Major Projects Coming in Bunkie for 2026!

Mayor Brenda C. Sampson and the Bunkie City Council are sharing an update on three major city projects scheduled to reach implementation in the spring or early summer of 2026. While each initiative has been underway since the start of the current term in 2022, city officials say the projects are now approaching completion.

BMS Gym

In January 2023, the City of Bunkie acquired the former Bunkie Middle complex through a property swap with the Avoyelles Parish School Board to prevent further blight. Since that time, work has continued to revitalize the gymnasium.

Improvements completed include: - Refinishing the gym floor - Remodeling two classrooms - Installing LED lighting - Making significant exterior upgrades

Installation of new heating and air-conditioning systems is scheduled to begin shortly. Once completed, the gymnasium is expected to function as a self-sustaining community facility for educational programs, recreational use, and social gatherings. The facility is also expected to reduce wear on Haas Auditorium, which is approaching its 100-year milestone.

Blight Fight Grant

Since July 2022, more than 40 abandoned and dilapidated structures have been removed across the city through the Operation Blight Fight initiative. To continue those efforts, the City of Bunkie secured a $250,000 demolition grant in late 2022.

City officials report that, although the process has taken longer than anticipated, coordination between public and private partners has moved the grant to the brink of implementation. Twenty-five additional blighted structures are scheduled for demolition by the end of summer 2026, with bids expected to be released as early as February.

$6.58M Drainage Grant

In 2022, the City of Bunkie was approved for $6,586,600 in funding through the Louisiana Watershed Initiative Design Support Program. The funding supports two large-scale drainage projects, one on the east side of the city and one on the west, intended to address long-standing flood concerns.

After completion of required environmental studies and regulatory reviews, construction on the drainage projects is scheduled to begin in spring or early summer 2026. The improvements are expected to address recurring flooding during hurricanes and flash-flood events.

Looking Ahead

“The Bunkie City Council and I remain committed to pursuing additional funding opportunities for streets and infrastructure,” stated Mayor Brenda C. Sampson. “Recent successes include the $1,000,000 street overlay grant awarded in July 2024 to improve portions of Keller Street, Louisiana Street, Oak Street, and Church Street, as well as the $1,300,000 water infrastructure grant awarded in May 2025 to rehabilitate our municipal water wells.

“We appreciate citizens’ patience, support, and engagement as we work to strengthen and improve our city for current and future generations.”

Renovation work underway inside the former band room at the Bunkie Middle School gym prior to completion. The classroom is the second restored suite at the facility, joining the former physical education room refurbished two years ago.

The former band room at the Bunkie Middle School gym has been fully restored and is now back in use for the first time since May 2009. The refurbished space will serve as a multipurpose room for community activities.