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The current plan for a new Gun Barrel City community center, Plan 3, has mixed reactions from residents and council.

The current plan for a new Gun Barrel City community center, Plan 3, has mixed reactions from residents and council.

Gun Barrel City will be working on a new community center soon that will be paid for by the $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds received as part of the CARES Act.

GBC Mayor David Skains says the community center will be constructed by enclosing the current pavilion and will include a gymnasium, a classroom to enable continuing education, and a commercial kitchen for use during events.

“We are currently discussing whether to sell the city hall and move city hall to the second floor of the community center as it wouldn’t take any space away from the community center,” said Mayor Skains during a Cedar Creek Chamber of Commerce breakfast in January 2023. “If the Economic Development Corporation decides to move with us, they may need office space on the first floor.”

Skains added that should they proceed, the community center would be fully funded and they could sell the current city hall and pay off $800,000 in debt.

Council workshops have discussed that a small percentage of the $1.5 million is being used to pay a firm to administer the fund, so the ARPA funds are spent in accordance with all the governmental regulations.

A comprehensive planning survey was conducted a few years ago and many residents confirmed they want a community center. However, a lot of citizens are not fans of the current plans they have seen for the center and they have been making arguments on social media and at city council meetings that the plans are not what was discussed originally.

Brandi Simpson stated on social media, “I was so excited to serve on the comprehensive planning committee, to hear what people wanted, and to play a small part in making it a reality. I just knew we were going to do great things. Optimism and disappointment seem to go hand-in-hand. The plans for the ‘community center’ aren't at all what I envisioned for the city, and it seems to be taking away from the park residents want to improve.”

Many of the complaints of the current plan are that it “is just city hall with a basketball court and a locker room” or “an office building with a basketball court.” Complaints have also been made that this plan would take away the only free covered space available to the public where derby teams practice, parent and toddler groups meet, and birthday parties are held.

Those planning for the center say that “without building on the current pavilion slab, which allows for a second floor, a stand-alone community center would be quite small due to the current inflation rate and escalating costs of building materials and labor.” There has been additional talk about building a smaller pavilion also.

For more information or to voice your opinion on the plans, the Gun Barrel City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month in Council Chambers located at 1716 W. Main Street., Gun Barrel City, although special meetings may be held and will be posted 72 hours before. There will also be additional city workshops and updates on those and council meetings can be found at www.gunbarrelcity.net.

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