After nearly two years of construction and a series of setbacks, the city of Gonzales has officially opened its long-awaited Freeland Jackson Center. The roughly $7.2 million center is being touted as a transformative addition to the city’s recreational infrastructure.
City officials, community leaders and residents gathered Monday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 24,200-square-foot multipurpose facility on South Darla Avenue near Gonzales Middle School.
The center is designed to serve residents of all ages, offering space for basketball, pickleball, volleyball, community classes, educational programming and private events.
“This community center represents inclusion, diversity, community, any single activity that your mind can wander to,” Gonzales Mayor Tim Riley said at Monday’s ceremony.
The opening comes nearly two years after officials broke ground in November 2024. At the time, the facility was expected to be completed by December 2025.
Construction fell behind schedule, with city officials pointing to difficulties coordinating construction crews and weather-related disruptions. By spring 2026, officials were targeting a summer opening.
Then, in July, the Gonzales City Council approved a change order adding roughly $63,000 to the construction contract and extending the project timeline by 113 days due to utility coordination delays.
With the ribbon now cut, attention turns to programming and operating expenses. The city’s fiscal 2026-27 budget included $370,500 for the center, including $75,000 for salaries.
Riley emphasized the center’s potential to provide young residents with constructive outlets, describing organized recreation as a means of steering them away from trouble.
“Recreation is one of those things that we can give our youth to deter them from getting into the wrong thing,” the mayor said.
The facility is named in honor of Freeland Jackson, a longtime Gonzales community activist remembered for his involvement in youth sports and civic activities. Jackson, who also worked as a driver for the Council on Aging, died in May 2023.
