A planned new pool at Stamper Park got a lot less expensive Thursday for the city of Longview 性视界传媒 about $4 million less.
Not only did the City Council award a contract to build the pool for significantly less than expected, but state Rep. Jay Dean made a surprise visit with unexpected good news. The state of Texas is contributing $3 million to the project.
性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 with great pride that I性视界传媒檓 able to come to you tonight with, I think, a very great and secure program to help with your upcoming Stamper Park pool project,性视界传媒 Dean said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 happy to report we have been awarded one of nine statewide grants from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for $3 million for the building of the Stamper Park pool.性视界传媒
The audience at Thursday性视界传媒檚 council meeting erupted into applause.
The two developments in the city性视界传媒檚 cost to build the pool were welcome news for what has been a controversial project
In 2024, a split City Council decided to abandon and demolish the Longview Swim Center at Pine Tree High School. It needed costly repairs, but the city walked away from it because it was on property owned by the school district.
Later, a divided City Council decided to build a pool at Stamper Park.
Original estimates said the facility would cost about $3.5 million. Later, though, the cost estimate increased to about $6 million, with all of the funding expected to come from the city性视界传媒檚 reserves.
The council on Thursday awarded an almost $4.3 million contract to Riley Harris Construction of Tyler to build the pool.
The city expects it will spend $1.1 million for engineering design and geotechnical surveys and a third-party pool inspection when construction is complete, said city spokesman Richard Yeakley.
That would put the total cost of the pool at about $5.3 million. The lower contract amount would have put the city性视界传媒檚 total cost at $1.2 million less than planned. However, considering the $3 million from the state, the city will spend about $2.3 million total. That性视界传媒檚 about $4 million less than planned.
性视界传媒淚t was a surprise to me,性视界传媒 Shannon Moore, District 2 councilwoman, said after the meeting.
She has been one of the major supporters of building the pool in South Longview.
性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 just all overwhelming and exciting,性视界传媒 she said. 性视界传媒淪o that性视界传媒檚, I mean, it性视界传媒檚 the best news ever.性视界传媒
Mayor Kristen Ishihara said Dean, a former Longview mayor, had called her Saturday to tell her about the award. He asked her when he birthday was, she said, because he had a gift for her.
Dean thanked Gov. Gregg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows, whom he said was a 性视界传媒済reat supporter.性视界传媒 The grant requires a 10% match from the city.
