Mayor Nic Hunter, City of Lake Charles | City of Lake Charles website
Mayor Nic Hunter, City of Lake Charles | City of Lake Charles website
City officials and community members gathered on February 27, 2025, at Lock Park to celebrate the restoration of the historic Lock Park Pavilion. The event also served as an opportunity to unveil preliminary plans for transforming the park into the city's first fully-inclusive recreational area.
The pavilion and restroom facilities had been severely damaged by Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020. After assessments by architects and structural engineers, it was concluded that a complete rebuild was necessary.
Mayor Nic Hunter stated, "We are proud to announce that the pavilion and restroom structure have been rebuilt to be an aesthetic match of the original structure. We also were able to equip the restrooms with more modern amenities that better lend themselves to park-goers of all abilities." He added, "We are excited about the future of Lock Park and for the City to have a park that creates opportunities for play and enjoyment for all families in our community."
The new plans include fully-inclusive play areas designed for children of all abilities. While these drawings are still preliminary, community feedback is encouraged via email at parks@cityoflc.us.
Julia Bourgeois, founder and executive director of Families for Inclusion, commented on the importance of accessible facilities: "The bathrooms are one of the most important parts, anytime you go to the park and if it’s not ADA accessible you’re going to have to leave and go find a restroom that is. The fact that they fixed this piece first before the park opened is huge."
LyondellBasell has partnered with local nonprofit organizations such as Families for Inclusion, Children’s Miracle Network, and Families Helping Families in redesigning the park. LyondellBasell contributed $100,000 to support this initiative through the City’s Partners in Parks Fund at Community Foundation SWLA. Additional funding comes from LC REBOUND Bond. Construction is expected to begin before 2025 ends.
For updates on Lake Charles news, visit www.cityoflakecharles.com or www.facebook.com/LakeCharlesLouisiana.
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