City Council approves renovations to local parks and recreation areas

By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The Eagle Pass City Council unanimously approved to renovate and improve City parks and recreation areas at their March 18, 2014 special meeting held at City Council Chambers at City Hall.

“A community’s public parks and recreation areas are integral in improving the quality of life as well as recruiting businesses and industry to a community,” said Eagle Pass Public Works Director Hector Chavez.

The City of Eagle Pass public parks and recreation areas are in need of renovations and improvements, requiring the City to invest in its public parks.

City Manager Gloria Barrientos and Public Works Director, Hector Chavez, presented City Council the various renovations and improvements necessary to local public parks and recreational areas.

Chavez and Parks and Recreation Department Director George Sanchez presented City Council with the details of the recommendations and the suggested improvements needed to better serve the community and visitors to the community.

“ When retail companies start looking into a community there are certain things that they look at–schools, public safety, and public parks and recreation. Parks are an integral part of a community,” said Chavez.

“Having said that Public Works and Parks and Recreation have aggressively started to address these issues, we have started with the Fort Duncan Parks,” added Chavez.

Chavez stated that they have replaced the bleachers in some of the baseball fields and conducted an inventory of what was needed to upkeep the area in and around the parks. Some of the things recommended for renovations are the restrooms, concession stands, fences in and around the parks, and the maintenance of the baseball fields.

Chavez also recommended that proper shading in some of the baseball parks and the playground areas within the Fort Duncan Park be addressed by the planting of trees to better shade and beautify the area.

Another recommendation by Public Works and Parks and Recreation was to close one of the streets that lies between two baseball fields as it is not an official street and is used during baseball season for children to practice but becomes a hazard as vehicles drive in and out of the baseball parks through the roadway, placing children in danger. “We want to remove the pavement and plant grass in the area for the children to practice and warm up during baseball games,” added Chavez.

Chavez also stated that there are plans to repaint a lot of the fencing and fertilize the grass within the whole area.

Chavez estimated that the total cost for all improvements is approximately $102,000 dollars.  “ This type of investment will pay dividends in the long run due in part because of the potential of attracting different baseball tournaments that will bring visitors into our community,” said Chavez.  “We feel that by investing a little at a time we can make it work,” added Chavez.

“Both Public Works and Parks and Recreation are strongly committed to this venture and ask for City Council’s approval,” concluded Chavez.

Councilman Rudy Villapando stated that the possibilities to bring people into the community and into a family friendly environment such as baseball and the parks in the Fort Duncan area is a sound idea and deserves City Council’s support.

Mayor Ramsey English Cantu stated “I believe that the Fort Duncan Park is a great area and we need to do everything we can to restore it and make it user friendly.”