The City of Magnolia and Magnolia ISD have each approved an interlocal agreement for the 3.087 acres of land located at the Alpha Academy in order to build a recreational center.

The land is currently used as the detention pond for Alpha, according to Superintendent Todd Stephens. However, the county would construct a new detention pond behind the Celeste Graves Education Support Center.

The proposed recreational center will be a 15,000 square foot building, which will include a gymnasium, Olympic size swimming pool and four tennis courts.

School Board trustee and Economic Development Coordinator Deborah Rose Miller said the center would cost around $3 million. Neither the city nor school will pay for the construction, but instead donors and those wanting naming rights to the facility would fund construction.

Currently, the city has received two donations totaling $350,000. The donors asked to remain anonymous.

Miller plans to get a larger campaign started as plans progress.

The interlocal agreement was established because MISD owns the property and the City of Magnolia wants to construct, own and operate the building for the community’s use.

The land will be traded to the city in return for MISD to also use the services, Stephens said.

“It will give us an alternative place to use year round,” he said. “The district will get its value (for the land exchange) in time.”

Miller said the city hopes to form a contract with the Magnolia/Tomball YMCA to help operate and manage the building.

The City of Magnolia approved the interlocal agreement at its regular meeting May 17. The MISD School Board held a public hearing and approved the agreement at its regular meeting June 13.

No date has been set for construction, as donations are still being collected.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed