Construction Progress Continues on Future Community Education Center!

Construction continues on the future Avoyelles Community Education Center in the Bay Hills, where the steel framework is now rising. It’s giving residents a clearer look at the facility that is expected to serve high school students, adult learners, local businesses and the community.

Just months after the groundbreaking, the project is no longer only a vision on paper. For those who pass the construction site each day, the transformation is becoming more noticeable. What was recently an open construction site is now beginning to resemble the future home of one of the largest investments in career education and workforce development in Avoyelles Parish.

Although the steel structure is now visible, months of work took place behind the scenes before this milestone could be reached. Crews first prepared the site, poured the foundation and completed the infrastructure needed to support the building. Now, as each beam is lifted into place, the community can begin to see the vision become a reality.

The Avoyelles Community Education Center is funded through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund (ARPA-CPF 1C) as part of Louisiana’s ConnectLA GUMBO 1.0 initiative. The project represents a long-term investment in expanding educational opportunities, strengthening workforce development and supporting the future growth of Avoyelles Parish.

The project also received support from Representative Daryl Deshotel and his work to secure the investment for Avoyelles Parish.

“This new center represents an important investment in the future of our community,” Deshotel said. “The construction itself is exciting, but what matters most is what will happen inside these walls for years to come. This facility will create a place where education, workforce development, and industry can come together to prepare our people for the jobs and opportunities of the future. I’m proud to have been a part of making this project a reality, and I believe it will have a lasting impact on Avoyelles Parish and the entire region.”

Construction remains on schedule, with the facility expected to be completed in December 2026. The first classes are anticipated to begin in January 2027.

“For a long time, this project existed in conversations, plans, and blueprints,” said Superintendent Karen Tutor. “Today, our community can see that vision taking shape. Every milestone brings us one step closer to creating new opportunities for our students, our workforce, and our parish. We’re grateful for the continued support of our community and look forward to sharing each step of this journey.”

When the doors open, ACEC will be much more than a career education facility. It will be a place where students prepare for successful futures, adults develop new skills, businesses connect with a growing workforce and the community comes together to learn, collaborate and grow.

Today, the steel framework is taking shape. Before long, it will be filled with students discovering new career pathways, adults learning new skills and a community coming together under one roof.