Renovation, expansion planned for Bogalusa's Cassidy Park

Calling it a lynchpin of the community, Bogalusa Mayor Charles Mizell on Monday afternoon announced a renovation and revitalization of Cassidy Park.

Cassidy Park's preliminary master plan

“It has had some great days and it has hard some not-so-great days,” Mizell told about 50 persons attending the first of two Town Hall meetings as part of the Louisiana Development Ready Communities program. “What you have in front of you is a plan we’ve had drawn up for the park.”

Mizell was referring to what was described as a master plan for the park — and the rendering prepared by Joseph Furr Design Studio in Baton Rouge included numerous changes.

“Things come and things go,” Mizell said. “We want to build a foundation for the future and we have to have something that will stand the test of time. This green space … in some way … has touched everyone who has ever been in Bogalusa.

“We’re going to start building this park. We have the plans drawn and we think we think we have something stand the test,” Mizell said. “We’ve found some money to start on this and we’re going to apply for grants and other funds.”

The Mayor said he feels the revitalized park will be a plus for the community — and cited some things already under way.

“We have two wonderful museums that are run and operated by volunteers who are committed to making this community a better place,” he said. “We just completed 3,800 feet of paved bike and walking trails … we have a full-time employee now in the park and we’ve cleaned up, picked up and painted up and we’re going to do more.”

In addition to those items cited, there are new barriers in place to limit areas where persons can drive vehicles and work is also being done on existing structures.

“I think this is one of the first things we need in the community … to give families a place to go, kids a place to play.”

That said, there are a number of proposed changes to the park, including a boulevard-type entrance with new signage. As one enters the park, there is a new location for the annual Yule Log burning and a relocated building to house park operations office and café.

To the left, going toward the covered bridge, the road is realigned and a new road splits off to the right to a parking area that affords parking for both museums. Near the Pioneer Museum is a playground while, just past that, is a new pavilion and restroom structure.

Major additions proposed for the park include several hundred yards of beaches all along Bogue Lusa Creek, a dog park where owners can allow their pets to run and play off-leash, an expanded pond with fishing pier, a new pond, an amphitheatre, a canoe launch area and a playground near one of the beaches. 

Museums of Cassidy Park a good place to visit, learn about Bogalusa and the surrounding areas

If you're new to the area, an old-timer just wanted to "freshen" up some "old" facts or a visitor to the community, the Museums in Cassidy Park have a little something for everyone

Museum of Native American Art volunteer
Lydia Fendalson (right) explained how rings
on a tree help determine its age to Bogalusans
Landry Dupont (left), Mary Margaret Crawford
and Riley Dupont, The three youngsters were taking
advantage of the museum's extended hours on July 4.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

The Pioneer Museum and the Museum of Native American Art, both open from 2-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, exhibit artifacts and interpretive materials and programs relevant to the history of the City of Bogalusa, the surrounding communities and the region itself.

Admission is free to both and both are staffed by knowledgeable volunteers who can answer your questions — or know where to find the answer.

Over the past several years, the museums have been renovated and revitalized under the direction of volunteer curator Millie Canter. The old "Indian Museum" had fallen into such bad repair after Hurricane Katrina that daylight could be seen through the ceiling and roof, while displays in the Pioneer Museum had become stagnant.

Under Canter's direction, new excitement was generated on both the board and in the volunteer ranks and now, exhibits are rotated on a regular basis and the history of the region around Bogalusa is explored.

Full slate of events starts at 1 p.m. Monday in Cassidy Park

Beth McKee

An “Ol’ Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration” is the way Monday’s slate of activities in Cassidy Park are being billed by the Bogalusa Chamber of Commerce. In addition, both the Pioneer Museum and the Native American Museum will be open from 2-4 p.m. Monday

“We’ll truly have a bit of something for everyone,” said Marilyn Bateman, excutive director of the chamber.

Activities in the park are scheduled to get under way at 1 p.m. Monday, following the conclusion of the annual parade.

The two headliner performers are Kipori Woods and Beth McKee. Links to four of McKee’s songs have been posted on wpnewsblog since Friday morning.

Kipori Woods

Woods, from New Orleans, was schooled under the direction of Ellis Marsalis and has won OffBeat Magazine's Best New Blues Artist the past two years running.

His soaring set with Davell Crawford at the 1999 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage remains the talk of the town. Woods has also toured extensively throughout the world. He has shared the stage with notables such as The Neville Brothers, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band,Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason Marsalis, Kermit Ruffins, Rockin' Dopsie Jr., Walter "Wolman" Washington and opened for BB King, Bobby Blue Bland, Irma Thomas and The Neville Brothers.

McKee is formerly of the band, “Evangeline.” Also from New Orleans, McKee has gotten rave reviews everywhere she has performed and her “Last Train to Memphis” has been highly acclaimed.

Petty Bones

McKee performed Saturday (July 2) night at Sorelli’s Brick Oven in downtown Covington and heads to Tampa, Fla. to perform on the Live Music Showcase on Friday before heading to Charlotte, NC, Knoxville, Tenn. and Winston-Salem, NC over the next few weeks.

Activities located in the area by the museums include:

            1 p.m. — Wayne McCain (on the Pioneer Museum porch)

            2 p.m. — Eli Seals and Friends (on the Pioneer Museum porch)

            3 p.m. — The Petty Bones (inside the Pioneer Museum)

            3 p.m. — Turtle races (outside the Native American Museum)

            3 p.m. — Bicycle Parade (bring a non-perishable food iterm for the Bogalusa Help Center as an entry fee)

            4 p.m. — Gene Gunulfsen and Friends (on the Pioneer Museum porch)

            5 p.m. — 8 Years Difference (on the Pioneer Museum porch)

            6 p.m. — Kipori Woods (on the Pioneer Museum porch)

            7 p.m. — Beth McKee (Evangeline) (on the Pioneer Museum porch)

Activities located at the stage include:

            1:45 p.m. — Allen Barrios

            2 p.m. — Political candidates

            3 p.m. — The Forman Twins

Activities located by the covered bridge include:

            Food vendors with hot dogs, hamburgers and more as well as a sno-ball stand

Cassidy Park activities added to parade, fireworks presentation on Fourth of July

Besides the United States of America and the City of Bogalusa sharing birthdays, there’ll be lot more going on this Independence Day weekend — including an appearance by Gov. Bobby Jindal.

“We see the Fourth of July Parade sponsored by the American Legion and the Fireworks Display sponsored by the American Legion and the City of Bogalusa as a wonderful start and finish to the day.  We want to add to the middle to make it an all day celebration, “ said Bogalusa Mayor Charles Mizell.

Activities get under way at 7 p.m. Saturday night at the American Legion when the Paper Queen Ball is held and a new Paper Queen is crowned, taking the crown and scepter from Ashley Lee Mizell, who was the 71^st winner last year.

On Monday, lining up for the parade will begin about 8:30 a.m. near Sonny’s Pizza with a 10 a.m. start.

Capt. Jim Montgomery, U.S. Coast Guard, said the parade carries a dual theme this year — “Citizen Soldiers” and “Protect What Matters” in honor of the Louisiana Army National Guard and Louisiana Air National Guard.

Governor Bobby Jindal, along with Maj. Gen, Bennett C, Landreau, Adjutant General of the Army National Guard and Lt. Gen. Brod Veillon, Commander of the Air National Guard, have committed to participate in the parade. In addition, an Army Band, numerous local floats and a flyover event are also scheduled.

After the parade there will be a brief break before activities get under way at Cassidy Park at 2 p.m.

In a revival of one of the greatest traditions of political campaigning in the South, all candidates for public office are invited to take the stage at the park and greet and talk with the public

The park will also feature food vendors, music and a first-ever bike parade.  Kids of all ages are invited to decorate their bicycles and parade along the new, asphalt track at 3 p.m.  The entry fee for the bike parade is a donation of a perishable food item, which will be given to the Bogalusa Help Center.

Following the activities at Cassidy Park there will be another break until dark, when the sky will be lit up by the explosions of fireworks launched from the Temple-Inland pond. The Bogalusa City Schools will open Louis V. Murray, Jr. Stadium so that persons may view the fireworks in an open-air setting.

The City of Bogalusa, Bogalusa Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion are working together to make this Fourth of July memorable for everyone in the city of Bogalusa.  If you have an idea and are willing to work to make it a reality, contact Marilyn Bateman at the Chamber of Commerce at 735-5731 or Sandy Bloom at the City of Bogalusa at 732-6211.

Food for Families gets food out

Ulysses Andrews and John Gilbert,
both with Catholic Charities, load
one of 49 boxes of food scheduled
for Linda Little's van. Little delivers
food to the elderly and those without
transportation in the Angie-Varnado
area. (Photo by John H. Walker)

The lines were long in Cassidy Park Tuesday morning, as food distribution through the Food for Families program got started shortly after 6 a.m.

By 6:20, more than 75 vehicles were in line as John Gilbert and Ulysses Andrews, both of New Orleans, took pre-packed boxes from a roller line off a truck to load into vehicles.

Linda Little of Varnado had her van backed up to be loaded.

Long lines were waiting when
distribution began this morning.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

"I'm getting food or the elderly and people who can't come in or don't have a way," she told wpnewsblog. "I've got 49 boxes to deliver to those folks to try and help them."

"She does this every month," Gilbert said. "She's doing work for God."

Volunteers are being sought to assist with Tuesday morning's Food for Families distribution at Cassidy Park. The distribution, funded by the USDA through the Department of Health and Hospitals, is administered by Catholic Charities of New Orleans. Food for Families distributes food in all 64 Louisiana parishes.

Persons wishing to assist may do so by simply showing up at Cassidy Park or can give advance notice by calling city personnel director Sandy Bloom 730-4397 or city council clerk Brenda Ford at 732-6202.

Nearly 800 families receive food through the Bogalusa distribution.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogspot.com)

Help needed Tuesday with Food for Families

Volunteers are being sought to assist with Tuesday morning's Food for Families distribution at Cassidy Park. The distribution, funded by the USDA through the Department of Health and Hospitals, is administered by Catholic Charities of New Orleans. Food for Families distributes food in all 64 Louisiana parishes.

And part of the agreement that brings the program to Bogalusa is that manpower is provided to help distribute the food on the first Tuesday of every month. In the past, city workers have helped but, because of personnel reductions, the city no longer has the manpower.

Thus the call for help.

"I understand some of the youth at First Baptist Church are going to help," said District D City Councilamn Teddy Drummond. "But we need to make sure we have adequate help out there, because the crowds are large and growing."

Nearly 800 families receive food through the program monthly and distribution runs from about 6:30 a.m. until 10 a.m.

It's a call echoed by Mayor Charles Mizell, who has encouraged volunteerism in the community and has been seen himself, picking up trash along Louisiana Avenue.

Persons wishing to assist may do so by simply showing up at Cassidy Park or can give advance notice by calling city personnel director Sandy Bloom 730-4397 or city council clerk Brenda Ford at 732-6202.

Milltown Classic set for delayed run

(Updated Monday, May 23, 9:27 a.m.)

Without a doubt, Saturday's Milltown Classic scheduled for an 8 a.m. start on Willis Avenue in front of Cassidy Park, will be one of — if not the — warmest race on record.

That's because the 5k walk/run, sponsored by the Bogalusa Rotary Club, has been a start-of-the-day fixture for MCCA Saturday, getting things under way in either February or March, when the weather is much cooler than Memorial Day weekend.

Saturday's race forecast is for 70 degrees and high humidity following the forecast of rain on Friday. That's in contrast to 30 degrees a year ago but not far off from 64 degrees in 2008.

The norm for the race is about 60 entrants, and race coordinator Brad Lewis has high hopes for good weather and a good field of entrants.

Lewis said Monday morning he didn't expect the weather conditions to have a negative impact on the race, but still didn't have a feel for how big the field might be.

"Most years we have between 50 and 100 participants," he said.
Activities will get under way with registration at 6:30 a.m. with the race to follow at 8. The pre-race day registration deadline is Wednesday. For more information, contact Lewis at rbl@bradlewislaw.com or call 735-9003.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogspot.com)