A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Jan. 13 for the grand opening of the new Judge Ted Poe Community Center in Atascocita with local officials—including the center’s namesake—community members and county employees in attendance.

At a glance

The 8,500-square-foot community center was renovated by Harris County Precinct 3 from an existing building in Atascocita Park, as previously reported by Community Impact. The project ended up costing about $3 million, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said during the Jan. 13 event.

"The Judge Ted Poe Community Center is a facility that will serve as a hub for learning [and] connecting community life," Ramsey said.What’s in a name

In October, Precinct 3 officials announced that the center would bear Poe’s name, as previously reported. The center is the precinct’s ninth community center.

From 2005-19, Poe represented U.S. Congressional District 2, which includes the communities of Atascocita and Humble, as previously reported. He also served as a Harris County district judge, prosecutor and a member of the United States Air Force Reserves.

“I think we were very successful—when I was on the bench and when I was in Congress ... getting things done, and the reason was my staff,” Poe said. “I had the best staff ever, ever.”

Check it out

Ramsey said the community center features:

• Four classrooms
• Two large community rooms for events

As previously reported, the center also includes:

• A kitchen and a coffee bar
• A generator so the center can be used as a cooling/warming center during extreme weather events

The community center is connected to Atascocita Park’s trail network and may be used as a supply distribution center in emergencies.