BIG SPRING, TX — This week, the City of Big Spring began demolition on the Dora Roberts Community Center, a facility housed in the Comanche Trail Park that was destroyed on July 1, 2023 in a fire. After an investigation, it was found that the cause of the fire was arson and two juveniles were arrested in connection to the incident.
During the last meeting of the Big Spring City Council, Drew Mouton with the Big Spring Convention and Visitors Bureau Board presented a final report for recommendations for the rebuilding of the Dora Roberts Community Center. In the presentation, Mouton advised that the committee visited with hundreds of people about their thoughts and visited surrounding communities, looked at statistics, and considered facility restrictions and more.
Mouton stated that the lake was the biggest draw for the DRCC but it had limited views. He noted that being able to incorporate a stunning view of the lake in the rebuild would be a unique feature to set Big Spring apart from other facilities. A way this could be highlighted was to extend the outdoor patio to the edge of the lake.
In comparison to the Ward County Events Center in Monahans, TX, it was also recommended that the new center have a high, striking profile that could draw attention from people passing by on US Hwy 87.
Mouton noted the most common use of the facility would probably be by local people and businesses, and hoped to entice regional businesses to hold their events in Big Spring.
The committee also recommended an increase in the size of the ballroom, a large meeting room that could be divided into two smaller rooms, and a lecture hall that could seat 50-75 people. It was also noted that more parking would be needed, as well as a commercial kitchen, state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, and space for food truck parking, and a possible office.
It was also recommended that a loading area/dock be added, have the plumbing placed in the exterior walls, and have storage space incorporated into each room so that tables and chairs weren’t stored in a central area where they have to be hauled back and forth throughout the building.
A lot of thought and ideas were put into the final report, however, cost was not a factor when the recommendations were made. No definitive plans for the rebuild have been made at this time.
(Photo: Dora Roberts Community Center after it was destroyed by a fire that occurred on July 1, 2023.)
(Photo: Dora Roberts Community Center after demolition, May 3, 2024.)
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