EDINBURG — City officials and art enthusiasts gathered here on the corner of Eighth and Mclntyre streets to break ground on phase 2 of Promenade Park in Edinburg, a ceremony local leaders repeatedly said was many years in the making.
The park will be home to the new Edinburg Arts, Culture, Events Center, or ACE, a multi-purpose facility that has been in the works for 15 years. The new center will be built where the former Sam Houston Elementary School building used to stand.
“We’re excited that it’s going to become part of the foundation of our downtown revitalization, we’re excited that it’s also going to be the home for our cultural arts department here in the city of Edinburg, …” said Letty Leija, director of the library and cultural arts for the city of Edinburg. She added that the center will also be the venue for events such as Frida Fest.
The $14 million project will enhance the arts complex in Edinburg, which already has an amphitheater and the Edinburg Municipal Auditorium. The cost was split down the middle, with the city paying half and the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation paying the other.
According to Lejia, the events center will measure about 14,000 square feet and will host various activities such as art classes, dance classes, computer graphics, filmmaking and other aspects of arts.
“As soon as we open, we will hit the ground running to be able to provide that free of charge to the community, as much as possible,” Lejia said.
She also said the city hopes to bring exhibits from across the country to the city.
“We are hoping to bring national art exhibits and programming,” Leija said, adding that they don’t have an exact timeline of events just yet but hope to bring the arts to Edinburg. “Right now we are just focusing on getting the building built.”
Construction on the park will begin Monday and it is expected to be completed in May 2024, she said.
