City of Eagle Pass Holds Burr Park Gymnasium Groundbreaking Ceremony

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018

The City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council and the Parks and Recreation Department held the official groundbreaking ceremony of the new Burr Park Gymnasium on Thursday, February 8, 2018, located at 2086 Roosevelt Street in Eagle Pass.

Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu stated that the development of the new 13,000 square foot Burr Park Gymnasium was made possible by an $800,000 grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture through the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Community Block Grant Program in August of 2016.  Mayor Cantu added that the City of Eagle Pass contributed $80,000 to the grant totaling $880,000 from the Texas Department of Agriculture.  Mayor Cantu noted, however, that the total cost of the project will be $2.2 Million.

Mayor Cantu stated that the new Burr Park Gymnasium will feature two hardwood courts, bleachers for over 300 spectators, dressing rooms, concession stand, indoor restrooms, an asphalt paved parking lot for 100 vehicles, outdoor walking trail, outdoor landscaping, outdoor restrooms, and serve as an Emergency Shelter when needed.

Mayor Cantu stated that the City Council chose Burr Park for the site of the new gymnasium in order to balance the growth of the City of Eagle Pass parks and recreation projects between the Northside and Southside of town.  Mayor Cantu congratulated the City’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Public Works Department for their outstanding work in the past and in the future.

Mayor Cantu noted that the City of Eagle Pass had not constructed a new gymnasium project such as Burr Park since 47 years ago (1971) when the City opened the Multi-Purpose Center on South Adams Street in Fort Duncan Park.

Eagle Pass Parks and Recreation Department Director Jorge Sanchez stated that the City’s youth and adult sports leagues have grown tremendously over the years and continue to grow annually as the City’s population grows too.  Sanchez noted that the Burr Park Gymnasium Project is greatly needed by the community and will be greatly appreciated once built.

Frontera Construction, Inc. of Del Rio, Texas is the contractor of the Burr Park Gymnasium Project and the project is estimated to take one year to complete.

Attending the Burr Park Gymnasium Groundbreaking Ceremony included Mayor Cantu, Mayor Pro-Tem Yolanda P. Ramon, Councilmembers Rudy Villapando and William “Billy” Davis, Acting City Manager Ivan Morua, Parks and Recreation Director Jorge Sanchez, Public Works Director Jesus Sandoval, Grants Director Isaac Ruiz, Finance Director Jesse Rodriguez, Planning & Development Director Vanessa Rosales-Herrera, Ira West, President of Frontera Construction, Inc., and Lynn Slaughter, Project Manager of Frontera Construction, Inc.