Bunkie Middle gym receives $100,000 for new HVAC System

The Bunkie Middle School gymnasium will soon be available for comfortable year-round use following the appropriation of $100,000 in state funding for a new, highly efficient heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

The funding was included in Louisiana House Bill 1, enacted during the 2026 Regular Session. The money will be provided to the City of Bunkie through the State General Fund as part of appropriations for local infrastructure and community projects.

Mayor Brenda C. Sampson and the Bunkie City Council expressed appreciation to State Rep. Daryl Deshotel for his efforts to secure the long-sought funding.

“Since the city acquired the Bunkie Middle School property three years ago, the gym has been brought back online and revitalized to serve as a community resource,” Sampson said. “With funding for the HVAC system, the gym will now be able to host year-round educational, social, recreational, and health-related events.”

Improvements to the gymnasium

The gymnasium had been shuttered since 2009 before the city acquired the former school property in 2023. Since then, the facility has undergone numerous repairs and improvements, including mold remediation, refinishing of the gym floor, remodeling of two large classrooms, repairs to exterior woodwork, refurbishment of entrances and exits, security enhancements and the installation of new LED lighting inside and outside the building.

The facility has hosted a variety of community activities during the past three years. However, the lack of air conditioning in the gym limited comfortable year-round use to its two climate-controlled classrooms.

City officials said the new HVAC system will significantly expand the types of events that can be held at the gym throughout the year. The facility could also provide an alternative to Haas Auditorium for certain events.

“Given the new, highly efficient HVAC system, the Bunkie City Council and I believe the Bunkie Middle gym will be able to operate more cost-effectively than Haas Auditorium for certain events,” Sampson said. “It will also allow us to reduce some of the day-to-day wear and tear on our historic, nearly century-old Haas Auditorium, the crown jewel of our city-owned buildings.”

Sampson added that, once the appropriate ordinances and policies are established, the gymnasium will provide residents with an affordable and accessible rental option.