Source: The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.)
After dropping off a petition signed by 2,840 people to save the City Park golf course, Bobby Duhe couldn't resist reminding BREC Superintendent Mark Thornton that the historic nine-hole course had attracted singer Willie Nelson during a visit to Baton Rouge last year.
"They stopped because they saw City Park from the interstate. The green space drew their attention," said Duhe, who was one of three members of the Friends of City Park to present Thornton with the petition.
When Nelson and his buddies pulled up to City Park, they were told they couldn't play the 77-year-old course - which is on the National Registrar of Historic Places - because there were high school matches going on that afternoon.
Instead, the BREC employee sent Nelson and his golfing sidekicks to nearby Webb Park, where they played a round with "blue jeans, tennis shoes and pony tails," Duhe said.
Duhe said the inviting green space at the City Park golf course attracts other golfers from Interstate 10, and should be preserved.
Thornton's staff at the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation and Park Commission is looking at two proposals to redevelop City Park - one that would retain the golf course, and a second plan that would eliminate the course and develop a tennis complex and other amenities instead.
Based on the 505 surveys filled out during two public hearings on redevelopment plans at the City Park Recreation Center in late January, 75 percent, or 381, expressed support for keeping the golf course.
But BREC continued to accept public input about the two City Park plans until 5 p.m. Monday.
Thornton said a consultant is still in the process of performing a scientific survey to measure public opinion about City Park that will be used to make a final decision.
Half the poll will focus on people who reside within 10 minutes of City Park, and the other half will target the general population.
One spokeswoman for the Friends of City Park, Lillie Gallagher, reminded Thornton that many Baton Rouge golfers learned to play as youngsters on the City Park golf course.
Duhe said as far as he knows, there are 29 schools from seven parishes that still use the City Park course.
Jack Hightower, president of the Friends of City Park, noted that City Park is one of the most-used golf courses in the parish, and should be preserved for generations to come.
Thornton said BREC planners are slated to hold an all-day planning session March 10 at City Park to brief the public on the final plan, which will be considered by the BREC Commission on March 22.