CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Plans for a new Yeager Elementary have taken another step forward. The Corpus Christi City Council has voted to lease over five acres of Malibu Park and over one acre of Carroll Woods Park to Corpus Christi Independent School District.
KRIS 6 News reporter Tony Jaramillo spoke to Sue Thompson, a resident near the elementary school.
"When Yeager opened, my daughter was six years old, and she was the first class," Thompson said.
Thompson has lived by Malibu Park, which is next to Yeager Elementary, for almost 60 years.
"I’m sorry for the people that are going to have their neighborhood school closed. But I’m really excited about this because we want to keep our neighborhood alive and well. And that’s the way to do it with an elementary school," Thompson said.
That was Thompson's response to reporter Tony Jaramillo, telling her about CCISD's upcoming $135.4M bond proposal, which includes building a new Yeager Elementary. If the bond passes, Kostoryz and Sanders elementary will consolidate into the new Yeager school.
Rose Garza, another nearby neighbor, said she likes the idea but has some concerns.
"Hopefully, the traffic will be a little bit better because right now it is heavy in the morning. It gets real congested right by the drop off," Garza said.
But they both agree—they are most excited about the fact that the tax rate for this bond will not change (according to CCISD).
Corpus Christi City Council unanimously approved the ordinance on September 17, agreeing to lease 5.502 acres of Malibu Park and 1.232 acres of the adjacent Carroll Woods Park.
"We’ve got this huge park over there, so we're going to lease it to them on this long-term lease, and that way, can build their property there," Councilmember for District 3, Roland Barrera, said.
How much will that lease be? The city says $1 a year, which Barrera said is a win-win.
"That way they can construct their facility, they take the maintenance away from us, it actually helps to reduce our costs," Barrera said.
If voters approve the bond on November 5, the new school would open in August of 2026.
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