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LAFITTE GREENWAY IS OFFICIALLY OPEN

November 6, 2015 by Charlie London

greenwayopen2015nov6jared

CITY CELEBRATES OPENING OF
LAFITTE GREENWAY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PATH
2.6 mile Linear Park Stretches from French Quarter to Mid-City
NEW ORLEANS – Today, Mayor Mitch Landrieu joined City Councilmembers, City Officials, and community stakeholders to celebrate the opening of the $9.1 million Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path. Stretching 2.6 miles, the Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path is a multi-use trail and linear park connecting six historic neighborhoods from the French Quarter to Bayou St. John and Mid-City. The Lafitte Greenway corridor is bounded by Basin Street, Lafitte Street, St. Louis Street and North Alexander Street. Before being converted to a railroad right-of-way, the corridor was the site of the Carondelet Canal that brought ships from Lake Pontchartrain and Bayou St. John to the historic French Quarter.

“The Lafitte Greenway is a truly transformational project that will spur community revitalization in the heart of New Orleans,” Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. “By converting this former industrial railway into a recreational green space, we are promoting not only healthy lifestyles, but also connecting neighborhoods in an entirely new way. As one of my administration’s committed capital projects, the Lafitte Greenway is another sign of the city we are working every day to build.”

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

The Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path includes a 12-foot wide asphalt path for bicyclists and pedestrians, new recreation fields and green space, landscaping improvements with over 500 trees, native meadows, rain gardens, trail lighting, storm water retention features, curb extensions, signal-enhanced high visibility crosswalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps at sidewalk corners, environmental remediation and a crushed stone walking path. A bicycle/pedestrian roundabout links the Lafitte Greenway with the Jefferson Davis Parkway and Wisner Bike Trails. At this time, the Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path is managed by the City of New Orleans. The City is working with The Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit dedicated to conservation, on a long-range management structure to ensure the Lafitte Greenway’s operation and security. The Trust for Public Land was also a partner in the development of the Lafitte Greenway by acquiring and donating property for the project. With assistance from the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, an innovative federal union comprised of 14 agencies, the City is receiving technical support to promote the Lafitte Greenway’s long term viability.

Because of heavy rains in the spring and summer of this year, the recreation fields and greenspace adjacent to the Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path remain closed to the public as grass and meadow plantings continue to establish. Because of the growing season in New Orleans, these areas may not be fully established until late spring 2016. The City is monitoring its contractor, Durr Construction, as it maintains the fields and landscaping during this period. The City requests that the public stay on the multi-use trail and avoid walking on the grassy areas during this period. Until the City fully opens the Lafitte Greenway’s recreation fields and green space, no official activities or events will be permitted.

District A Councilmember Susan G. Guidry said , “Proposed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Lafitte Greenway is truly a transformative development for New Orleans.  Connecting historic neighborhoods through four Council districts, the Greenway establishes a new corridor for transportation, health, neighborhood business, and community development in the heart of our city. Coming into office, I identified the Greenway as my top priority project, and I have been proud to work with the community leaders, particularly the Friends of Lafitte Greenway, whose tireless advocacy, planning, and community building efforts have made this day a reality. The Greenway’s potential is immense, and today’s grand opening is only the beginning. I look forward to continuing to work to make the Greenway the best it can be as amenities, programming and community partnerships are established in the months and years to come.”

District B Councilmember LaToya Cantrell said, “The opening of the Lafitte Greenway signifies another milestone for the city’s transportation infrastructure. As we move forward, we must also encourage our residents to actively learn and understand vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety.”

With the completion of the Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path, New Orleans now has 100 miles of designated bikeways. The Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path connects to bikeways in the French Quarter and Central Business District via the Basin Street/ Loyola Avenue bikeway. It also crosses existing and future bikeways on North Galvez Street, North Broad Street, and North Jefferson Davis Parkway. Before Hurricane Katrina, there were only five miles.

Click here to learn more about bicycling in New Orleans

The Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path is part of the Lafitte Corridor Revitalization Plan which was developed by the New Orleans City Planning Commission in conjunction with the City’s Department of Public Works. The Lafitte Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Path was designed by Design Workshop and constructed by Durr Heavy Construction. Diedonne Enterprises, A&A Enterprises, Metro Service Group, Traffic Solutions, Balthazar Electrik, Contractor’s Source, RLH Investments LLC and Twin Shores served as DBEs on the project. Funding for this $9.1 million project comes from Disaster Community Development Block Grants and Louisiana Recreational Trails Grants.

Cedric Grant, Executive Director of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, said , “The Lafitte Greenway has been highly anticipated for many years and today’s ribbon cutting is validation of the extensive input from neighborhood and civic groups. This is more than just a green space; it is another important multi-modal transportation option that will serve as a gathering place for the entire city. This public investment will encourage further redevelopment from Bayou St. John to the French Quarter.”

Pat Forbes, Executive Director of the State of Louisiana Office of Community Development, said , “The City’s decision to invest disaster recovery funds in the Lafitte Greenway is already paying off in so many ways, and will continue to do so for many years. It has transformed a once-blighted industrial corridor into an amenity for residents and businesses in the Treme and Mid-City neighborhoods, it’s already spurring commercial projects, and it holds rainwater during storms, reducing run-off and flooding.  Recreation, economic stimulus and resilience: it perfectly fits our mission to recover safer, stronger and smarter than before.”

tonight

Patron Party | 6 PM
Soirée | 7 PM

HONORING THE VISIONARIES WHO CATALYZED THE LAFITTE GREENWAY’S CREATION

Erin Baker, Edgar Chase, Lake Douglas, Bart Everson, Billy Fields, Dubravka Gilic, Larry Lagarde, Wendy Laker, Linda Landesberg, Janet Ward Pease, Jennifer Ruley, Daniel Samuels, Leonetta Terrell, Jacob Wagner, Daniel Winkert

_____________

Dance to music by Smoking Time Jazz Club & DJ Pompeii

Swing with sensational swing dancers

Mingle with Friends of Lafitte Greenway supporters

Enjoy wine, New Belgium beer, and specialty cocktails

Sample cuisine served by Liberty’s Kitchen, a Lafitte Corridor social enterprise

Peruse the silent auction, featuring Lafitte Corridor businesses

Dress your best in cocktail attire

_____________
Tickets will be available at the door.
Already purchased tickets?
Your tickets will be available at will-call at the door under your name or the name of your business.


WHEN

November 06, 2015 at 6pm – 10pm

WHERE
Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club – Roy E. Glapion Reception Hall
730 N Broad St
New Orleans, LA 70119

Soirée | 7PM – 10PM
$95 Standard
$75 Members

Patron Party & Soirée | 6PM – 10PM
$145 Standard
$125 Members

Filed Under: Featured, HISTORY Tagged With: bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, bicycle, bike, children, excercise, excercise new orleans, faubourg st john, fitlot, fitness, friends of lafitte corridor, friends of lafitte greenway, fun, green space, kids, lafitte corridor, lafitte greenway, natural, nature, New Orleans, run, walk, where to excercise safely in new orleans

Greenway Gets Lit

July 23, 2015 by Charlie London

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.

Filed Under: More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, faubourg st john, greenway, greenway lighting, lafitte corridor, lafitte greenway, New Orleans

Greenway Happenings

June 13, 2015 by Charlie London

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!

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, faubourg st john, greenway, lafitte corridor, lafitte greenway, New Orleans

Greenway Progress

June 6, 2015 by Charlie London

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

Filed Under: More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, best neighborhood in the city, faubourg st john, greenway, lafitte corridor, lafitte greenway, New Orleans

Greenway Clean Way

June 5, 2015 by Charlie London

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!

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bayou st john, faubourg st john, greenway, lafitte corridor, New Orleans, trash mob, volunteer

Friends of Lafitte Corridor Gets Executive Director

October 13, 2014 by Charlie London

Harris-Photo-223x300FRIENDS OF LAFITTE CORRIDOR HIRES FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Friends of Lafitte Corridor (FOLC) is delighted to announce the hiring of Sophie Harris as its first Executive Director. Sophie joined Friends of Lafitte Corridor as a board member and subsequently as FOLC’s Program Director in 2012, working to build FOLC’s capacity and communications during a pivotal time for the Lafitte Greenway project, as it neared the start of construction. Sophie brings professional experience in community development, public health, and recreational programming.

“Sophie is the perfect person to lead Friends of Lafitte Corridor as we look to the opening of the Lafitte Greenway in 2015,” said FOLC’s Chair, Sam Spencer. “Even among a strong national field of candidates for the Executive Director position, Sophie’s exceptional accomplishments with FOLC and her demonstrated passion for the well-being of the communities along the future Greenway made her stand out. The board is thrilled at the prospect of her leadership and her dedication to making sure that this extraordinary public facility lives up to its vast potential for improving the lives of our fellow New Orleanians.”

In addition to her time as Program Director with FOLC, Sophie previously managed the NEWCITY Neighborhood Partnership, a coalition of 100 organizations that promotes community economic development in New Orleans’ Tremé and Mid-City neighborhoods. She also worked on the Faubourg Lafitte Housing Development at Providence Community Housing, where she led neighborhood research and developed the education strategy.

“Thanks to the dedication of volunteer leaders and the community’s support, Friends of Lafitte Corridor has been remarkably successful in its founding mission to advocate for the development of the Lafitte Greenway,” said Sophie. “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead FOLC in its next chapter as we focus on providing programs for youth and adults on the Lafitte Greenway, and continuing to build and improve an extraordinary public park for all of New Orleans.”

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Summa Cum Laude, with degrees in Urban Studies and Political Science and certification in Spanish, Sophie won a Post-Graduate Robert A. Fox Leadership Fellowship in service. She serves on the Board of Directors of Broad Community Connections, and is a member of the Greater New Orleans Water Collaborative.  Sophie lives in Mid-City, blocks from the Greenway, and is an active runner, biker, soccer-player, and canoer.


Friends of Lafitte Corridor | P.O. Box 791727 | New Orleans, LA 70179
Email | Facebook |  Twitter  |  Web

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bayou st john, faubourg st john, folc, lafitte corridor, lafitte greenway, New Orleans, rails to trails

Improving Quality of Life WITHOUT Tax Dollars

June 24, 2013 by Charlie London

indianapolis-cultural-trail-01.jpg.662x0_q100_crop-scale
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/biggest-bicycling-infrastructure-achievement-north-america-youve-never-heard-about.html

Indianapolis’ Cultural Trail

Back in 2007, treehugger.com wrote about the beginning of an ambitious project in Indianapolis, with the goal of creating a vast network of beautiful protected bike/pedestrian paths around the city center to connects the city’s five downtown Cultural Districts, neighborhoods and entertainment amenities, and “serves as the downtown hub for the entire central Indiana greenway system”. Fast forward to today, and Indianapolis’ Cultural Trail has become a reality, yet it has been flying under the radar compared to some other bike initiatives like, for example, New York’s Citi Bike. That’s too bad, because the Indianapolis Cultural Trail deserves the spotlight, and should serve as a model for other cities. In the words of our friend Clarence at Streetfilms, it could be “the biggest bicycling infrastructure achievement in North America and yet it’s still practically a secret.”

See for yourself how cool it is:
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/biggest-bicycling-infrastructure-achievement-north-america-youve-never-heard-about.html

 

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bicycle, bike, improving quality of life, lafitte corridor, lafitte greenway, no new taxes

TAKE A HIKE

April 29, 2013 by Charlie London

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/#
***
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.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: greenway, lafitte corridor, lafitte greenway, New Orleans, park, play, run, walk

Day Tripping

December 29, 2011 by Charlie London

article and photos by Charlie London

Those over 50 likely remember the Beatles’ song Day Tripper.
If you don’t, click on the video below.

My day trip started with my wife giving me a ride to City Hall so I could participate in the public commentary on the location of the Skate Park that drink manufacturer Red Bull is donating to New Orleans.

Mr. Vincent Smith, Capital Projects Administrator for the City of New Orleans basically repeated the information you can find in my previous blog post in the link below:
https://fsjna.org/2011/12/skate-park-meeting-at-city-hall-wednesday/

There were large poster boards explaining the selection criteria which you can see in the link below:
https://fsjna.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Skate-Park-Site-Selection-Criteria.pdf

I asked if the Skate Park would have a fence built around it. Mr. Smith replied that it would not and added that the preference for the Skate Park is for an area that already is “secure”. Meaning that parks that already have gates and regular opening and closing times would have preference.

That would almost certainly disqualify the Lafitte Corridor as it is open 24 hours each day. So, if you are interested in a Skate Park in Mid-City you should likely get busy asking for it.

I asked about better public input. I work at night so I have the luxury of attended a few daytime meetings. Most people don’t. With meetings that begin at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. that leaves most folks out of the planning process for the Skate Park. Mr. Smith indicated that people should be able to comment by phone and on the internet soon.

There were about 10 people who attended the meeting. Michael Homan, his son Gil and myself were there on behalf of the Lafitte Corridor. Councilmember Jon Johnson and several others were there to promote the Skate Park going in at Joe Brown Park in New Orleans East and a couple of people were there to try to get the Skate Park in Martin Behrman Memorial Park in Algiers.

Regardless of whether you are for or against a Skate Park make your opinion known to Councilmember Guidry at sgguidry@nola.gov *** Follow Gil Homan’s lead and make your voice heard.

My day trip continued with a walk from City Hall down Loyola where I encountered this new and innovative bus stop at Tulane and Loyola. It’s been there about one week.

I continued my day trip to Canal Street where I waited for the streetcar to take me all the way to Esplanade Avenue by the museum. The newly restored Joy Theatre was across from the streetcar stop and the first performance will be by Irma Thomas tonight.

If you have the time, I highly recommend riding the streetcar downtown from or to the museum. And, don’t forget you can get on the Esplanade Bus at Fortier Park which will take you right to the French Quarter. Both the busses and streetcars are very clean.

It’s only $1.25 each way and sure beats paying much more to park your car, that is… if you have the time. The streetcar and bus schedules are getting better but aren’t quite up to running exactly on time.

(courtesy youtube user kouran92)

Filed Under: Featured, HISTORY Tagged With: bayou st john, corridor, faubourg st john, fsjna, greenway, joy, lafitte, lafitte corridor, New Orleans, park, skate, skate park, streetcar, theatre

Neighbors Get Blues

September 3, 2011 by Charlie London

Two Neighborhood Greats that Work Great Together

Many of you may remember Mike Pearce as the former President of the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association. But, Mike has a deeper passion burning in his soul and that is to play the blues.

Mike will be at the Bayou Park Bar at 542 South Jefferson Davis Parkway this Tuesday, September 6th. His set begins at 7:30 p.m.

Come on out and support Mike Pearce who has given so much of his time to help make Faubourg St. John a great place to live. You’ll have fun and hear some great music too!

Mike says, “…playing in public again for the first time in quite a while. Next Tuesday I’m going to be playing an early evening show at the Bayou Park Bar on Jefferson Davis. I’ll be going on at 7:30 and finishing at 8:30. I’m hoping that this can turn into a regular thing and having people show up would help. If you can make it I’d really appreciate it.”

Mike considers it an honor to be opening the show for neighborhood legend Walter “Wolfman” Washington who plays regular gigs all over New Orleans and will start his set at 9 pm. Mr. Washington gives back to Faubourg St. John too!

Photos and video by Charlie London

“Wolfman” plays every year at the Fortier Park Festival where Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters help raise funds for the benefit of Fortier Park. Check out the 2008 video above.

Tuesday September 6th.
Bayou Park Bar
542 S Jefferson Davis Pkwy
New Orleans, LA
7:30 PM

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bayou park bar, bayou st john, blues, faubourg st john, fsjna, fun, jeff davis, lafitte corridor, Mike Pearce, music, Walter Washington, Wolfman

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