By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
Hector Chapa, the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District (SFDR CISD)
director of operations, gave updates on Cody Wardlaw Gym renovations and other facility
projects for the upcoming school year.
Chapa spoke with The 830 Times Tuesday to give new information on pending projects for
the gyms and cafeterias on several campuses. The information was originally reported during a
presentation at the SFDR-CISD board meeting on July 28.
Chapa first gave updates on the finishing touches for Cody Wardlaw Gym, located at 304 W.
Martin St., where renovations began in December 2024. The gym was renovated so it can be
used by Garfield Middle School campus, which is being turned into one of the new sixth through
eighth grade middle school campuses for the 2025-2026 school year.
During the facilities and construction report presented at the July 28 meeting, Chapa said the
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) electrical work at Cody Wardlaw was 95
percent complete. The HVAC units came online in July, and the new transformer was set up by
the electrical providers, American Electrical Power (AEP), on July 28.
Chapa said, “(Cody Wardlaw) gym feels a lot different now.” Chapa also mentioned the doors
and windows have been installed, and the air conditioning units for areas in front of the gym,
including the locker rooms, were completed Tuesday.
As for pending items at Cody Wardlaw, Chapa said the HVAC and electrical work will be
inspected by the city this week. After the electrical inspection, the entire gym will need to go
through a final inspection. Chapa also mentioned the sanding of the floors will also be
completed this week, which will not postpone the pending inspections.
Moving on from Cody Wardlaw, Chapa talked about the San Felipe Memorial Middle School
campus and said the new fencing for the campus has been completed. San Felipe Memorial
Middle School is the other new sixth through eighth grade middle school campus that will be
open for the 2025-2026 school year.
Chapa then gave updates on the additional projects at other school campuses. The HVAC units
at the Dr. Fermin Calderon Elementary and Irene Cardwell Elementary School campuses have
been completed, and the chiller unit replacements at Del Rio High School Campus were also
completed at the end of July.
The only projects still pending are the HVAC units for the cafeteria and gym facilities at the
Lamar Elementary School campus. Chapa said the new HVAC units are still being shipped, and
as a contingency plan, an operational unit is being used for the time being. At the July 28
meeting, Raymond P. Meza, president of the school board, asked if the pending HVAC units
would affect the school orientation meetings happening this week, and Dr. Carlos Rios, school
district superintendent, said orientations will be handled by splitting teachers into smaller
groups.
