West Point leaders, along with Kia and Troup County school officials, broke ground Tuesday for the city’s second bus shelter for local school children.
The city will be able to build at least three shelters after a $10,000 donation from Kia, the first of which will be on East 12th Street next to the West Point Housing Authority office.
“This is a very special day,” said Councilwoman Sandra Thornton, who has lobbied for bus shelters for several years.
“I thank you on behalf of all of the children,” she said.
The city recently had built a shelter near the water tower on East 12th Street with money raised during West Point Police Department’s annual golf tournament. A Boy Scout earning his Eagle Scout badge put the shelter together.
Councilman Jerry Ledbetter said the first shelter is working great, but the new shelters will be twice as large. The new shelters will be put at East 7th Street at Avenue H and Davidson Street at East 6th Street.
“We’re going to get around to having something for everyone,” Ledbetter said.
Troup County Schools Superintendent Cole Pugh said he was a bus driver early in his career.
“Today’s weather is a great example,” of the bus shelters’ importance, he said, as a brisk wind whipped around the housing authority.
Troup County Commission Chairman Ricky Wolfe said it had been an “interesting two weeks” for Kia, with a bond agreement announced that will be one of the largest investments in the state of Georgia, a contribution from Kia to the schools’ STEM program and the bus shelter donation.
“This is a continuation of Kia emerging in this community,” he said. “It is an example of the small things that are also big things.”
Construction of the first shelter could be complete by the end of January.
Post a Comment
