Frequently Asked Questions

Why don’t you support the Riverfront Park?

We support the riverfront park but want to make sure it is planned and funded properly so it will be a success from the day it is built and continue to be a success for future generations to come.

What do you mean planned properly?

Parks are a beautiful place but they can be very difficult and costly to maintain and repair if they are not planned correctly. We have firsthand knowledge of this as we do the repair and maintenance of Washington Square Park because the City does not have the funds to maintain it.

What do you mean by funded properly?

To keep a park safe and in good shape requires a minimum amount of money. If a dedicated source of funding is not secured to meet the minimum amount needed then the basic levels of service for safety, maintenance and repair of the park will not be met. This means park will not function correctly.

 Why are you opposing the venue?

We do not oppose the multi use facility, in fact we asked that the shed be saved as a reminder of our maritime heritage and so it can be used for this purpose. We oppose the proposed intensity in the use of the venue which currently allows for 36, 3000+ person events a month with the option to have more. This equates to three weekends out of the month. The venue can hold anywhere from 9,000 to 10,000 people according to the New Orleans Building Corporation (NOBC). Just imagine having Jazz Fest or Zoo To Do 3 weekends out of month. If it is like any of the events we already have such as Mardi Gras, French Quarter Festival and Southern Decadence to name a few then as a resident you are land locked and cannot move your car because you will lose your parking spot not to mention the traffic, noise and trash.

What are your concerns?

1. the intensity of the use of the Mandeville Street Wharf to include parking and traffic,

2. the substantive change of the park, transforming from a place for active recreation to include athletic courts and a playground to a grassy area devoid of such elements,

3. the lack of access to the park,,

4. the lack of a business plan for the successful operation of the park, and

5. the lack of a dedicated funding source for the basic operation, safety and maintenance of the park.

How has the park changed?

The document, Marigny Park Transformation, shows the transformation of the park from a place for residents throughout the city as well as visitors to actively recreate with sports courts, playground equipment and an open grass area for field sports. The first three images, which span about three months in design time, clearly show this type of recreation and in fact included the communities input such as adding a playground, increasing the size of the open grass area and changing the number and type of courts. Five months later at the next public presentation, the courts have been reduced to a multi use court. This most current iteration which has NOT HAD A PUBLIC MEETING, has the multi use court removed as well as the playground equipment. These plans are not what the community agreed to when they supported the park ten months ago. Although the Piety Park has active recreation it is limited and not enough for the communities it serves.

Why a business plan?

There is more to a park than grass and tree for a park to be successful. Like any business it needs to have a business plan to work out the details of how it will operate and generate the funds for it to be a successful. A bank would not loan a new business money without a business plan to protect their investment. Why shouldn’t tax payer money have the same safeguards in place to guarantee the investment of their money? We have requested this several times from the NOBC but have not received even a draft of a business plan.

Why does a park need a dedicated funding source?

It is a fact that the City does not have the necessary funds to maintain the parks it already has as evidenced by the many neighborhood organizations including the Bywater, Marigny and French Quarter neighborhoods who take care of the basic maintenance of their parks. The Audubon Institute has prepared a yearly budget, based on the design from the Public Presentation 5, for the basic operation and maintenance expenses which exceeds 1.6 million dollars. This equates to $30,770 per week. Where is this money coming from? The venue? If this is the case then the venue will have to be rented out as many times as needed to raise the 1.6 million dollars. That could be fifty-two times a year at roughly $30,770 but more likely many more at a much reduced rate. What happens to the park when the venue doesn’t get rented out because of the economy, weather etc?

Why didn’t you speak up sooner?

We brought up these concerns at the 5 public meetings as well as in a meeting with NOBC, Council members James Carter and Jacquelyn Clarkson and Representative LaFonta over a year ago. We expressed our concern over the use of the Mandeville Street Wharf as a commercial entertainment venue and the associated problems with parking, traffic etc. We understood that it may be used for periodic public events, such as the ones NOBC referenced (art markets, an extra stage for French Quarter Festival) but were opposed to more intense and frequent use. Councilman Carter encouraged NOBC and Marigny to enter into a Community Benefits Agreement with the operator of the park to mitigate our concerns and quality of life issues. Also put forth and agreed upon was that the uses were to come up separately so they may benefit from public input. All parties agreed to these terms.

Some of our concerns are new, such as a business plan and operating budget, since we were presented with the draft community benefits agreement.

Why are you asking for deferral of the zoning change?

The draft agreement we received from NOBC lists three events a month with the opportunity for more. This is not periodic but regular. Also, there is no meaningful protection provided from noise, parking or traffic. The drafted agreement is attached. If we do not get this agreement signed before the zoning is changed then neither our elected leaders nor the residents will be able to find recourse to protect our neighborhood.

Some people are saying that this is just a small group who has these concerns?

Besides having representatives at the 5 public meeting to express our concerns and listening to others, we have dedicated a general meeting to discuss the riverfront as well as update our membership at each meeting and in our newsletter. We also held a public meeting with over 100 people from all three neighborhoods (Bywater, French Quarter and Marigny) to discuss the project and residents concerns.

Why are some people saying you are trying to kill the park?

We can only assume it is because they are trying to divert attention away from the real concerns that we have discovered with the planning and funding of the park.