By ROBIN SHANNON
L’Observateur

The following is the final in a series of stories regarding St. John the Baptist Parish’s plans for the $29.5 million bond issue, which will appear on parish ballots for the April 4 general election. The money, which is going to a multitude of capital improvements parishwide, is divided among five propositions that voters can accept or decline as they see fit.

LAPLACE — Two projects that involve improvements and additions to recreational facilities on both sides of the river will see the light of day if voters in St. John approve proposition 5 of Parish President Bill Hubbard’s $29.5 million bond package Saturday.

The initiative, one of five on the ballot, will dedicate $2.8 million toward a new gym and completion of the first phase of the West Bank Park complex.

St. John Public Information Officer Buddy Boe said plans for the park, which now has three baseball fields and a gravel parking lot, include a fourth ball field, open air basketball courts, tennis courts, more playground equipment, tables and benches, a bike rack and additional restrooms and lighting. Boe said $700,000 will be spent to complete phase 1 of the park complex.

“The first phase of the park was originally part of the 2002 bond issue,” said Boe. “Instead of dedicating all the money to finish the first phase, the parish got a start on it and used the remaining funds to purchase land for all three phases.”

Boe said the land dedicated to the West Bank Complex cost the parish about $228,000. He said the parish felt it best to purchase all of the land ahead of time so that there is no dispute.

“The final goal is to deliver on our promise to get the West Bank a new recreational area,” Boe said.

The remaining $2.1 million of the proposition will go toward construction of a public gymnasium that, Boe said, could also be used as a relocation point of last resort during a tropical disturbance or emergency situation.

“The gym would satisfy a need for a public facility that anyone in the parish could use,” said Boe. “It will also be home to the recreation department offices, which are currently operating out of trailers.”

The gym would include an indoor court, bleachers, and a concession stand with a full kitchen in addition to meeting rooms and office space for the recreation department. Boe said the gym would allow the parish to plan events around their own schedule instead of having to rent facilities from area schools.

“We have to take a back seat to the schools when they need their facilities for games and practices,” Boe said. “The gym would allow us to schedule what we want when we want.”

Boe said the facility would be built to sustain hurricane force winds and could be used as a temporary relocation point during a storm for residents living in mobile homes or in low lying areas of the parish. Boe said that the parish does not presently have a building that can be designated a shelter by Red Cross. The plans call for extra restrooms and emergency generators to make it shelter suitable.

Hubbard hopes the gym can fulfill a promise made in 2002, when St. John voters approved $5 million for a recreational center. That facility, which would eventually become the St. John Center, was later remodeled into a soundstage to lure film productions into the parish.

Boe said the new gym would be located somewhere in the LaPlace or Reserve area. He said the parish has several options and numerous parties have stepped forward to donate land for the facility. The final location would be determined by a vote of the recreation board and the St. John Council.

IMPROVED ROADS

In order for residents to get to these planned enhanced recreational facilities in a safe and efficient manner, St. John officials are proposing much needed improvements to the main thoroughfare on the East Bank.

Proposition 4 on the ballot calls for $2 million worth of changes to three major intersections of Airline Highway in LaPlace.

Boe said the changes are recommendations that came out of a 2008 planning and feasibility study on US 61 between Magnolia Street and Old US 51/Main Street conducted by the Regional Planning Commission.

“Focusing on specific intersection improvements will give us the most bang for our buck,” said Boe. “The other alternative would be a $12 million – $15 million federally funded plan that would take seven to ten years to complete.”

According to the study, improvements will focus on three major intersections of Airline Highway in LaPlace that consistently see a high level of traffic backup — Belle Terre Boulevard, Hemlock Street and the Highway 51/Main Street/Louisiana 44 corridor.

Belle Terre improvements call for extra turning lanes from Airline Highway to Belle Terre Boulevard and creation of a solid concrete of earthen median that would eliminate the middle suicide lane at the intersection.

At Hemlock Street, the plan calls for an additional lane for northbound Hemlock Street traffic so that there is one lane for each traffic direction – left turns, right turns, and straight traffic.

One of the busiest portions of Airline is the double intersection at US 51 and Old US 51/Main Street, which is heavily traveled by commuters heading into St. John from St. Charles, Jefferson and Orleans Parishes. Boe said recommendations call for the addition of another westbound lane for Airline Highway to decrease the level of wait time at the two intersections.

Boe said the parish would pay for design and engineering of the Airline Highway project and said construction could start in as early as 18 months.

More information on the complete bond issue, including information on the remaining propositions, can be found at the parish’s web site at www.sjbparish.com/bondissue.asp.