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Let's just imagine an El Paso a little bit into the future. Let's say EP has a great Theme park such as a: Six Flags, Sea World, Busch Gardens, or even a new and improved Magic Landing. El Paso has it's own river walk ( which design aspects i can't get into right now because that would be a whole new post)! El Paso has businesses that actually support the city and create a better economy. El Paso hosts yearly events that attract people from other cities and states! El Paso citizens don't actually have to leave the city for vacations and such they could just stay right there! UTEP becomes a university that actually attracts Americans, and becomes a good university instead of a laughing stock. The point i'm trying to get at is that El Paso is already a big city. El Paso can become a desireable place and tourist destination. El Paso, needs to stop acting like some po-dunk small as town and start acting like the 6th largest city in Texas, and the 21st largest city in America. El Paso needs city officials that actually give a damn about the city they represent. This could be a great city, and should be a great city, and guess what it isn't a bad city at all. El Paso could reverse the trend of people growing up in El Paso, and then leaving it to find a better city. People could actually want to stay in El Paso! However, this is El Paso not the real world!
I used to daydream, if you will, about a copule of things when I lived in El Paso... mind you, this was the late 70s. You have to suspend disbelief to realize them though, so try that before you laugh.
First, Ascarete lake sucked even then, nothing but cholos crusing around a cesspool, literally. Okay, I went there a few times myself with my cousins, and friends, but like Chris Rock says about ATMs, you always have to look around and watch your back for... well, you get the idea. Do they even do that anymore? I think I heard one cannot drink there anymore?
Well, I used to wish the city, or state would build a real lake, either by daming up the Rio Grand somewhere near El Paso, or diverting water by pumping it to some place to form a lake. If anyone's been to the Boardwalk in Kemha near Houston/Galveston, perhaps El Paso could do something like that. If you have not been, Google it.
As a kid, I remember how they built Amistad Lake near Del Rio, it took years to flood, but it did become a huge lake. El Paso could do the same, no one expects a lake overnight. But that was over twenty-five years ago, I'm sure the areas I was thinking of are now full of roads, and homes.
The second thing I used to ponder is how cool it would be if El Paso could not build a lake, then perhaps they could try an ecological experiment and irrigate McKelligan's Canyon. I mean actually water the canyon, and plant some trees to make it a green oasis in the desert.
In high school, I remember listening to my biology teacher tell us that at one time, the mountains of El Paso actually had cypress trees growing. Imagine entering McKelligan's Canyon, winding up the road and then beholding green canyon walls, complete with cypress trees, and pine and Oak trees and the wildlife to go with it.
Now you can resume disbelief!
Of course, there were not that many tree huggers back then, it could have happened. If El Paso took action back then, there could be something now. So, if El Paso ever wants to have something unique, it had better start now.
Since I left El Paso, I've seen how El Paso grew, and created jobs with the factories and electronic companies that moved in. They've since moved overseas, many of them, but I did see El Paso experience a bubble. However, over the last 15 years, I have not seen anything great, or magnificent out of El Paso.
El Paso has been flat-lined, or stagnant for some time now, so I cannot say it's gotten worse economically, however, drugs, and killings across the border affect El Paso negatively, even if is not in El Paso. Its too close not to consider that aspect when thinking of El Paso, only a river runs through the twin cities. Like a memory leak on a computer, if Juarez does not clean up it's act, it will affect El Paso in the long run.
I do think one viable option mentioned numerous times in this forum is a riverwalk type attraction in El Paso. I'm sure most of you have been to San Antonio's riverwalk, it is a great place to spend time, have dinner, drinks, etc. You just need city leaders to put their reputation and careers on the line and take the risk, build that, and they WILL come.
Well, those were my fantasies. This is the first time I've ever communicated them to anyone for fear of sounding dumb. HA!
I used to daydream, if you will, about a copule of things when I lived in El Paso... mind you, this was the late 70s. You have to suspend disbelief to realize them though, so try that before you laugh.
First, Ascarete lake sucked even then, nothing but cholos crusing around a cesspool, literally. Okay, I went there a few times myself with my cousins, and friends, but like Chris Rock says about ATMs, you always have to look around and watch your back for... well, you get the idea. Do they even do that anymore? I think I heard one cannot drink there anymore?
Well, I used to wish the city, or state would build a real lake, either by daming up the Rio Grand somewhere near El Paso, or diverting water by pumping it to some place to form a lake. If anyone's been to the Boardwalk in Kemha near Houston/Galveston, perhaps El Paso could do something like that. If you have not been, Google it.
As a kid, I remember how they built Amistad Lake near Del Rio, it took years to flood, but it did become a huge lake. El Paso could do the same, no one expects a lake overnight. But that was over twenty-five years ago, I'm sure the areas I was thinking of are now full of roads, and homes.
The second thing I used to ponder is how cool it would be if El Paso could not build a lake, then perhaps they could try an ecological experiment and irrigate McKelligan's Canyon. I mean actually water the canyon, and plant some trees to make it a green oasis in the desert.
In high school, I remember listening to my biology teacher tell us that at one time, the mountains of El Paso actually had cypress trees growing. Imagine entering McKelligan's Canyon, winding up the road and then beholding green canyon walls, complete with cypress trees, and pine and Oak trees and the wildlife to go with it.
Now you can resume disbelief!
Of course, there were not that many tree huggers back then, it could have happened. If El Paso took action back then, there could be something now. So, if El Paso ever wants to have something unique, it had better start now.
Since I left El Paso, I've seen how El Paso grew, and created jobs with the factories and electronic companies that moved in. They've since moved overseas, many of them, but I did see El Paso experience a bubble. However, over the last 15 years, I have not seen anything great, or magnificent out of El Paso.
El Paso has been flat-lined, or stagnant for some time now, so I cannot say it's gotten worse economically, however, drugs, and killings across the border affect El Paso negatively, even if is not in El Paso. Its too close not to consider that aspect when thinking of El Paso, only a river runs through the twin cities. Like a memory leak on a computer, if Juarez does not clean up it's act, it will affect El Paso in the long run.
I do think one viable option mentioned numerous times in this forum is a riverwalk type attraction in El Paso. I'm sure most of you have been to San Antonio's riverwalk, it is a great place to spend time, have dinner, drinks, etc. You just need city leaders to put their reputation and careers on the line and take the risk, build that, and they WILL come.
Well, those were my fantasies. This is the first time I've ever communicated them to anyone for fear of sounding dumb. HA!
Regards
What ever happened to those plans that someone or people that had a model of what they wanted Ascarate to have such as a new soccer stadium, IMAX theatre, and a new convention center?
Haven't any of you seen our riverwalk? I actually like it quite a bit better than the one San Antonio has.
San Antonio's is okay but it's filled with people, filled with shops and bars and cantinas. Kind of fake -- nice but fake.
Our river walk is wide open spaces. A nice walk along the river, you see people enjoying themselves walking -- sometimes as families, sometimes alone. Bicyclists, and groups of horses with their riders, dogs playing. And as you walk, you can get fantastic views of the mountains, ducks flying by, sometimes a muskrat swimming by, you can look out to the desert, or at dusk to the lights of El Paso coming on. Now and then a train roars by. And there's no place to spend a dime of your money, which is the best part of it. No -- I take that back -- the best part is that almost no one goes there so it's really very nice. Just like hiking in the Franklins -- you can feel you have the whole place to yourself sometimes.
Sad to say, and i guess, my opinion has been swayed because alot of the true facts city data [ers] have pointed out. Im losing faith in El Paso, now they even want to kick out one of the best mayors we had in a while, it seems the city is swimming backwards. I dont see any immediate progress in the immediate future, and im growing tireless!
One thing i've noticed is that the City Council is not as progressive as Councils in the past. I think that's one reason why Mayor Rogers was so successful in the 80's as the council would always support his issues for EP.
[quote=LEVOW;4134046]Sad to say, and i guess, my opinion has been swayed because alot of the true facts city data [ers] have pointed out. Im losing faith in El Paso, now they even want to kick out one of the best mayors we had in a while, it seems the city is swimming backwards. I dont see any immediate progress in the immediate future, and im growing tireless and frustrated!!!!!
Sad to say, and i guess, my opinion has been swayed because alot of the true facts city data [ers] have pointed out. Im losing faith in El Paso, now they even want to kick out one of the best mayors we had in a while, it seems the city is swimming backwards. I dont see any immediate progress in the immediate future, and im growing tireless!
Perhaps you'll be more understanding when people who have lived here for decades point out the problems here. Some of us actually have worked to try and turn this place around but that doesn't seemed to change the entrenched notions and political structure here.
There are 2 main factions, conveniently labeled the Luther Jones and the PDNG factions. One can see both clearly represented in the upper strata here. Many of them are lawyers that I know. You can look at a Dee Margo event invitation and see the same group of young lawyers (most of whom work or did work at either Kemp Smith or Scott Hulse) and the same group of business men (many of whom are the fathers of the young lawyers). You can look at the Jones group, partly by looking at who filed what in the current corruption investigation, and see that group represented by who works with who, who shares office space, etc... it is really no great secret. It doesn't change- if you aren't part of that group, you don't get to play, period. We bring in young people, in business and the law, very few since most see the money in the other cities, who work here for a few years, get frustrated because nothing changes, and they leave.
Those groups won't allow outsiders here- you can go to the courthouse and listen to the lawyers complain a blue streak about lawyers from out of town coming here; you can listen to any group of businessmen from out of town put on a presentation to city council and be attacked because we can't have outsiders come in here and show the citizens of this city that there are better ways- they are always those gueros and gringos who don't know El Paso- that is all the front to maintain control because we can't have the idiots in charge here shown up, that there are actually people out there who got to where they are because of hard work and aptitude instead of who their daddy is.
The upper structure here is totally connected to one another, regardless of which faction they are in. I was recently talking to the US Atty Johnny Sutton and he was telling me how he and Jaime Esparza and Debra Kanoff had all worked together in the Harris County DA's office and I sat there thinking, my God, is there anyone who isn't connected to everyone else here? I know that there is because I have seen them walk in here and step right back out fairly quickly. But another story which I recently heard and confirmed. The wife of one of Judge Cardone's law clerks was hired back in Feb by the DA's office. Not a big deal but she was still in law school at the time. If you look at the DA's website or talk to the hiring people there- they tell you that you will only be hired if you are already licensed. Assuming that this woman passes the July bar exam she won't be actually licensed until Nov. I know at least a dozen young lawyers who went to various good law schools and represented El Paso very well who can't get a job there yet someone who has never lived here and who will likely only live here a couple of years, gets that job. That is the problem here, we drive away our young talent because of political patronage. What happens to the dozen lawyers I know who would love to work here and would stay here and be a part of this community? They of course go and work in the bigger cities, make much more money than here, see how other places work so much better than here, and never come back. Another example is the young Moody- does anyone think he got the job at the DA's office on his own? How is it that he was required to sign a 3 year comittment to that office, like every lawyer there, and he is running for office before that time is up? You know why.
I went to Texas Tech for law school and I bought my books at Varsity Bookstore. Anyone who has gone there knows the guy who runs the place (I forget his name). One day I was telling him I was from El Paso and he told me that he ran into loads of people from El Paso who went to school at Tech. I would run into a ton of them while there- they all told me that they never wanted to come back to El Paso. I believe many saw how different the people were and didn't want to come back to a place where a law firm will lie to you like crazy about not hiring new graduates yet has a new graduate whom the only reason he was hired was that his father was a former partner. I knew this particular person and he was and is a complete dud who thinks that he can get drunk every night and show up to work late every day and leave early. This same firm hired a couple of Army wives- now both had stellar resumes and experience and were very nice- but both only stayed here the 2-3 years that their husbands were stationed here. How many El Pasoans were driven away by that? We'll never know but that stuff is why our kids don't come back here- of course much of the reason is the lack of good paying jobs- but there is still this atmosphere of corruption, from the benign nepotisim in hiring practices to what may be payoffs for contracts. People know this and have known it for years. Maybe we will actually get some members of one group into jail and out of here but all that will do will create a vacuum that the members of the other group will fill. Then same old stuff again, just from a different angle. It doesn't change and will not without a massive upheavel of the young people here, but that has never happened before and I doubt it ever will. I wish it was different.
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