An ongoing move to develop a vision for the laying out and building of parks, trails, and public spaces in El Paso will soon see a stepped-up emphasis on public input.
The City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department has issued a public notice inviting residents to participate in a series of five community meetings in August that will be the latest step in a process launched last fall that included a community survey and formation of a steering committee.
In developing a new plan, El Paso is additionally looking at which swimming facilities will be either expanded and upgraded, or closed altogether.
An expansive system that includes 291 parks encompassing nearly 2,300 acres, El Paso’s park network also includes nearly two dozen recreation centers, 13 aquatic facilities and ten spray parks.
Additional assets: 32 miles of trails and 971 acres of open space.
The community outreach comes as El Paso is grappling with the growing expense of its popular aquatics programs, which has gone from $2.1 million in fiscal year 2021 to just over $5 million last year. At the same time, admissions to the city’s swimming pools have jumped from 220,500 in 2021 to nearly 700,000 last year.
In a statement announcing the launching of an online survey designed to solicit additional community input, the Parks and Recreation Department said it was asking residents to “share what they love most about local parks and recreation programs, what areas could be improved, and what new opportunities they would like to see in the future.”
If all goes as anticipated, a draft plan is expected to be finalized by September.
July 14, 2026
By Garry Boulard
