Nestled in northwest Corpus Christi along the Nueces River, the John W. Cunningham Water Treatment Plant is a time capsule of another era. This riverside property holds the key to a new vision for the future.
City of Corpus Christi officials plan to begin demolishing the water treatment plant this month, making way for the property to be connected to Labonte Park, doubling the acreage of the park.
The Cunningham Water Treatment Plant was Corpus Christi’s first water plant. Built in 1893, it's considered one of the oldest in South Texas, but has gone unused since 1988.
This is why, in May, the Corpus Christi City Council took $1.7 million from the Water Capital Fund to transition the 10-acre space into a place where families and visitors can enjoy the Nueces River. The new park also will incorporate select structural features from the plant into its design.
Coastal Bend Demolition, Inc., will handle demolition, and the allotted funds also cover removal of all existing facility components, structures, piping, slabs, and electrical equipment to 3-ft. below ground.
Debris disposal, infill of demolition areas, site grading, installation of erosion control, and seeding also will be required to convert the leftover green space into a public park.
The city hopes to have the project complete by February 2023.
