U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa announced this week that WISD was awarded the $1,598,060 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
School officials have had the plans in place since last summer and were awaiting word about the grant they hoped would fund the combination gymnasium and community center.
WISD Superintendent Steven Self said the district will go out for bids as swiftly as possible so construction could begin as early as January or February.
The grant was awarded to the City of Woodsboro in partnership with WISD to construct a community shelter.
“This is super, super news,” Self said.
A high-efficiency dome will be air-conditioned will have stadium-style backs.
“The building will also be used for graduations, for community events and as a shelter for the students and community.
The grant is a direct result of the damage caused by Hurricane Ike to the community.
The safe-room community shelter will provide protection for the citizens of Woodsboro and Refugio County as well as Woodsboro emergency officials.
“We have witnessed so many times how many people are unable to evacuate during hurricanes and at times have nowhere to go for shelter,” Hinojosa said. “I am very pleased to see the residents of Woodsboro and the surrounding area will have a safe place to take their families.”
The concrete domed structure meets FEMA’s criteria for protection from hurricanes and tornados.
It will offer room for 700 students in grades K-12 and supporting faculty and staff. The structure is designed to accommodate the potential need of shelter for the evacuees in the surrounding communities of Bayside and Bonnie View.
Board member Henry Fierova went “all over the south looking at domes like the one we will build,” the superintendent said.
“The electric bill in a similar building Henry looked at in Oklahoma was $700 a month,” Self said.
The dome will be constructed where the old junior high school used to be on the northwest corner of school property.
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