Comments for Horse Farm set to become community park at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 35 out of 20 comments http://www.theind.com Sun, 19 May 2013 10:20:30 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1152 The news about the horsefarm is so wonderful. Remarks from sweet pea-d and ok corral and rocky raacoon should be disregarded. - itneverwouldhavehappened Thu, 21 May 2009 18:51:09 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1151 Keep it generic? The Park? Perhaps, Martin Luther King Park (that's America's most generic name these days) - OK Corral Thu, 21 May 2009 16:33:23 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1150 The save the horsefarm campaign was based on the hopes that one or more benefactors would step up to the plate. We are lucky to live in a city where some people who have discretionary wealth recognize that it is a moral and civic responsibility to give back. That person or persons are to be commended. But, hopefully not by naming the whole park after them. Keep it generic. I like Parc Centra de Lafayette or thereof. - itneverwouldhavehappened Thu, 21 May 2009 15:46:39 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1149 Parc du Cheval? - Sweet Pea Thu, 21 May 2009 14:11:30 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1147 Congratulations to all who worked on saving the horse farm!! I am especially proud of my sister,Cheryl Perret, for being actively involved in saving this greenspace! This shows you what a group of dedicated people can do when you truly believe in something!! I am looking forward to bringing my grandchildren there one day! - Debbie Choate Thu, 21 May 2009 12:22:38 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1143 We are so excited by what this green space will bring to the community. A place for parents to take kids to ride their bikes. A place to walk or run surrounded by grass and trees. A place to enjoy nature right in town. From a business standpoint, parks, quality of life and recreational opportunities are things that companies look closely at when considering locating in a community. The Horse Farm park will undoubtedly be a big asset. I also think that the creation of the park will energize Lafayette and bring us back to an era when people "gave back" to better the community. This has begun with the benefactors that are making this incredible gift to this and future generations of Lafayette residents. For this, I thank these people for being forward looking. I am excited to see what this gift will bring to our city. - John Williams - Pack & Paddle Thu, 21 May 2009 09:50:55 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1140 Great news. I would like to suggest that any landscape planting be consisted of native trees, shrubs, and perennials. This offers numerous benefits including wildlife habitat, less water use, and a reconnection with our natural heritage. Let's press the landscape designers to do this. Mr. Bill Fontenot, who once ran the Acadiana Nature Station, could provide expert advice. - JP Thu, 21 May 2009 08:46:57 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1135 I remember back in the late 90s when the Horse Farm ceased operations, I wrote a letter asking to meeting with Dr. Authement to discuss making the Horse Farm a park utilizing UL students in the design, construction and promotion of the park. I was then appointed to the City Parks and Recreation Commission, where we kept the faith for this idea. It's a note of progress that nearly ten years later, this idea is coming to fruition. Kudos to the Save the Horse Farm group for their hard work and efforts in this endeavor. - Diana K. Lennon Wed, 20 May 2009 18:38:26 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1134 Eb, Danica, and Save the Horse Farm are awsome. My kids and family will continue to enjoy this space for generations to come! Thanks for all of your dedication. - Jam Wed, 20 May 2009 18:17:46 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1132 The Horse Farm, besides needing to be populated with horses (by virtue of the police), should also provide a space for people to put up tents and have overnight campouts. Other major cities have state parks within just a few miles (not 30-50) where this can be done. We should have it too. - Park man Wed, 20 May 2009 16:17:52 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1131 I second Duro's idea. Keep it a green space. Just let the disc golfers put a course out there. Try to leave every tree that's there in place. Maybe a small lake? Just an idea. - Super Awesome Comment Guy Wed, 20 May 2009 16:16:53 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1127 I think it would be fabulous if the entire place stayed "greenspace" with no concrete slabs or basketball parks or whatever. There is already a basketball place at Girard Park, go play there. However, I think it would be pretty awesome if this would become a small concert place, as well. Like an outdoor amphitheater like the person somewhere on here already mentioned. Outdoor venues are amazing and I think it would draw a big crowd to Lafayette. Who knows the possibilities of this place. All I know is that I can say I am EXCITED! - LN Wed, 20 May 2009 15:17:58 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1125 "Parc Central de Lafayette" - duro Wed, 20 May 2009 14:51:39 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1124 I suspect that the name will either be determined either by the donor or during the charettes. I like the idea of it being called "People's Park", "Horse Farm Park", or "Central Park". - Danica Adams Wed, 20 May 2009 14:43:41 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1123 How about "Lafayette Central Park" - Super Awesome Comment Guy Wed, 20 May 2009 13:41:09 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1122 "One Question" Acadiana park is used year round by the Acadiana Disc Golf Association and other who play the sport but aren't involved in the ADGA. It is home to four annual tournaments and people travel from aroung the southern United States to play there. Thomas Park is used year round for soccer and baseball. Tennis league is held their atleast biweekly and the park is great for the property value of the community of Rivers Bend. Girard Park: I have never seen it empty. Even during a hurricane, there are people at that park. Moore Park is one of Lafayette's largest soccer facilities. It is used by every age group regularly. The state uses it as a facility for police trainees (from all around the state, not just Lafayette.) None of these parks are underused or unkempt. They are extremelly important to this town and the well being of the community. Lafayette parks are in need of a facelift and some creative thinking. The new skate park stays packed, as well as the new dog park. Please go out to these parks and see what it gives to the communities who use them. Support the organizations that help to maintain them. ADGA has a board position specifically for course maintance. They hold regular "work days" where members are encouraged to come do the work that LCG doesn't do (trim trees, empty trash cans in places where LCG doesn't go.) This is all done voluntarily. Please don't fool yourself into thinking that this park isn't needed. This will be one of the greatest public additions to this town in a decade. Thanks again to Danica and everyone who was involved with the "Save the Horse Farm" campaign. You will go down in my book as changing the future of this town in an extremely posotive way. - Super Awesome Comment Guy Wed, 20 May 2009 13:22:58 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1121 How about the Ray Authement Memorial Park? - Guy Fawkes Wed, 20 May 2009 13:09:05 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1120 Girard Park...underused? Not that I've ever seen. The use of a park is consistent with several factors, one amongst them is the visibility of the park, its accessibility, and the scale of the private property surrounding it. The horse farm has the first, and hopefully will have the second, though it will lack the third, as this like every other park in this town except for Girard, will have back yards and fences abutting it. - Park man Wed, 20 May 2009 12:40:49 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1119 Ms. Adams: If enough funds for implementation and upkeep is able to be raised privately and without government (taxpayer) funds, then this is indeed a good development. I just don't want to see taxpayers put on the hook for another underused park. - One Question Wed, 20 May 2009 11:11:46 +0100 http://www.theind.com/home/4417#comment-1117 RE: One Question Based on the Save the Horse Farm's reccomendations, the Rotary Club's involvement, and the content of this article, I believe that there will be funds raised and set aside, through the Community Foundation of Acadiana, for the perpetual maintenance and low-impact improvement of the property. Therefore the burden of responsibility for upkeep and management will not fall to the taxpayers or to LCG, and the property will be pleasent and available to all even during times of financial stress. - Danica Adams Wed, 20 May 2009 10:49:01 +0100