GREENWAY SOIREE OCTOBER 7

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Friends of Lafitte Greenway hosts the Greenway Soirée, an elegant evening of dining, dancing, and drinks to support New Orleans’ newest green space.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Musical Entertainment
James Singleton & Friends  |  DJ Fayard

Host Committee
Ethan Ashley| Vaughn Fauria| Sonya Jarvis| Margaret Orr| Cleveland Spears| Vincent Sylvain

Participating Restaurants – More to come!
Dooky Chase’s Restaurant
Dryades Public Market
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Rosedale
Southern Candymakers
TANA

Silent Auction
Featuring Lafitte Corridor businesses

Ticket Levels
Patron Party | 6 PM – 11 PM
$100 Members
$120 Nonmembers

Soirée | 7 PM – 11 PM
$55 Members
$65 Nonmembers

Late Night | 9 PM – 11 PM
$25 Members & Nonmembers

Member Discounts
The Friends of Lafitte Corridor are pleased to offer discounted tickets to members. Discount codes have been emailed to current members. Email info@lafittegreenway.org for discount codes. Not a member? Join or renew your annual membership.

Attire
Cocktail

Valet Parking
Complimentary for Patrons

Become a sponsor of the Greenway Soirée! 
Click here for details or contact info@lafittegreenway.org / 504.702.6777

Sponsors

– Champions –
2016champions

– Trailblazers –
trailblazers2016

– Beverage –
beverage2016

-Ambassadors-

American Heart Association
Dana Brown & Associates
Entergy Services, Inc.
Finn McCool’s
Frischhertz Electric Company
Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Co.
La Belle Esplanade & New Orleans Odditarium
Mid-City Messenger
MotherShip Foundation
New Orleans Track Club
Pearl Wine Co
Susan Guidry, City Council District ‘A’
Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine
Tulane University Center for Public Service
Tréo
Waggoner & Ball Architects
Whitney Bank

-Friends-

Atlas Greenway Partners
The Broad Theater
Mark & Frances Brunault
Demo Diva
Greater Mid-City Business Association
Hopper, Jim + Hopper
Law Offices of Chip Forstall
Par Contractors
Urban Properties
Beverly Walker

When
Where
Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club | Roy E. Glapion Reception Hall – 730 N Broad Street, New Orleans, LA 70119 – View Map

Bike and Bash December 12

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A Bike and Bash event will be held on Saturday, December 12th from 3pm-6:30pm.   The event will start in Lemann Park (628 N. Claiborne Ave) with arts & crafts and a safety talk.  Then everyone will walk or bike to Parkway Bakery for a party.   The Friends of Lafitte Greenway hope to host monthly events for health and wellness.

greenwaybash

Celebrate the opening of the Lafitte Greenway with a free community ride and party!

3:00 Gather at Lemann Playground
628 N Claiborne Ave / Greenway at Claiborne Riverside
Live Music by James Andrews, Bike Decoration Station, Hula Hooping, Fun for the Family!
Bring your bike or walking shoes.

3:30 Community Bike
1.5 Mile Ride & Walk to Parkway Bakery

4:00 Bash at Parkway Bakery and Tavern
538 Hagan Ave
Musical Entertainment by James Andrews, DJ Hunter King, $5 Po’Boys; Specialty Food Items, Refreshments, Bike Easy Bike Valet

HOSTED BY FRIENDS OF LAFITTE GREENWAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
New Orleans City Councilmembers Jared Brossett, Latoya Cantrell, Susan Guidry, Nadine Ramsey
NORDC
Parks and Parkways
Bike Easy
New Orleans Regional Traffic Safety Coalition
Hey Now Hooping

GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
IATSE Local 478
Mid-City Market
Whole Foods Market
People for Bikes
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
New Belgium Brewing
Coca-Cola Foundation

WHEN:
December 12, 2015 at 3pm – 6:30pm

WHERE:
Lemann Playground to Parkway Bakery
628 N Claiborne Ave
New Orleans

Google map and directions

Greenway Gets Lit

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The Lafitte Greenway lighting became operational this week. Photo courtesy Jennifer Ruley.
The Lafitte Greenway lighting became operational this week. Photo courtesy Jennifer Ruley.

The Lafitte Greenway should be officially open by the end of September, 2015.

The Lafitte Greenway is a 2.6-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail and green corridor that will connect neighborhoods from Armstrong Park to City Park. The Lafitte Greenway transforms one of the city’s most historic transportation corridors–originally a canal connecting to Bayou St. John to the edge of the French Quarter, and later a railroad right-of-way that has sat vacant since the mid-twentieth century–into a multi-use transportation corridor and linear park.

The Lafitte Greenway extends from the intersection of N. Alexander and St. Louis streets in Mid-City to Basin Street and St. Louis Street in Tremé, blocks from the French Quarter. The Greenway will include a 12-foot asphalt path for cyclists and pedestrians, new recreation fields, green space, and landscaping improvements including over 500 shade trees, native plant meadows, bioswales and stormwater retention features. The path will be fully lit with LED energy-efficient trail lighting, and will include curb extensions, signalized high visibility crosswalks, Americans with Disabilites Act-compliant curb ramps at sidewalk corners, environmental remediation, a crushed stone walking path, and a bicycle and pedestrian roundabout.

Lafitte Greenway Almost Complete

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lafitte-greenway-map1The Department of Public Works construction contractor, Durr Heavy Construction, has completed placement of the asphalt portion of the Lafitte Greenway bicycle and pedestrian path in Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5. The path in Area 1 is 85% complete. The concrete path in Area 6 is complete. , The contractor has completed installing all trail lighting except within the N. Broad St. median. The contractor will install wiring for the trail lighting in July. Lights are being tested as the wiring is completed.

The overall project is about 96% complete and scheduled to be fully open to the public at the end of summer 2015. This schedule is weather dependent.

The contractor has installed 90% of the Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs). The new pedestrian-activated flashing beacon systems are currently being tested and adjusted. Please continue using pre-project crosswalks at this time, as the new beacons are not yet fully operational.

The contractor is scheduled to complete pavement markings and signage by the end of July, pending weather.

Tree planting is 75% complete project-wide. The spring planting season has ended and remaining trees will be planted in late October and November. Landscaping work will continue through July.

Area 1 (N. Alexander St. to N. Carrollton Ave.): Concrete work is substantially complete. DPW has converted St. Louis St. between N. Carrollton Ave. and N. Solomon St. to one-way lakebound operation. Please obey the new one-way signage.

Area 2 (N. Carrollton Ave. to N. Jefferson Davis Pkwy): All work is substantially complete.

Area 3 (N. Jefferson Davis Pkwy to N. Broad St.): The Jefferson Davis intersection asphalt is 90% complete, with some curb work and additional asphalt patching remaining. Workers have removed the abandoned railroad tracks. Please note the N. Lopez St. pedestrian bridge is now closed pending the planned future construction of a replacement bridge. Please use alternate routes.

Area 4 (N. Broad St. to N. Galvez St.): After a delay for striping adjustments, workers will mobilize this month to begin widening the N Broad St median between St. Louis St and Lafitte Ave. This follows the Broad-Lafitte Streetscape project’s reduction of lanes on N Broad St from 3 lanes in each direction to 2 lanes in each direction and addition of designated bike lanes. The N. Rocheblave St. pedestrian path will remain closed for the duration of construction in Area 4. Workers have begun construction on the new, paved N. Rocheblave St. walk. Please use N. Galvez, N. Dorgenois, or N. Broad streets during construction and avoid entering the construction site.

Area 5 (N. Galvez St. to N. Claiborne Ave.): Work at the N. Prieur St. crossing is substantially complete. N. Prieur St. is now open to vehicular traffic, although that is subject to change based on construction activity. Please use caution when crossing the Lafitte Greenway, and watch out for construction materials which may be stockpiled in the parking lanes. Please do not park on N. Prieur St. within the Greenway footprint until the project is complete. The contractor will begin placing the Carondelet Walk crushed stone walking path during the first week of July, with scheduled completion by the end of July. The Carondelet walk will run along Lafitte Ave between N. Claiborne Ave. and N. Galvez St.

Area 6 (N. Claiborne Ave. to Basin St.): Durr Heavy Construction continues work in the City-owned parking lot to prepare the pavement for the asphalt path.

lafittegreenwaysignThe Broad and Lafitte Streetscape project, which connects to the Lafitte Greenway at Broad St., is also currently under construction. Crews have framed the new sidewalks and are scheduled to pour concrete for the new sidewalks this week. Additionally, the project to re-pave St. Louis St. between N. Broad St. and N. Claiborne Ave. is well underway. Crews are currently framing and pouring sidewalks adjacent to the Lafitte Greenway. Completion of these projects will coincide with opening of the Lafitte Greenway.

Please use caution when driving, bicycling or walking near active construction sites. Traffic cones, construction fencing and safety signage are in place to keep everyone safe. Please respect the signage and fencing – do not enter active construction sites.

Thank you for your continued patience.

Cheryn Robles, APR
Community Outreach Manager
Department of Public Works

Greenway Happenings

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Lafitte Corridor Cleanup & Pop-Up Capoeira Performance

Cleanup the Lafitte Corridor with Friends of Lafitte Corridor and NOLA Trash Mob this Sunday, 9:30-11:30 AM! We will focus the cleanup on the Mid-City neighborhood. This is our third joint cleanup of 2015. Previous cleanups have focused on the Bayou St. John and Faubourg Lafitte neighborhoods. Trash and recycling bags, gloves, a limited number of grabbers and orange vests will be provided. RSVP on Facebook and invite your friends!

What: Lafitte Corridor Volunteer Cleanup
When: Sunday, June 14th, 9:30-11:30 AM
Where: Mid-City Market Patio – 401 N Carrollton Ave.

Following the Cleanup, Capoeira New Orleans will perform a free pop-up show! The Mission of Capoeira New Orleans is to perform community outreach activities to people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities through the education of students in the art and culture of Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art.  Click here for more information about Capoeira New Orleans.

What: NOLA Capoeira Free Pop-Up Performance
When: Sunday, June 14th, 11:30 AM
Where: Mid-City Market Patio – 401 N. Carrollton Ave.

Permeable Paving Demonstration

Parkway Bakery and Tavern is utilizing a permeable pavement system called TRUEGRIDⓇ to manage rainwater that falls in the parking lot. Urban Conservancy’s Front Yard Initiative (FYI), Water Wise NOLA, and the Greater New Orleans Water Collaborate are organizing a one hour presentation for architects, developers, contractors, planners, engineers, homeowners, etc. to demonstrate how this permeable paving system functions. This workshop will be worth one credit hour towards AIA licensing requirements.

What: Permeable Paving Demonstration
When: Tuesday, June 16th, presentations and tours are scheduled for 9am, 12pm and 5pm
Where: Parkway Bakery and Tavern – 538 Hagan Avenue

Please click here to RSVP!

For more information contact Jeff Supak
Email: jsupak@globalgreen.org
Tel.: 504-525-2121


Katrina 10 Resilience Run/Walk

The New Orleans Track Club will host a 5K Resilience Run/Walk on August 29, 2015 to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall and celebrate New Orleans’ perseverance and spirit. FOLC is honored to be one of ten official nonprofit beneficiaries of the run.

Please  register here to run in support of Friends of Lafitte Corridor!

 

Photo by  U.S. EPALocal Foods Local Places Community Discussion and Stakeholder Workshop Recap

Last week, Friends of Lafitte Corridor held a two day community discussion and stakeholder workshop to develop a community plan to increase access to healthy local food and reassess interest in future community gardens and farmers markets along the Lafitte Greenway. With over 80 community members in attendance representing a diverse group of organizations and neighborhoods, you can imagine the amount of great ideas that resulted from the discussion.Click here for the Mid-City Messenger article about the workshop and  check out the full recap on our blog.

Bicycle Repair Workshop & Lafitte Street Ride

On May 30th, Friends of Lafitte Corridor teamed up with Bike Easy to hold a Bicycle Repair Workshop & Lafitte Street Group Ride. Bike Easy’s Program Director and bike mechanic guru, Anneka Olson, taught a group of over 40 attendees the basics of bike mechanics. Then we rode down Lafitte Street, learning about the Lafitte Greenway and checking out its progress. Thanks to everyone who came out to the event, and Mid-City Market for the space, snacks and support!Click here for more event photos.

 

Join or Renew Your Friends of Lafitte Corridor Membership

Friends of Lafitte Corridor is a member-driven organization that depends on your support to help build, program, and promote the Lafitte Greenway as a great public space. Become a member today or renew your membership. Better yet, become a sustaining member and make convenient, ongoing monthly contributions!

Greenway Progress

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lafitte-greenway-map1Placement of the asphalt portion of the Lafitte Greenway bicycle and pedestrian path is 100% complete in Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5.  The path in Area 1 is 80% complete.  The path in Area 6 will be concrete and is 95% complete.  The Department of Public Works construction contractor, Durr Heavy Construction, has completed installing most of the trail lighting fixtures in Areas 2, 3, and 4, and continues installation of trail lighting in Area 5. Lighting wiring will be installed toward the end of the project construction, when the project is ready for public use.

The overall project is about 94% complete and scheduled to be fully open to the public in summer 2015. This schedule is weather dependent.

Tree planting is 75% complete project-wide.  Landscaping work will continue through July. Any trees not planting by the end of July will be planted in late October and November.

Area 1 (N. Alexander St. to N. Carrollton Ave.): Concrete work is substantially complete, with only the median work at the N. Carrollton streetcar station left to be completed. Beginning Monday, June 8, the left lane of N Carrollton at St Louis will be closed for construction.  DPW has converted St. Louis St. between N. Carrollton Ave. and N. Solomon St. to one-way in the lakebound operation.  Please obey the new one-way signage.

Area 2 (N. Carrollton Ave. to Jefferson Davis Pkwy): Street repairs are complete.

Area 3 (N. Jefferson Davis Pkwy to N. Broad St.): The Jefferson Davis intersection asphalt restoration will begin soon.  Workers will be removing the abandoned railroad tracks.  Please note the N. Lopez St. pedestrian bridge is now closed pending the planned future construction of a replacement bridge.  Please use alternate routes.

Area 4 (N. Broad St. to N. Galvez St.):    Workers will mobilize this month to begin widening the N. Broad St. median.  This will follow the Broad/Lafitte Streetscape project’s reduction of lanes on N Broad St from three travel lanes in each direction to two travel lanes in each direction with a bike lane.  The N. Rocheblave St. pedestrian path is now closed and will remain closed for the duration of construction in Area 4.  Workers have begun construction on the new, paved N. Rocheblave St. walk.  Please use N. Galvez or N. Broad streets during construction and avoid entering the construction site. To sign up to receive regular updates on the status of the Broad/Lafitte Streetscape project, please contact Cheryn Robles at crobles@nola.gov.

Area 5 (N. Galvez St. to N. Claiborne Ave.): Work at the N. Prieur crossing is in progress.  N. Prieur is closed to traffic from St. Louis St. to Lafitte Ave.  The contractor has begun placing the Carondelet Walk crushed stone walking path, which will run along Lafitte Ave between N. Claiborne Ave and N. Galvez St.

Area 6 (N. Claiborne Ave. to Basin St.): Durr Heavy Construction continues work in the City-owned parking lot to prepare the pavement for the asphalt path.  Trail lighting installation is in progress.

Please use caution when driving, bicycling or walking near active construction sites. Traffic cones, construction fencing and safety signage are in place to keep everyone safe. Please respect the signage and fencing – do not enter active construction sites.

Thank you for your continued patience.

Cheryn Robles, APR

Community Outreach Manager

Department of Public Works

Greenway Clean Way

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1cleanupJune14

Friends of Lafitte Corridor and NOLA Trash Mob are joining forces for a third time!

On Sunday 14 June, we will meet on the Mid-City Market Patio (401 N Carrollton Ave) at 9:30am, then work on sprucing up the area around the intersection of the nearly-complete Lafitte Greenway and Carrollton Ave. The clean-up will last about two hours.

***IMPORTANT: Please also RSVP with FOLC by following this link

—>  http://goo.gl/O4nsK0

NOLA Trash Mob will be able to provide trash and recycling bags, gloves, and a limited number of grabbers and orange vests. Keep your eyes on the skies–in the event of inclement weather, we may have to postpone, so keep checking at this link…. https://www.facebook.com/events/592016204234228/   leading up to the event.

NOLA Trash Mob is proud to partner with FOLC, an organization aiming to revitalize the Lafitte Corridor by working to build, program and promote the Lafitte Greenway as a great public space. See you out there!

Greenway Update

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greenway-ground-breaking1

Placement of the asphalt portion of the Lafitte Greenway bicycle and pedestrian path is 80% complete in Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.  The path in Area 6 will be concrete and is 50% complete.  The Department of Public Works construction contractor, Durr Heavy Construction, has completed installing most of the trail lighting fixtures in Areas 2, 3, and 4, and continues installation of trail lighting in Area 5. Lighting wiring will be installed toward the end of the project construction, when the project is ready for public use.

The overall project is about 86% complete and scheduled to be fully open to the public in early summer 2015. This schedule is weather dependent.

Tree planting is 55% complete project-wide. Landscaping work will continue through April.

Area 1: Crews are currently constructing curb extensions in conjunction with the trail crossing at N. Carrollton Avenue.  DPW has converted St. Louis St. between N. Carrollton Ave. and N. Solomon St. to one-way lakebound operation.  Please obey the new one-way signage.

Area 2: Tree planting is in progress.

Area 3: Please note the N. Lopez St. pedestrian bridge is now closed pending the planned future construction of a replacement bridge.  Please use alternate routes.

Area 4: The N. Rocheblave St. pedestrian path is now closed and will remain closed for the duration of construction in Area 4.  A new, paved N. Rocheblave St. walk will be constructed as part of this project.  Please use N. Galvez or N. Broad streets during construction and avoid entering the construction site. Please use the temporary walking paths on N. Galvez St. during sidewalk construction.

Area 5: The contractor has begun placing the Carondelet Walk crushed stone walking path, which will run along Lafitte Ave between N. Claiborne Ave and N. Galvez St.

Area 6: Durr Heavy Construction has begun grading and site preparation work in Area 6 in the City Parking lot adjacent to Lemann Playground.

To expedite construction, Durr Heavy Construction has divided the Lafitte Greenway project into six sections:

Area 1 – N. Alexander St. to N. Carrollton Ave.

Area 2 – N. Carrollton Ave. to Jefferson Davis Pkwy – currently under construction

Area 3 – N. Jefferson Davis Pkwy to N. Broad St. – currently under construction

Area 4 – N. Broad St. to N. Galvez St. – currently under construction

Area 5 – N. Galvez St. to N. Claiborne Ave. – currently under construction

Area 6 – N. Claiborne Ave. to Basin St.

Please use caution when driving, bicycling or walking near active construction sites. Traffic cones, construction fencing and safety signage are in place to keep everyone safe. Please respect the signage and fencing – do not enter active construction sites.

Thank you for your continued patience.

Cheryn Robles, APR

Community Outreach Manager

Department of Public Works

Greenway Update

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lafitte-greenway-map1 Placement of the asphalt portion of the Lafitte Greenway bicycle and pedestrian path is now 75% complete in Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5. The Department of Public Works construction contractor, Durr Heavy Construction, has completed installing most of the trail lighting fixtures in Areas 3 and 4, and continues installation of trail lighting in Areas 2 and 5. Lighting wiring will be installed toward the end of the project construction, when the project is ready for public use.

The bicycle and pedestrian roundabout at N. Jefferson Davis Parkway is now complete.

The contractor has completed collecting the cobblestones that will line the Carondelet Walking Path. The contractor will begin constructing the walking path, which will run along Lafitte Ave., in the next two months.

Please note the N. Lopez St. pedestrian bridge is closed and will remain closed for the duration of construction in Area 3.

Please note the N. Rocheblave St. pedestrian path is now closed and will remain closed for the duration of construction in Area 4. A new, paved N. Rocheblave walk, will be constructed as part of this project. Please use N. Galvez or N. Broad streets during construction and avoid entering the construction site.

In the next two months, crews will begin demolishing the sidewalk on the uptown side of Lafitte Ave. The new Carondelet Walking Path on the interior of the park will replace the old sidewalk. Crews will also soon begin replacing the sidewalk on the uptown side of Lafitte Ave. between N. Rocheblave and N. Dorgenois streets. Crews will begin replacing sidewalk on both sides of N. Galvez St. shortly. Please use the temporary walking paths on N. Galvez St. during sidewalk construction.

Durr Heavy Construction continues final grading of Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5.

The overall project is about 50 percent complete and on schedule to be opened to the public in early spring 2015.

To expedite construction, Durr Heavy Construction has divided the Lafitte Greenway project into six sections:

Area 1 – N. Alexander St. to N. Carrollton Ave.

Area 2 – N. Carrollton Ave. to Jefferson Davis Pkwy – currently under construction

Area 3 – N. Jefferson Davis Pkwy to N. Broad St. – currently under construction

Area 4 – N. Broad St. to N. Galvez St. – currently under construction

Area 5 – N. Galvez St. to N. Claiborne Ave. – currently under construction

Area 6 – N. Claiborne Ave. to Basin St.

Please use caution when driving, bicycling or walking near active construction sites. Traffic cones, construction fencing and safety signage are in place to keep everyone safe. Please respect the signage and fencing – do not enter active construction sites.

Thank you for your continued patience.

Cheryn Robles, APR

Community Outreach Specialist

Department of Public Works

Lafitte Greenway Gazette

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carondelet-basin-mapA Contractor for Christmas: Lafitte Greenway Timeline 

By Sophie Harris, FOLC Program Director, sharris@folc-nola.org

The city posted the Lafitte Greenway bid documents on November 7th. Contractors are preparing their bids for the December 10th bid opening date. If all goes well, the contractor will be selected in mid-December and start construction the last week of January, 2014. The public will have an opportunity to discuss the construction process with the contractor at a public meeting in January; this meeting is not yet scheduled. We expect to be out walking, biking, and riding the Greenway in February, 2015!

 
 
Source: Bike Easy
New Orleans’ Burgeoning Bicycle NetworkBy Sam Spencer, Friends of Lafitte Corridor Chair, chair@folc-nola.org
For the growing number of us who ride bikes in New Orleans, there is an extra item on our list of things to be thankful for this season: a dramatic expansion of the city’s network of bike lanes. For a city that had virtually no modern bike accommodations ten years ago, the fact that New Orleans will approach 80 miles of bikeways by the end of 2013 is a spectacular achievement, and one that bodes well for the long term sustainability and public health of our city.Upon completion of its initial buildout in 2015, the Lafitte greenway will become a critical piece of New Orleans’ burgeoning bicycle network, the backbone of our cycling skeleton. Read more.
 
 
Source: Austin Shea
 

2013 Urban Heroes: Greening New Orleans

By Dana Eness, Urban Conservancy Executive Director

The Urban Conservancy honored its 2013 Urban Heroes at the Propeller Incubator on Friday, November 22nd for their visionary leadership in developing innovative strategies to address New Orleans’ enviromental and economic challenges.  The evening included great local food and drinks, and live music provided by the Cajun-English indie band Sweet Crude.  

David Waggonner of Waggonner & Ball Architects was recognized for helping New Orleanians to rethink their relationship with water, which has led to the development of the Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan. Katrina Brees was recognized for her campaign to create a network of local vendors and manufacturers to provide locally made throws to carnival Krewes.  And Emelda Paul of the Faubourg Lafitte Tenants Assocation and Lafitte Greenway Steering Advisory Committee was recognized for her advocacy for the Lafitte Greenway and Corridor Revitalization plan.  In keeping with the “greening of New Orleans” theme, honorees each received a Where Ya Rack bicycle rack with a commemorative plaque to be installed at a location of their choosing.

 
 
 

Play Streets: New Orleans’ First Cyclovia!

By Annalisa Kelly, FOLC Community Engagement Chair, communications@folc-nola.org
 
On Saturday, Oct 26th, Friends of Lafitte Corridor joined local organizations for New Orleans’ first cyclovia, a pedestrian- and cycling-focused event in which streets are closed to cars, and neighborhoods reclaim the streets for traffic-less fun and games. The event, dubbed “Play Streets,” was organized by Bike Easy and brought together families, neighbors, cyclists, and pedestrians to engage in activities in the streets of Esplanade and Bayou Road between Claiborne and Broad.

Friends of Lafitte Corridor was one of several local organizations to join in on the fun. FOLC hosted “Greenway trivia,” quizzing participants on questions about green transportation, local New Orleans history, and the Greenway itself for free FOLC t-shirts, and partnered with local artist Ashlee Arceneaux, who drew a beautiful rendition of the Lafitte Greenway and invited participants to draw what they wanted to see on the Greenway. 
 

 
We were most of all thrilled to share the upcoming news of construction and overall excitement about the Greenway with the neighborhood and participants. Thanks to all who came out!  
 
Source: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Rails-With-Trails: A Safe Option for New OrleansBy Sophie Harris, Friends of Lafitte Corridor Program Director, sharris@folc-nola.org​The portion of the Lafitte Greenway that will be constructed next year—Basin Street to North Alexander—is a rails-to-trails project, a conversion of a former rail corridor into a multi-use path. Ultimately, FOLC envisions a Greenway that extends past North Alexander to Canal Boulevard. The challenge is that the Canal Boulevard-North Alexander segment remains privately-owned active rail corridor.The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy recently released the America’s Rails-with-Trails Report. Rails-with trails projects are shared-use paths located on or directly adjacent to an active railroad or light-rail corridor. Surveying 88 trails in 33 states, the report finds that rails-with-trails are “safe, common, and growing.” There are 161 rails-with-trails in America, a 260% increase since 2000, and an additional 60 rail-with-trail projects are currently in development across the country. Out of the tens of thousands of fatalities on railroad corridors in recent decades, only one involved a trail user on a rail-with-trail. Read more.
 

 
 

All Things Local

By Sophie Harris, Friends of Lafitte Corridor Program Director, sharris@folc-nola.org

On Saturday November 9th, FOLC was pleased to appear with host Kevin Fitzwilliam on WGSO 990 AM’s All Things Local, a weekly radio hour focusing on New Orleans’ local economy, food system, artisans, and craftsmen.
 
The theme of the November 9th broadcast was sustainability. FOLC Chair Sam Spencer spent the entire hour with Kevin discussing the latest Lafitte Corridor news–the ongoing bid process and future groundbreaking, the potential of the Greenway to help restore the city’s tree canopy (along with Hike for KaTREEna President John Carriere), and the opportunity to retain stormwater on the Greenway. In case you missed this lively conversation, not to worry, you can still stream the podcast.
 
All Things Local airs every Saturday from 8-10AM on WGSO 990AM in New Orleans. For information about each week’s show, click the links above, visit their Facebook page, or email info@AllThingsLocalNOLA.info.
 

 
Keep in touch with the Urban Conservancy via
Facebook: UrbanConservancy
Twitter:  @UrbanConserv
Web:  urbanconservancy.org
Keep in touch with FOLC via
Facebook:  folc.nola
Twitter:  @folcnola
Web:  folc-nola.org
Email:  info@folc-nola.org  
Friends of Lafitte Corridor | P.O. Box 791727 | New Orleans, LA 70179

 

Calling All FOLCs

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FOLC-Meeting-June27th

Hello and thanks again for coming out to the annual hike of the Lafitte Corridor. I’m Sam Spencer, chair of the FOLC board of directors, and I want to issue a special invitation to our yearly membership meeting, to be held this Thursday, June 27.

The FOLC board meets every month and all are welcome, but once a year we create a special agenda geared toward letting the membership know where the project and the organization are in the big picture. On the verge of an expected groundbreaking before 2013 is out, suffice it to say we are in the middle of a critically important time for the corridor.

So come join us this week and get caught up! The time, place, and agenda are below, and as you can see the program includes a time for answering your questions. Thanks and we’ll see you Thursday!

Sam

—————————-

We will be meeting on Thursday, June 27 from 6:30p-8:00p at:

Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center
2200 Lafitte Street (at Galvez)
New Orleans, LA 70119
Map

Membership portion (6:30pm-7:30pm)

  • Introductions and welcome – Samuel Spencer, FOLC Board
  • State of FOLC – Harry Vorhoff, FOLC Board
  • State of the Corridor including near-term timeline – Guest speaker(s) TBD
  • Overview of the Lafitte “Blueway” (water management) – Daniel Samuels, FOLC Board; Dana Eness, Urban Conservancy
  • 2013 Hike overview – Annie Kelly, FOLC Board
  • Treasurer’s report – Alli DeJong, FOLC Board
  • Membership Q&A – Samuel Spencer, FOLC Board

Board business (7:30pm-8:00pm)

  • Approval of May minutes
  • Board Discussion/Nomination/Reinstatement; including president position
  • Review of the second May CPC meeting/vote
  • Status of ongoing EPA-facilitated meetings with the City
  • Discussion of future FOLC role as to operation and management
  • Cox Conserves Heroes grant – Daniel Samuels, FOLC Board

***

Please mark your calendar and join us as we discuss the current state of the Lafitte Corridor and what lies ahead (hint: it’s exciting.) We will be meeting on Thursday, June 27 from 6:30p-8:00p at:

Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center
2200 Lafitte Street (at Galvez)
New Orleans, LA 70119

The agenda for the meeting is below, and it includes time for your questions about what’s up with the corridor. Looking forward to seeing you then!
Samuel Spencer, FOLC Chair
http://folc-nola.org/

Membership portion (6:30pm-7:30pm)

Introductions and welcome – Samuel Spencer, FOLC Board
State of FOLC – Harry Vorhoff, FOLC Board
State of the Corridor including near-term timeline – Guest speaker(s) TBD
Overview of the Lafitte “Blueway” (water management) – Daniel Samuels, FOLC Board
2013 Hike overview – Annie Kelly, FOLC Board
Treasurer’s report – Alli DeJong, FOLC Board
Membership Q&A – Samuel Spencer, FOLC Board

Board business (7:30pm-8:00pm)

Approval of May minutes
Board Discussion/Nomination/Reinstatement; including president position
Review of the second May CPC meeting/vote
Status of ongoing EPA-facilitated meetings with the City
Discussion of future FOLC role as to operation and management
Cox Conserves Heroes grant – Daniel Samuels, FOLC Board

GO HIKE YOURSELF

by

TakeAHike

We’re on for Saturday! Join us as we Hike the Lafitte Corridor (and future Lafitte Greenway) on Saturday, May 18, 2013 starting at 10 am at Louis Armstrong Park’s Congo Square! The Hike is FREE and open to the public with a suggested donation to help us to continue this annual event. Please register in advance here: http://folchike2013.eventbrite.com/

Saturday May 18:

9:00 AM: Bike Easy will host a FREE bicycle safety workshop in Congo Square at Louis Armstrong Park! Please pre-register for this workshop by selecting the FOLC Hiker & Biker ticket type.

9:30 AM: Meet at Congo Square to complete registration.

10:00 AM: Hear from speakers and start the hike! The hike will be guided by FOLC Greenway Ambassadors, who will lead groups and share the history of the Corridor area and future of the Greenway.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (approximate): Lunch stop! Parkway Bakery & Tavern will provide po-boys for participants and we’ll have music by Warren Easton.

1:00-1:30 PM: Finish at Bud’s Broiler at City Park Avenue across from Delgado! We will have a shuttle bus to bring folks back down to Congo Square — or you can walk/bike back to the Bayou for some Bayou Boogaloo fun!

The annual hike is roughly 3 miles long, and parts of the path are overgrown and weedy. Please dress accordingly (i.e. no flip-flops!) and bring sunscreen. Water will be available throughout the hike. As in previous years we will offer free bike valet. It is also possible to walk your bike the length of the hike!

Questions? Call 504-373-9191.

FOLC’s Hike the Lafitte Corridor event has been made possible thanks to our generous Community Sponsors: Bud’s Broiler, Faubourg Lafitte, Louisiana Himalayan Association, Parkway Bakery & Tavern, Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center, and Stirling Properties. Plus many thanks to Massey’s, Coca-Cola, People United for Armstrong Park, Bike Easy, and Urban Conservancy for their support!

bike

Bike Easy Presents: Community Bicycle Workshop at the Friends of the
Lafitte Corridor 9th Annual Hike!

Bike Easy will be hosting our Community Bicycle Safety Workshop at the Friends of the Lafitte Corridor 9th Annual Hike!

Participants are invited to bring their bikes and learn to ride safely and confidently for health, transportation, and recreation before leaving on guided walks of the Lafitte Greenway.

Our instructors will be there to answer questions about riding safely with traffic, bike fit, and basic maintenance. We will also have Bicycle Valet, and can keep an eye on your bike while you hike!

When: Saturday, May 11, 2013 | 9-10am: Bicycle Workshop | 10am: Guided walks along the greenway begin

Where: Armstrong Park – Meet at Congo Square | North Rampart and Saint Peter Street

For more information about the workshops, visit www.bikeeasy.org

To register for the FOLC Hike, visit http://folchike2013.eventbrite.com/#
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TakeAHike

SAVE THE DATE: Friends of Lafitte Corridor will be hosting their ninth annual Hike the Lafitte Corridor on Saturday, May 11th at 10 am starting at Louis Armstrong Park and ending at City Park Avenue.

The annual hike is free to the public and a great way to meet fellow Greenway enthusiasts and to learn about the history of the Corridor and the future plans for the Lafitte Greenway. E-mail info@folc-nola.org if you want to get involved as a FOLC Ambassador or sponsor.