BOAC hears update on 2012 Quality of Life bond; zoo work and multiple trail projects moving toward construction

Gilbert Guerrero of Capital Improvements told the Bond Oversight Advisory Committee (BOAC) on July 28 that the city’s 2012 Quality of Life bond program has completed most projects and several remaining projects are advancing into construction this year.

Guerrero said the program has a current balance of $15,000,001.63 and that, to date, the program has completed 228 projects; nine projects were completed in fiscal year 2025. He provided attendance figures requested by the committee, saying the children’s museum recorded 190,492 visitors and the zoo recorded 216,824 visitors between Aug. 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.

The presentation listed projects in design, bidding and construction. Guerrero said several zoo projects are active, including the Asia Forest skylight roof replacement (construction targeted to begin in 2025 with completion in 2026) and a South American pavilion improvement scheduled to start in early 2026 and finish in 2027. He said the endangered species breeding center is slated to start construction in 2026 with completion in early 2027.

On park projects, Guerrero said Bear Ridge and East Cape Park improvements are prepared to start construction in August (contractor on-board; pending insurance and preconstruction steps). He said Escape Park improvements also are set to begin once contractor pre-construction submittals are complete.

Several paved-trail segments were described as nearing construction. Guerrero said the Montana-to-I-10 paved trail has a contractor and requires coordination and an agreement to enter property owned by El Paso Electric Company; once that agreement is in place, construction could begin in the fall. The Mountain-to-River trail likewise has a contractor but is pending a memorandum of understanding with TxDOT; once TxDOT completes its review and the city secures council approval where required, the project will proceed.

Guerrero said the Palisades trailhead work is still dependent on El Paso Water design and that work will be completed as part of El Paso Water’s improvement schedule. He also noted one project (listed as a library equipment allocation) remains open because it is a equipment purchase rather than construction.

Committee members asked timing questions about seasonal references and start dates; Guerrero agreed to standardize schedule language to “fall” to avoid confusion. He also told the committee that where staff could not provide a strand-level funding split for individual trail segments at the meeting, they would research and bring that information to a future meeting.

Why it matters: The Quality of Life bond funds parks, trails, the zoo and cultural facilities. Several of the remaining projects require third-party agreements (El Paso Electric, El Paso Water, TxDOT) and city council approvals before work can start; those dependencies affect start dates and the committee’s oversight schedule.

Guerrero’s presentation and the committee’s questions constituted discussion only; no formal committee action was taken on the project updates at this meeting.

Ending: Committee members did not take action on the bond update itself and moved on to later agenda items about a proposed BOAC resolution amendment and scheduling a special meeting to draft committee comments to the city attorney, the department and city council.