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The City of Henderson learned Friday afternoon that its application for a $1,048,958 federal grant to help fund construction of a new civic center at Lake Forest Park has been approved.
The grant is through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help build a dual-purpose civic center and shelter, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Friday. FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is the source of the grant.
The City of Henderson learned Friday afternoon that its application for a $1,048,958 federal grant to help fund construction of a new civic center at Lake Forest Park has been approved.
The grant is through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help build a dual-purpose civic center and shelter, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Friday. FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is the source of the grant.
“This funding provides needed assistance to protect the area against devastation that may come from future storms,” Cornyn wrote in a preapred statement. “This is good news for Henderson and I am encouraged that the area is receiving this support to help diminish the effects of future disasters.”
U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, also released a statement on Henderson's FEMA grant late Friday. “This vital funding will enable Henderson to provide a safe haven to its residents and neighbors in surrounding regions during times of disasters.
“You can't put a price on the lives that will be protected,” Gohmert wrote.
The city applied for the grant two years ago, submitting an application that specified the new facility would be built at Lake Forest Park.
More recently, however, discussions have centered on whether the center would benefit from a location at the soon-to-be renovated and expanded Fair Park.
The city's 15-member civic center committee, recently appointed by city council, is expected to ask council members at Tuesday night's regularly meeting if they are willing to turn down the grant funding in order to build the civic center at Fair Park. Regardless of where the center will be built, Henderson Mayor John W. “Buzz” Fullen was excited to learn the grant had been approved.
“We've been waiting on this word for quite some time,” Fullen said. “This is the last obstacle we were waiting on to be able to actually break ground and start work on the civic center. We were going to have to change plans if we did not get the grant.”
Fullen said he is not sure what the council and the committee will decide about the location of the new center.
“That will still be under discussion,” he said. “That will be a board decision. I just know (the grant) has been long awaited and it looks like it's about to happen.”
Henderson City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at city hall, 400 W. Main St. Civic center questions are on the agenda, which is printed in full on Page 7A of today's paper.
News Editor Alexa Duke can be reached via email at
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