Source: New Orleans (La.) CityBusiness
City Park, founded in 1854, is one of the nation's oldest urban recreation areas and it's showing its age.
But a proposed $115 million master plan could transform the 1,500-acre site into a modern recreational facility by 2018.
Sports and recreation areas are a major focus of a City Park campaign calling for remodeling the park's Bayou Oaks Golf Courses, refurbishing Tad Gormley and Pan American stadiums, building a multi-use sports complex and adding a skate park, bike trails and a splash park.
"We want first-class facilities in City Park and that's what the plan calls for," said City Park CEO Bob Becker. "It's an exciting plan that will raise capital funds to build new facilities and operating revenue to maintain a first-class city park."
Several revenue sources would be tapped for capital improvements, including $13 million from the city, $26 million from the state, $17.5 million in self-generated funds, $13 million from the federal government and $45.5 million from a tax dedicated to the park.
The park is owned by the city but does not receive city or state funds for operating revenue. City Park is hoping to raise an additional $15.1 million for operational and maintenance expenses, with the park responsible for raising $11.6 million, the state $2 million and an additional $2.5 million from the proposed tax.
"We've really spent nothing on maintaining our facilities because we don't have the funds for upkeep," Becker said. "It doesn't do any good to build these things if you can't keep them up."
A $20 million renovation is proposed for golf facilities, including renovating three golf courses and building a new clubhouse and learning facility at the club's driving range.
The South Course would be closed and transformed into open green space and festival grounds.
"Golf has been the major source of revenue for the park for a long, long time," Becker said. "But it's a revenue source that's been falling for many years. We believe we can handle our demand on three courses."
Golf peaked at City Park in 2001 when 162,616 total rounds were played or 38 percent more than the 118,235 rounds played in 2004.
The South Course losses were steeper. Last year, golfers played 17,927 rounds at South Course, or 43 percent fewer than the 31,393 rounds played in 2001, according to Gordon Digby, City Park golf director.
"We've taken a hit in terms of the number of rounds played, mainly from increased competition from remodeled courses at Audubon (Park Golf Course) and Stonebridge (Golf & Country Club) and private clubs allowing public play, including Lakewood, Colonial and Ormond," Digby said.
Stan Stopa, director of golf at Audubon, said course renovations increased play. Before the renovation, Audubon averaged 26,000 rounds per year. That number jumped 50 percent to 39,000 in the year following the renovation.
Last year golfers played 32,000 rounds at Audubon, an 18 percent decrease. The club is hoping for 35,000 rounds this year.
"Things really improved for us following the renovation," Stopa said. "It (a renovation) will certainly make a difference to golf at City Park."
Additional plans call for adding synthetic turf to Pan American Stadium and makeovers for the bathrooms, locker rooms and concessions facilities at Tad Gormley Stadium.
Installing artificial turf at Pan American will allow unlimited play with minimal field damage. The upgrade would allow Pan American to better serve prep athletic programs, saving the field at Tad Gormley for larger events such as Tulane football and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities All-Star Football Classic.
"We had 40 high school football games this past season and average five to six soccer games a week throughout December, January and February," said Tony Biagas, City Park athletic services director. "It's a tremendous amount of play. We've got one of the best fields in the state at Tad Gormley but, with that kind of traffic, the fields just can't take it."
The park's multipurpose sports complex, bounded by Harrison Avenue and Marconi and Zachary Taylor drives, will feature a new 31-court tennis facility.
Becker said the park's tennis courts near Dreyfous Drive are beginning to crack and will need to be replaced within the next 10 years. Moving the courts to Marconi Drive will serve as the centerpiece for a multi-use complex that will involve lighting and drainage improvements for six existing fields and adding two multipurpose fields near Pan American Stadium. The complex will also include a mountain bike path, four baseball fields and an additional softball field in the center of the park.
"We don't have enough fields to meet the current demand for them," Biagas said. "This plan will add a number of fields and the improvements will enable us to use them on a more consistent basis."
Becker also wants to add 10-foot-wide sidewalks and bike paths throughout the park. A skate park and splash park will be built where the tennis courts now stand.
"There is a real opportunity to do something here," Becker said. "In the end it will be up to the citizens to determine what type of park and facilities they want. It's challenging but doable."
