By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Val Verde County and school district officials honored the far-reaching legacy of Roberto “Bob” Chavira on Tuesday during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new sports complex that will bear his name.
The groundbreaking event began shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday at the site of the planned complex, located north of the Del Rio Middle School off U.S. Highway 90.
ceremony for the Roberto “Bob” Chavira Sports Complex, which will be sited behind the Del
Rio Middle School off East De La Rosa Street. Vazquez estimated the complex, which will
include fields for soccer, football, baseball and softball, as well as basketball courts and several
playgrounds, will take about two years to complete. (Photo by Karen Gleason)
Rowland Garza, Val Verde County’s emergency management coordinator, served as master of ceremonies for the event and welcomed those attending, including elected leaders from Val Verde County, the San Felipe Del Rio CISD, the City of Del Rio and Val Verde Regional Medical Center.
Following an invocation by Pastor Orlando Venegas and the singing of the National Anthem by Robert Wade, Garza introduced County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez, who thanked everyone for attending and spoke about the history of the project.
“Today is a very special day for me personally and for our entire community,” Vazquez said. He first thanked Chavira, who attended the ceremony with family members.
Chavira has served the community for decades in multiple roles, including as a coach, a city council member and mayor of Del Rio.
Vazquez reflected on his own childhood growing up in the housing projects of San Felipe, describing the challenges families with limited resources face in finding safe, accessible places for children to play and grow.
“This moment, the groundbreaking of the Roberto ‘Bob’ Chavira Sports Complex, is more than just the beginning of a construction project,” Vazquez said. “It is a symbol of hope and opportunity, and it represents our collective commitment to creating a future where every child, every family, has a place to belong.”
Vazquez expressed gratitude to the San Felipe Del Rio CISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent Dr. Carlos Rios for donating the land, and thanked County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. and the commissioners court for their support.
He also recognized U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales for helping secure a $2 million grant for the project, along with County Engineer Carlos Velarde, County Purchasing Agent Melissa Vasquez and County Auditor Matthew Weingardt.
Pct. 3 Fernando Garcia, members of the San Felipe Del Rio CISD Board of Trustees, other local
elected officials and Dr. Carlos Rios, San Felipe Del Rio CISD superintendent to turn the
symbolic first shovel of dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for the Roberto “Bob”
Chavira Sports Complex. (Photo by Karen Gleason)
Rios also addressed the crowd, praising both Vazquez and Chavira for their dedication to improving lives in the community.
Garza then invited Chavira to speak. Seated in a wheelchair and assisted by his daughter, Cynthia Martinez, Chavira said the honor was one of the greatest of his life.
“When I first learned this new sports complex would bear my name, I was humbled in a way that is hard to put into words,” Chavira said. He emphasized that the recognition was not a celebration of him, but of what a community can accomplish when it invests in its people.
Chavira reflected on his years of service as a coach, school district employee, city council member and mayor, crediting each role with teaching him lessons about leadership, patience and teamwork.
He also spoke of his upbringing, his parents Jesus and Chita Chavira, his experiences as a migrant laborer in California and the influence of his teachers, coaches and wife, Carmen.
“As we prepare to break ground today, I am filled with hope for what this place will mean to future generations,” Chavira said. “My hope is that this sports complex becomes a place where people gather, learn and grow, and where young people discover their potential.”
After Chavira’s remarks, Garza invited Raymond Meza, president of the San Felipe Del Rio CISD Board of Trustees, to speak, followed by Jalen Falcon, district director for U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales.
the groundbreaking ceremony for the Roberto “Bob” Chavira Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Listening, from left, Carl Esser, the county’s grants writer; County Commissioner Pct. 3
Fernando Garcia, County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez, Dr. Carlos Rios, San Felipe
Del Rio CISD school superintendent; and elected school board members Joshua D. Overfelt,
Jesus Emilio Galindo, Rebekah L. Chavez and Linda Guanajuato-Webb. (Photo by Karen
Gleason)
Garza also recognized Texas Rep. Eddie Morales, who attended the ceremony.
Vazquez delivered closing remarks before he and other elected officials and dignitaries turned symbolic shovelfuls of dirt to mark the official start of construction. Chavira joined them at the center of the group.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
that will be built at the site, including a baseball field, a softball field, football practice fields,
soccer fields for various age groups, three basketball courts and three playgrounds with
pavilions, as well as a concession area, restrooms and plenty of parking. (Photo by Karen
Gleason)
