Bastrop - Cedar Creek Edition | October 2025

Government

BY JOEL VALLEY

Plans in the works to rebuild German Casino Bastrop is planning to rebuild the historic Ger- man Casino on the Convention and Exhibit Center grounds, according to city ocials. The details The one-story building on Farm Street—which was constructed by the German-American Social Club in the 1860s to be a casino hall—collapsed in November 2023 and was secured with tape and barricades to prevent public entry until it was fully demolished with oversight from the Historic Landmark Commission. “The German Casino, right now, sits as a pile of bricks at the Public Works oce,” City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino said in early September. “The plan is to create a gathering space as it was before—a place where bridal showers, baby showers and community gatherings can happen.”

City designates 2 acres as parkland

The city of Bastrop has established approximately 2.2 acres along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, near Emile Elementary School, as designated parkland. The details Bastrop purchased the site at 610 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in June 2024 for $147,000 through its Land Acquisition Fund, according to city documents. Why it matters With much of the land in the oodway and the 100-year oodplain, ocials estab- lished the property as parkland to prevent development from occurring. “The property is located in the Gills Branch tributary,” Bastrop Police Chief Vicky Steanic said in a sta report.

The German Casino building in Bastrop collapsed on November 12, 2023.

COURTESY JOHN KIRKLAND

The outlook During the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the City event in early September, Carrillo-Trevino told area residents how the city plans to fund the endeavor. “If it’s on the grounds of the Convention and Exhibit Center, we can use [hotel occupancy tax] funds, which means no eect on the general fund, and again, no eect on taxes,” Carrillo-Trevino said. A timeline for the project was not available as of press time.

Bastrop to hire wastewater engineer for plant design

Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 4 will: Reuse the euent created at the plant Generate a new revenue source for the euent and solids created Allow for a quicker build time since many parts are prebuilt o-site Have a smaller footprint Require a lower overall maintenance cost

this year, already needs retrotting to meet discharge requirements. An additional ltration system will be installed at the new plant to prevent future retrotting. Looking ahead Carrillo-Trevino emphasized the new plant will need to come online within the next 18-24 months in order to keep up with growth.

The city of Bastrop is seeking a professional engineer who will act as the “engineer of record” for Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 4—a role that will help oversee the design of the facility. What we know During her State of the City address, City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino said Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 3, which came online earlier

SOURCE: CITY OF BASTROPCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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