Money for improvements to the Port Arthur senior center could ultimately mean a totally new building, officials say.
Parks and Recreation Director Chandra Alpough at a Tuesday evening meeting of the City Council noted that city staff is taking preliminary steps to determine how structurally sound the existing building is and the cost to relocate a senior’s center to another part of town.
“We’re out of compliance. We’re out of code,” she said. “We want loyal citizens to come and say, ‘We’re going to the rec!’ instead of just, ‘We’re going to the rec.’”
The issue initially was brought up by Councilman Kenneth Marks, who said a constituent asked him about the possibility in comparison to Beaumont’s relatively new senior center.
His was one of only a few questions raised during a public hearing Tuesday night regarding a ballot measure asking Port Arthur voters to approve the allocation of $3 million in sales tax to two city parks.
The money would come from a 0.125% sales tax already being collected and, at this time, directed to the city’s Economic Development Corporation.
The EDC’s operational structure means it has to have voter approval to use these funds for certain projects, such as upgrading city parks.
If approved, the $3 million would be allocated over three years, and the money would go to Adams and Rose Hill parks as well as the Senior Citizens Center. The city council would have the opportunity to extend the allocation by a two-thirds majority vote of the council for another $3 million across three years.
Alpough noted that these funds would not be the only ones dedicated to parks. However, their existence is expected to make the city more competitive in the grant application process.
City staff also is in the process of working with engineers on schematic drawings of what the parks could look like after renovations.
Early Voting for the proposition begins Monday. Election Day is May 1.
kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com
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