NEW ORLEANS – The City Park Conservancy – along with landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates – has launched an online survey soliciting feedback on how visitors currently use New Orleans City Park and what they would like to see in its 1,300 acres.
“This is the beginning of the public’s opportunity to shape the next 100 years of the park,” said City Park Conservancy President and CEO Cara Lambright. “And we want to hear it all – shoot for the stars –every idea is welcome when it comes to our beloved greenspace. All of these responses help us to craft a plan that serves the greater good – not only for the park, but the city and region as well.”
City Park Conservancy believes a truly comprehensive plan is backed by the community and belongs to the community. The online survey is the first effort to gather community input for the City Park Master Plan. The master planning process, an 18-month undertaking that launched in July, will offer various opportunities to learn about design ideas and provide feedback, including six public meetings.
The first public meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. During this meeting, members of the design team will introduce themselves and some of their previous work, present results from the online survey, and share initial insights for City Park. Subsequent meetings will continue to elicit input from the public and focus on topics such as: (1) circulation and access; (2) lagoons, lakes, and water systems; (3) landscape types; and (4) institutions, traditions, and programming. The last meeting, in the fall of 2024, will be used to present the final Master Plan for City Park.
Community engagement is at the center of the planning process. MVVA and local consultants, including the Hawthorne Agency, Inc., encourage community members across the region to participate.
“There are many things that are ‘Naturally New Orleans’, one of which is having our voices heard about any changes proposed for the things we love about our community,” said Hawthorne Agency President Geneva Coleman. “We hope everyone from Uptown to downtown, Northshore to south shore, St. Bernard to St. Charles and beyond participates in this effort and lift their voices.”
The City Park Master Plan is made possible through a lead gift from the Greg Keller Foundation. For more information on the Master Planning process, visit NewOrleansCityPark.org.
