(Seguin) — Those who spent their Easter weekend over at Manuel Castillo Park had to have seen something special that is currently under construction for families to enjoy.
Thanks to this year’s Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Seguin Class, a new large pavilion area is on its way up at the local park.
Each year, a group of citizens, representing various businesses, spend months learning more about the community. Along the way, they are tasked with choosing a community project that enhances the quality of life in Seguin. They then spend the time planning, fundraising and seeing the project to fruition.
Overseeing the pouring of a concrete slab last Thursday were Class Members Jake Pflum and Jeff Kissiar. Pflum, who works for Kimley Horn, says the class is excited about constructing a new picnic pavilion as this year’s project.
“(Over the Easter) weekend, they are going to see a 40×60 pad with sidewalk connection to the track. There’s a couple of little slabs here. One for the future Seguin Squirrel and one for our sponsorship plaque to show off our sponsors. It will be donated by Carter Memorial and then in a few weeks, you will see the actual structure being built once it gets delivered. It’s very exciting,” said Pflum.
Kissiar, of CMC Steel Texas, says he believes narrowing down a decision was easy for the leadership class. He says, with this project, everyone benefits.
“I think as a group we just honed in and we kind of talked about where our hearts are at and what we wanted to do. We talked about what we could do for the community, how we can give back to the youth and most of all, it’s really hot down here, especially during the summer. We want to get people out of the sun and into the shade and this is kind of where our heart fell,” said Kissier.
Pflum says he believes this particular project will blend in perfectly with the park’s future.
“We are going to have eight picnic tables underneath here just to start and if the city wants to add more in the future they can. It’s going to be 2,400 square feet of shaded space and just a little tidbit here, whenever the city expands the playground there, this will kind of be in the middle of the playground and also the fields where kids practice on and so parents that have kids in both places, they can kind of watch them both,” said Pflum.
Kissiar says although class members are responsible for coming up with the project, the final results will be because of a community team effort.
“We have really high hopes for that. I think we are just really blessed as this group and just the community coming together in supporting this project from the city, the city council to folks who have donated to this project — this is just awesome to see everything come together, and we are very excited for the completion of this,” said Kissier.
Now that the foundation is in place, the group says it will be ordering the pavilion structure with hopes of having it ready in time for its May 22, 2025 Leadership Seguin Class graduation.
The community is reminded of past leadership class projects, which continue to serve the community well. Those include shade structures over the bleachers at the Seguin Little League Fields, the remodel of the Seguin Wave Pool. Plus, last year’s collaborative effort with the Seguin Commission on the Arts to install a festive interactive art display, which spells out Seguin using large letters off West Nolte Street in Walnut Springs Park.