Foundation presents plan for a new Community Center on the 19.3 acre Robb School site while listening to the Robb Victims’ Family Members on plans for a Memorial on the school grounds,
by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
Top Photo: Lalo Castillo speaking at a convention at UTSA.
Lalo Castillo, the founder and Chairman of the Empowerment of Community and Action Foundation along with its members presented their vision to bring a Community Center, Inc to the Uvalde CISD Trustees at Monday Night’s July 15th, School Board meeting.
The organization was founded on May 17, 2023.
Castillo informed the Uvalde CISD Trustees have two architects on board for who are willing to plan the new Center: Michael Benedikt ACSA Distinguished Professor of Architecture and Craig Dykers, who was the architect for the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center in New York City.
In order to proceed with additional fund raising for the project the Castillo and the Foundation had requested the school board provide a memorandum of understanding, inorder for the foundation to proceed in its fund raising efforts. SuperintendentAshley Chohlis and the school board trustees asked the Foundation to provide them with a written MOI by Monday, July 23rd for them to consider.
Castillo and approximately a dozen local citizens who are part of the Foundation believe that a Community Center located on the West Side of Uvalde would not only revitalize that area of town but also the entire city. He said,” A lot of research has been done to get the project this far,” He also stated a year and a half of work has been put into this project.
Uvalde CISD Trustees comments:
Uvalde CISD Trustee Jaclyn Gonnzales voiced her concerns stating the community input is needed to assess (the project). “I’m interested to see if you’ve done any surveys.”
“It’s such a sensitive site,”Gonzales said.
One of the foundation’s representatives answered saying, “Mellie (Nava) is working on a community survey.”
Gonzales also said, ” If anything can be repurposed or nothing can,we need to know how the families feel.”
Uvalde CISD Trustee JJ Suarez said, “I agree with Trustee Gonzales. We need to do what is best for the community.”
Uvalde CISD Trustee Jesse Rizo said, “I’m an Uncle and cannot speak for the moms and dads. It’;s such a sacred place; it’s so hard.”
Castillo answered saying, “When talking about the Center we are not talking about where the children were located.” He was referring to not talking about the classroom where the tragedy occurred.
The Uvalde Heperian spoke with Castillo by phone.
He said the auditorium alone would be more similar to the Majestic Theater in San Antonio than the John H. Harrell Auditorium located at the High School.
If provided the green light from Uvalde CISD, the Foundation ultimately would like the district to provide a 75 year lease for the Robb School grounds, Mellie Nava said.
Castillo said, “The property belongs to the citizens of Uvalde.”
