West EP park reopened after closing due to water irrigation system

UPDATE: The Westside Community Park has reopened to the public, according to city officials.

The Don Haskins Recreation Center is closed, it will reopen on regular hours on Monday.

ORIGINAL: EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Westside Community Park will be closed for the next few weeks after a pump in the park’s irrigation system was found broken. However, it is unclear who is responsible for the repairs.

KTSM reached out to El Paso Water about the situation. They released a statement that says:

“El Paso Water responded to an initial report of a water main break at the Westside Community Park. While no EP Water lines were broken, our crew did find a broken pump belonging to the park’s irrigation system as the source of the water leak. We have worked with city staff to make them aware of the issue and have handed over the site to them for the necessary repairs.”

KTSM also reached out to officials from El Paso Parks and Recreation Department. They released a statement of their own that says in part:

“The Westside Community Park remains closed to the public due to a water leak of unknown origin near the entrance of the park. The city reached out to EP Water to determine the source of the leak; however, the source could not be identified. City work crews will begin work to identify and locate the source of the outflow, the next steps and necessary repairs. The park will remain closed to the public as a safety precaution while staff works as quickly as possible to correct the issue and reopen the park. Residents who may have rented the Don Haskins Center or are part of sports leagues can call (915) 212-0478 for more information.” – City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department

What is clear is that the most frequented park on the west side will not be available to residents for the beginning of summer break.

Mark Delgado, a parent who takes his kids to the park often says they will now have to find another area to visit.

“It’s easy access, it has a lot to offer so we are going to have to go to other places. The kids know it, I know it, it’s very safe so it’s part of our routine. It is an inconvenience like you said, and we are just going to have to go to different places,” said Delgado.

The park is known for its amenities like the splash pad, hiking trails, and skate and dog park.

This closure has forced her to look elsewhere to take Luca, but the nearest dog park is not close.

“We came by yesterday and it was closed, and we googled to see what other parks are nearby and there was one on Cielo Vista in Montana, nothing really nearby that we can access so it is inconvenient.”