The Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation is celebrating a massive gift aimed at bringing new life to Downtown El Paso.
The foundation announced a $20 million donation from the Fred Loya family at a Wednesday, Oct. 14, news conference to advance the project, marking a major milestone for the ambitious 6.5-acre park to be constructed atop Interstate 10 in Downtown El Paso. In honor of Loya's contribution, the Deck Plaza is now set to be named the Fred Loya Family Deck Plaza.
“My father believed in the American dream and he believed in progress," said Fred Loya Jr., CEO of Fred Loya Insurance, in a news release. "It was the foundation for everything he worked so hard for, and he instilled it in me and our entire family.”
“Part of that dream has always been
giving back to the community where our story began and where our hearts will always be," he continued. "Through this gift, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a vibrant new destination that will offer something for everyone to enjoy and completely transform the heart of our city. A moment like this will not come around again in our lifetime, and we cannot let it pass.”
The proposed Deck Plaza, planned to stretch from Santa Fe to Kansas streets over I-10 through Downtown El Paso, is set to include a performance stage and pavilion for cultural events, concerts, and festivals, a metro-sport field house for activities like volleyball, basketball, and pickleball, a dog park and dog splash park, a children’s playground, walking and biking paths, greenspace and public art.
“This incredible milestone shows what is possible for our city when we work together,” said Mayor Renard Johnson in the release. “Public-private partnerships like this one are how we build a stronger El Paso. The Fred Loya family’s generosity brings us one step closer to a place every El Pasoan can call their own, and a downtown that reflects the pride we all share in our city.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso's Downtown Deck Plaza project lands $20M gift from Loya family
