As Phase I of the new Eastside Regional Park project hits the home stretch, residents in the community and surrounding areas are beyond excited. We’re not surprised. A public space this large and this fun is hard to keep quiet about. Nowhere else on the east side of El Paso is there anything like this $37 million three-part complex, which will host a state-of-the-art natatorium, community center and outdoor waterpark.
Sundt Project Manager Henry Espalin at the Eastside Regional Park project in El Paso, Texas (from October 2019)
There’s also that futuristic yet ancient-looking, Mayan-pyramid-like structure on the property’s northeast corner—what is that thing? A ziggurat replica? A bunker that doubles as a handball court? “It’s going to be a wave simulator,” explains Project Manager Henry Espalin. “It’s the first of its kind in El Paso. You surf on it…I mean, I’m not going to use it!” he laughs reassuringly. “I’ll be lounging over there by the pool. But the kids here will love it.”
Turning around, we see the shape of the lazy river snaking through the outdoor waterpark, which will be complete with a wave pool, water slide, climbing wall pool and splash pad for the little ones. For those seeking a place for family outings during the scorching El Paso summer, this will no doubt be a prime destination.
And it’s not just for young families. People of all ages and interests will find something to do here, from elderly residents looking to stay active to aspiring actors and chefs taking classes in the community center. “We’ve started doing interiors in the community center—paint, ceiling grid, and so on,” says Henry. “You can see where the kitchen and classroom area will be, and then the larger room adjacent to this has an elevated stage. This will be used for the performing arts, including community theater programs.”
With a population of over 150,000, east El Paso is the fastest growing and largest area of town, yet the least developed in terms of spaces for recreation. In the early stages of the city’s Quality of Life bond program, residents here voiced overwhelming concern at the lack of parks and indoor recreational opportunities, while wanting to make the most of existing green space and drainage areas, as well as adding trails. Their key point was: these public spaces encourage a healthy lifestyle and thus improve a community’s quality of life. This goal is at the center of Sundt’s work.
Next door, looking up at the stands inside the natatorium, it’s easy to imagine family members and friends shouting at the top of their lungs—cheering on swim teams in the water below. The facility will house a 50-meter competition-ready pool with all the required amenities to host regional meets, including seating for up to 800 spectators and pool deck space for 400 competitors. In other words, it’s going to get loud in here. “That’s why we’re installing the acoustic cloud on the ceiling above. This will mitigate a lot of that echo,” says Henry. “We’re painting the ceiling right now, but we’ll leave the scaffolding up so we can do all that elevated work in one shot.”
From the structural steel in the roof, to the tile on the pool decks, to the mechanical, electrical and plumbing that will keep the water circulating throughout the complex, there are lots of unique pieces to this project. “Not one of these elements is the same; everything is custom-built here. And when they’re all done, these amenities will add up to one amazing place.” At the heart of this project is a new space being built for El Pasoans, by El Pasoans.
“Being born and raised in El Paso, there was nothing like this here when I was younger,” says Henry. “So, having the opportunity to bring my kids and my grandkids, and for the project team to bring their kids, it’s exciting for us. We’re excited to do this project.”
The community’s anticipation is also starting to grow. “The question of the day seems to be ‘When will it open?’ People out here can’t wait to use it,” says Roger Torres, Engineering Division Manager at the City of El Paso Capital Improvements Department. Phase I is part of the city’s three-phase development plan and is anticipated to complete this summer, after which Phase II construction will get underway later in the fall.
“We’ve got a great working relationship with Sundt; they’ve been very valuable in their role as a CMAR for Phase I,” says Roger. “The team has been diligent in identifying issues, but more importantly they’ve worked with us to find solutions.” Sundt is also contracted to build Phase II, a design-build project, which will include an outdoor sports complex with laser-leveled baseball and soccer fields as well as various sport courts.