Lafreniere Park is the largest park in

Metairie, Louisiana Metairie ( ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area. With a population of 143,507 in 2020, Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish and was (a ...

. The park is funded by local residents surrounding the park, and a few dollars are added onto their water bill every month.

History

Nicolas Chauvin de la Frenière (senior) received a 5,000 acre (20 km²)

land grant A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...

from Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, which he used to settle with his family. The plantation was then passed on to Nicolas Chauvin de Lafreniere, Jr. who later became Louisiana's

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

. Nicolas Chauvin de Lafreniere, Jr. organized a revolt against Spanish rule in 1768. He was subsequently executed for his part in the conspiracy on October 25, 1769. The land was confiscated by Alejandro O'Reilly afterwards. On part of this 5,000 acre (20 km²) land grant, the Jefferson Downs Racetrack was eventually built. The Racetrack remained in operation until 1965 when

Hurricane Betsy Hurricane Betsy was an intense and destructive tropical cyclone that brought widespread damage to areas of Florida and the central United States Gulf Coast in September 1965. The storm's erratic nature, coupled with its intensity and minim ...

devastated the area. Upon destruction of the track, it was rebuilt near

Lake Pontchartrain Lake Pontchartrain ( ) is an estuary located in southeastern Louisiana in the United States. It covers an area of with an average depth of . Some shipping channels are kept deeper through dredging. It is roughly oval in shape, about from west ...

in Kenner, Louisiana. This left the old site vacant, and the idea of a park for

Jefferson Parish Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foot ...

was born. Construction started in 1977, and the park was substantially finished and dedicated in 1982.

Development Timeline

Wildlife

The park features extensive array of wildlife, including a wide variety of birds, squirrels. turtles, rabbits, raccoons, opossums and coypu (or Nutria). Commonly seen species are White Ibis, (Canadian, African, and Chinese) Geese, Black Swan, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, and Great Egret. They are easy to photograph from a distance of about 20 to 30 feet. One side of the park contains a marshland with a wooden walkway cutting through it, allowing travelers to get up close with the wildlife. WadingIbisS

Layout

Two large playgrounds provide a fenced-in area for small children to play, complete with benches and covered tables for their parents. The park is also home to a

carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...

. In the middle of the park is a man-made lagoon, with three islands. Pavilion Island is near the center, and contains a large pavilion. Marsh Island is home to much of the park's wildlife and features a boardwalk. Large man-made hills blanket some fields, while leaving others open for various activities, such as disc golf. The largest of these hills, located on the north side of the park near the concert pavilion, is colloquially referred to by locals as Coon Hill, due to the large population of raccoons present in the park. A two-mile walking and jogging track encircles the park, with three stretching gyms located at intervals around it. A 5-acre dog park is located in the northeast of the park, with separate fenced areas for small and large dogs.

Sports

Lafreniere Park contains five fields for

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

, two fields for

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

fields and other multi-purpose fields. One side of the park was converted into a

frisbee golf Disc golf, also known as frisbee golf, is a flying disc sport in which players throw a disc at a target; it is played using rules similar to golf. Most disc golf discs are made out of polypropylene plastic, otherwise known as polypropene, which ...

course. The park has hosted the Allstate Sugar Bowl High School

Lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...

Classic. It has also hosted rugby and field hockey events. The park is used for cross country meets. The

Loyola Wolf Pack The Loyola Wolf Pack are the athletic teams representing Loyola University New Orleans in intercollegiate athletics. The Wolf Pack are a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Southern ...

men's and women's cross country teams host home meets in the park. Lafreniere is also a popular place for joggers because of the two mile walking track, which is strictly a pedestrian track. Although the track is for joggers, the park also recognizes the needs for skaters and bikers (referring to bi

cyclists Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of Bicycle, cycles for transport, recreation, Physical exercise, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", ...

). Many steps and concrete rails are scattered throughout the park, making these spots ideal places for

skateboarders Skateboarding is an action sport originating in the United States that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and a method of transportation. S ...

. Large, usually empty parking lots are converted into skating areas for inline skaters (also known as roller skating). For bikers and light traffic, the park contains a large road mirroring the inside of the walking track, which is kept smooth and level.

Christmas in the Park

The park is decorated every December with elaborate light displays, which can be viewed on foot or (for a fee) by vehicle. During the event, children's craft activities are provided near the Pavilion Island parking lots, and local school bands perform on stage.

Ground Photos

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References

External links

Lafreniere Park Official Site

Lafreniere Park Photo Gallery
- please note, all images on this site are copyrighted and require written consent to use.
Lafreniere Park History at www.JeffParish.net
{{coord, 30, 0, 6, N, 90, 12, 47, W, type:landmark_region:US_dim:1500, display=title Parks in Louisiana Protected areas of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana Cross country running courses in Louisiana College cross country courses in the United States Defunct horse racing venues in Louisiana Baseball venues in New Orleans Lacrosse venues in Louisiana Rugby union stadiums in New Orleans Soccer venues in New Orleans Softball venues in New Orleans Loyola Wolf Pack Tourist attractions in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana 1982 establishments in Louisiana