New building will help increase day camp numbers in Grapevine

The Grapevine Parks and Recreation Department will be able to expand its summer camp program in 2025.

The Grapevine City Council approved a bid from HBA Design Build for a pre-engineered metal building for $675,275 during the Aug. 6 meeting. The building will be placed in Meadowmere Park at Grapevine Lake.

What they’re saying

“We can offer a program to a much wider audience, and this building will help accomplishment,” Grapevine City Manager Bruno Rumbelow said during the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce luncheon Aug. 15.

The gist

Rumbelow said the addition of the building for the Dove Creek Day Camp will allow about 100 children per day to attend. This summer, that number was about 400.

Projected numbers by the Parks and Recreation Department show they could have 1,100 children take part throughout the summer of 2025.

Parks and Recreation Director Chris Smith said an indoor shelter is needed in case of inclement weather for day camps, which has limited the number of students who could register in recent years. Rumbelow said there were 800 children on the waitlist in 2024.

In 2022, city officials rented a spot at The Ranch of Lonesome Dove and hit 1,100 participants. Outside of that year, recent numbers have been around 400 students.

The building will be used as an education and recreation facility, according to city documents. The dimensions are 80x100 feet and will feature roll-up doors, according to the presentation.

Smith said the building would be placed beyond the 557-foot flood mark for Grapevine Lake, near the existing restroom facility. He said the flood waters this summer would not reach where the new building would be placed.

What else?

The city estimates the building could generate $150,000 in net revenue, according to city documents.

Smith said the hope is to have the building installed by March 2025, in time for a dinosaur exhibit.