The Ward 3 Recreation District of Calcasieu Parish has a $30-million bond proposition on the Saturday, April 27, ballot that, if approved, will fund new construction and upgrades at its 12 facilities.

Kip Texada, executive director of the Ward 3 Recreation District, said, “We have been able to offer many programs for seniors, as well as for middle age and youth. We are basically able to  cover the entire family.”

Voters in all 62 Ward 3 (300-numbered) precincts will be participating in the election. Early voting starts today and continues until April 20.

The property tax millage rate to pay off those bonds over a 15-year period will  be lower than the millage rate taxpayers have been paying for the last 10  years.

This will be the third proposition in the district’s history that dates back to 2004.

The combined old rate has been 8.8 mills. The new rate will be 8.5 mills. The owner of a $100,000 home has been paying $22.01 annually and the new rate would be $21.25 annually.

The 2004 $9 million proposition that voters approved, along with a 4.0 property tax maintenance millage, resulted in construction of three facilities over the next five years.

The Enos Derbonne Sports Complex on Lake Street officially opened on Oct. 16, 2006. It was named after the late Enos Derbonne, a Calcasieu Parish police juror.

The Albert Street Recreation Center opened Jan. 22,  2007. It was renamed the Pryce/Miller Recreation Center after community leaders Frank Pryce and Joe Miller Sr.

The Power Center Gymnasium opened on Sept. 16, 2009.

In 2011, Ward 3 Recreation was renamed Lake Charles-Ward 3 Recreation.

Next came a 10-year, $16-million bond issue in 2014. Voters approved a 3.3-mill property tax to pay off the bonds and a 5.5-mill maintenance millage tax.

The proposed $30 million, 15-year bond issue for renovation and additions to existing facilities also includes plans for constructing an additional multi-purpose recreation center at a location to be decided.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter in an earlier KPLC-TV news story said anything benefiting recreational facilities in all of Ward 3 is going to help a recreational master plan move forward that benefits all of Calcasieu Parish.

Texada said additions to the multi-sports complex on Power Center Parkway will include tennis court bleacher awnings, a coffee bar, turf of soccer fields, light poles for soccer fields, a storage room, an outdoor skating rink and renovations to the Adventure Cove/Splash Pad.

A swimming  pool and pickleball courts will be constructed at the Enos Derbonne complex. A senior game room will be added at Pryce/Miller.

Plans for Cougar Stadium include football field turf, renovation of parking lots, bathrooms, concessions, ticket booths, home and away locker rooms, and new bleachers on the visitors side and a new sound system.

New bleachers and a new scoreboard are planned for Alvin Dark Field. An outdoor pavilion will be constructed at the Second Avenue Senior Center. Turf is planned for baseball fields at the Huber Park Sports Complex.

The tennis courts at the University Recreation Complex will be resurfaced and an outdoor workout station will be constructed along with outdoor bleachers on a walking path.

A new building will be constructed at Foreman Reynaud, along with an event center, swimming pool and classrooms.

Ward 3 has sports programs, senior programs, fitness programs, swimming programs and summer camps. Sporting events include football, basketball, soccer, track and field, senior bean bag games, buddy ball, SNAG golf and indoor soccer.I’m