SLIDELL, La. (WGNO) – Some major upgrades are in the works for Slidell city parks.
“We’re going to have a skate park, we’re going to have pickleball courts in that same general area, repurposing one of the baseball fields, and then taking couple of the others and making multipurpose fields that you can do lacrosse, field hockey, football, soccer,” Mayor Cromer said.
According to Mayor Greg Cromer, the new amenities are part of their parks and recreation master plan.
The other two baseball fields at Fritchie Park will be transformed into multipurpose fields, and there is already new handicap accessible playground equipment at John Slidell Park, new flooring in the gymnasium and new ballfield lights.
Cromer received input from people in the community, including skateboarders who would utilize City Hall for their sport.
“I’d see them, and I’d come out, and they would take off, and I’d say, ‘Whoa, whoa, come in and talk to me,’ and ‘What are you looking for? What do you need?'” Cromer said.
The budget for the Fritchie Park makeover is $500,000, but some of the design concepts are going over the budget, so it is back to the drawing board for now.
“We’re taking a look at: Is there other monies that we can move into and enhance the projects we have? Or do we have to scale down what we have to assure that we can get what we need?” Cromer said.
Park goers cannot wait to see the finished project.
“Oh, it’s wonderful what they been doing, and it’s a lot of things they have been doing over here, and I like it because it’s a lot of children coming over here to enjoy,” Marilena Band said.
Park goers will have to wait a little bit longer for the skate park and pickleball courts, being that the city is still in the design phase.
However, new tennis courts at the Third Street Tennis Complex are expected to be completed next spring or early summer.