Northeast El Paso skates to $1.4M park

EL PASO – El Paso Parks and Recreation Director Nanette Smejkal jumped on a skateboard and balanced herself, steadying herself for a ride.

Smejkal’s demonstration was a part of the groundbreaking for a new state-of-the-art skate park in Northeast El Paso.

The skate park at the Northeast Regional Park, 11270 McCombs, is the first project from the 2012 quality-of-life bonds to begin construction.

Money from the November 2012 bond election includes $245 million to improve parks, pools and community centers, as well as to continue the revitalization of the El Paso Zoo.

Of the bond money, $1.4 million will be used for the skate park. "We are proud of the design, and it is strictly world-class," Paul Zimmerman, president of the El Paso Skate Park Association said. "It has something for everybody."

Future plans for the Northeast Regional Park include more sports fields and a dog park, which City Rep. Carl Robinson said is in high demand.

"The park will be a family venue where you can go picnicking and the kids can go play," Robinson said. "But the biggest attraction is that it is a safe and secure place that is family-oriented."