A new water park is coming to Rio Grande City.

Fort Ringgold Pool will be converted into a new water park for the community. Last week, Rio Grande City signed a 20-year lease agreement with the school district for the swimming pool.

Fort Ringgold Pool has not been used in 7 years. Now, Rio Grande City will have full control of the pool and their plan is to turn it into a water park.

"Glad that we have something for Rio Grande City, for our kids," resident Cecilia Briceno said.

Briceno remembers taking her kids swimming at the pools at Fort Ringgold 15 years ago.

"They would swim in the practice pool back there in the old timer one, but since it is gone, my other kids were not able to participate because it was closed. We didn't have anything. So I had to take my kid to Roma," Briceno said.

Briceno now takes her nephews to Roma for swim practice, but once the water park opens, she'll be excited to take them.

Rio Grande City commissioners showed Channel 5 News the blueprints. It will have a splash pad, pickleball courts, beach volleyball courts, barbecue pits and a playground area.

Rio Grande City Commissioner Eudolio Barrera was excited to bring this new feature closer to home.

"There are a lot of families that can't go to the Valley and enjoy these amenities, so having it here is wonderful," Barrera said.

The cost to upgrade the pools to include the new amenities is $300,000. Rio Grande City and the Economic Development Corporation are both funding the project.

Commissioner Barrera says under the agreement, the school district will also have access to the pool.

"The school district will use it throughout the year. They will have swimming classes and swimming lessons," Barrera said.

Briceno hopes the new water park will give kids more things to do.

"What can we do to make Rio Grande City better and for our kids? So they won't go into gangs and other stuff they are not supposed to be doing. The kids need to be involved, and we need to have stuff for them," Briceno said.

The water park is expected to be completed in May 2026, weather permitting.

Watch the video above for the full story.