Port Aransas parks budget holds rec center on track for December finish, delays maintenance facility

Colleen, the parks presenter, told the board that the Parks Department's Fiscal Year 2027 general fund budget keeps the rec center on schedule for a December completion while deferring the grounds maintenance facility because the preferred site at Avenue C and Cutoff Road is valuable and the city is reluctant to dedicate it indefinitely.

"They are really close. They are still on schedule for December completion. It's incredible," Colleen said, noting that much of the construction and many furnishings are already paid from the current fiscal year. She described ongoing interior work—tile in restrooms and kitchens, ceilings, and a gym wood floor slated for installation on Oct. 1—and said staff are finishing AV and IT planning and organizing tours for council and parks board members when the site is ready.

The board discussed operational implications: staff plan to expand citywide custodial teams for daily cleaning while assigning rotation tasks (locker-room checks, fitness-area observations) to lifeguards and front-desk attendants. Colleen also recommended obtaining bids for preventative maintenance contracts for new mechanical systems rather than relying solely on two existing maintenance staff. The proposal left unresolved questions about where maintenance functions will be based long term; she said the maintenance facility could be considered again in FY28 once construction pressure eases.