City Parks are one of the greatest assets a neighborhood can have. They provide a space for community gatherings, healthy physical activities and relaxation. Ours is the J. Wallace James Park.
We're working in partnership with the city of Lafayette and Bridge Street Ministries to enhance the park, creating a safe, multi-functional space with plenty of amenities for all ages, comfortable shade and edible landscape that the whole community can benefit from. The park is located next to the old J. Wallace James school on Hopkins Street.
Project Goals:
Increasing Public Safety & Access
ISSUE: Feedback from the community indicates that a number of criminal activities take place in this park after dark, giving the park a reputation as an unsafe destination.
SOLUTIONS:
• Work with the city of Lafayette to improve the lighting at the park
• Work with the railroad company to clean out heavy brush at the rear of the park for better visibility night and day.
• Repair all chain link fencing to define proper entrances to the park.
 ISSUE: The park lacks the variety of spaces and amenities neccessary to attract a variety of patrons. Present amenities are in need of improvement.
SOLUTIONS:
• Re-mulch children's play areas. Plant shade trees and install benches around play areas for more comfortable play and supervision.
• Resurface basketball court and paint a cooler color. Add a sun shade over the court to make play during the hottest months more desireable.
• Build up proper picthing mound and install mounts for bases on the baseball field. Add shaded seating near baseball field.
• Plant fruit trees and bushes throughout the park and allow residents and patrons to pick food seasonally at the park.
• Replace/repair existing BBQ grill.
Beautification
ISSUE: The park is currently suffereing from a lack of shaded seating and general landscaping for aesthetic value.
SOLUTIONS:
• Plant a number of shade trees, evergreen landscape elements and attrtactive fruiting trees/bushes to create a comfortable, beautiful and edible park environment.
• Trim tress and brush at the rear of the property to visually connect the park to the neighborhood on the other side of the railroad and to allow viewing of the passing trains.
• Paint the bathroom house a warm and inviting color. Long-term, create a mural about the community on the building.
A panorama view of the park after the planting of 57 evergreen, deciduous and fruiting trees
Sponsors & Donors
Our thanks to the sponsors, donors and volunteers that are helping to make this project possible:
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Americorps
• ASCO
• All Seasons Nursury
• Apache Corporation
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