Louisiana House Bill 1, enacted during the 2026 Regular Session, includes a $100,000 allocation to the City of Bunkie for the installation of an HVAC system in the Bunkie Middle School gymnasium. The funding comes from the State General Fund as part of appropriations for local infrastructure and community projects.

Mayor Brenda C. Sampson and the Bunkie City Council extend their sincere appreciation to State Representative Daryl Deshotel for his efforts in securing these much-needed, long-sought funds for the community.

Upon learning of the funding, Mayor Sampson stated, “Since the city acquired the Bunkie Middle School property three years ago, the gym has been brought back online and revitalized to serve as a community resource. With funding for the HVAC system, the gym will now be able to host year-round educational, social, recreational, and health-related events.”

After being shuttered since 2009, the Bunkie Middle School gymnasium has undergone a series of repairs and upgrades since the City of Bunkie acquired the property in 2023. Improvements include mold remediation, refinishing the gym floor, remodeling two large classrooms, repairing exterior woodwork, refurbishing entrances and exits, enhancing electronic security, and installing new LED interior and exterior lighting.

Over the past three years, the facility has once again hosted a variety of community events. However, without air conditioning in the gymnasium itself, only the two climate-controlled classrooms were available for comfortable year-round use. The installation of the new HVAC system will greatly expand the facility’s usefulness and allow the city to make the gymnasium available year-round.

“Given the new, highly efficient HVAC system, the Bunkie City Council and I believe the Bunkie Middle gym will be able to operate more cost-effectively than Haas Auditorium for certain events,” Mayor Sampson continued. “It will also allow us to reduce some of the day-to-day wear and tear on our historic, nearly century-old Haas Auditorium—the crown jewel of our city-owned buildings. Further, once the appropriate ordinances and policies are put in place, the Bunkie Middle gym will provide our citizens with a much-needed, affordable, and accessible rental option.”