GRANJENO – Repairs and renovations to a Granjeno staple are in the works.

The Granjeno Community Center was heavily damaged by storms in 2016. 

The town mayor, Yvetter Cabrera, said grant funding was approved, along with insurance funds for repairs to soon begin. 

One resident welcomes the repairs.

Arcadio Anzaldua’s home overlooks the center.

Memories of events he attended there are tainted after the storm and straight-line winds in 2016 damaged his home. 

“You could see the lights in McAllen and you could see the building was gone…the walls. I'm like 'Hector, where are the walls?' He goes, 'They're gone,” says Anzaldua.  

Anzaldua is slowly rebuilding his home. 

Those repairs are minimal compared to the ones where he spent the highlights of his life. 

Mayor Yvette Cabrera has bigger plans for the facility – including a library, computer labs and other renovations.

“We weren't using it to make money off of it, so that's why we decided to do this project, whereas we could utilize is more for the community,” says Cabrera.

The city was approved for grant funding earlier this year.

It is now added to the list of city projects.

However, before a city engineer is hired, the city needs to finish a few other projects first.

Cabrera emphasized the big push was to get the adequate funding, which the city finally has.