miguel Teran Park, which may end up being renamed to Agua Dulce Park by the way, is in pretty bad shape. First of all when you drive by the facility, it looks like a detention center. There are basically no outside amenities other than a small playground. There is an active and organized group out in the Agua Dulce area that has been pursuing more funds and resources for the park. They run a soccer league for their children. Most people in El Paso play soccer on grass. In Agua Dulce, the kids play on dirty. Its basically one big sandbox they play in. Thats the kind of stuff you see in between World Cup games when they profile the poverty in a third-world nation and the conditions the kids play in before they get to the top level of their sport. There are no trees, no grass, no nothin'.

And yet a group of moms volunteers to run the league for their kids and do their best to provide their kids with some recreation space.

Honestly part of the reason I'm writing this piece is because this is a project I worked on while I was with the Commissioner's Office. Do you know how hard it is to talk to a room full of moms who are asking, as they have done in the past, for something so very basic. Something that in the grand scheme of things isn't very expensive and provides a huge public use return on the investment.

It makes it more frustrating when you have to tell them there's no park money because it all goes to Ascarate Park, which is a park within the city and as I said before, park space in El Paso is not in a shortage.

When they heard Commissioner Lewis justify so much of the county's park budget going to Ascarate (he said people drive all the way from Fabens to use Ascarate) they were both amused and annoyed at the same time.

So the allocation of funds for rural parks is a big deal. Its a big win for the community to have an office actually effectively advocate for their community. Same thing with Montana Vista and Ruben Estrella Park. These are areas that are well populated and would be able to maximize the use of the facilities. Just because they are poor and live in a colonia doesn't mean their kids deserve any less of a safe place to play. You'd be surprised what a little thing like grass, some trees, a basketball court or soccer field means for a community.

But don't take my word for it. Here's a video that was part of the presentation made to the Court by Jose Landeros from Perez's office. It contains info like the fact that there are only 6 employees assigned to care for all the rural parks in the County. More importantly it contains pleas directly from the mothers of Agua Dulce.



The great thing about the park in Agua Dulce is the fact that the community is taking responsibility for their asset. Last season they conducted fundraisers to pay for use of goals and to make the field (dirt) for the games.

This isn't the story that is going to make headlines and its not what people call sexy. But its the kind of thing that people who often feel left out by the rest of their leadership care about. Its the leadership they have been wanting for years.

There's probably not a single vote in it for reelection either. This might come as a surprise to the crazies, but sometimes people who are elected do things because its the right thing to do. Not because there's a vote in it for them.