City of Monroe Hosting Community Meeting to Improve Parks

Wednesday, November 30, 2022 - 3:00pm

(Monroe, LA) The City of Monroe and Carbo Landscape Architecture are hosting a community engagement meeting to gather ideas on ways to improve Forsythe, Charles Johnson, and Chennault Parks as a part of a parks master plan.

Community members are invited to participate in the meeting, which will be held at the outdoor pavilion at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. Community input activities will be from 3:00-5:30 p.m., followed by a holiday movie in the park at 6:00 p.m. There will be lots of ways to share your ideas, as well as fun family-oriented events with food trucks, hot cocoa, an appearance from Santa.

To improve Forsythe, Charles Johnson, and Chennault Parks as a cohesive system, the City of Monroe has commissioned a parks master plan led by Carbo Landscape Architecture. Mayor Friday Ellis spearheaded the parks master planning effort as a part of his campaign to improve Monroe’s public amenities. “Community feedback must be the foundation of the project’s design to ensure that the parks best serve the people of Monroe. The work we’re doing is the natural next step in improving the quality of life in the City of Monroe,” says Mayor Ellis.

The consultant team held stakeholder meetings and conducted on-site research and data collection in October to gather baseline information on the site and user groups in preparation for the upcoming community meetings. In November, the consultant team and the City of Monroe are hosting a community engagement event to gather information from the residents of Monroe on how they would like to use their parks. All information collected from stakeholders, research, and the community will inform an initial concept for each park. Carbo Landscape Architecture will check back in with the people of Monroe, hosting another public event to confirm the plans reflect the community’s vision. Comments will be collected and incorporated into the final plans. The master plan is scheduled to be completed in six months and will provide the City with a road map of implementable improvements for each park.

Shannon Blakeman, managing principal with Carbo Landscape Architecture, noted that, “the parks system has immense potential, and we are looking forward to hearing how people want to use them now and in the future.”

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ABOUT CARBO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

From its inception in 1995, CARBO has developed design and project skills to become a leading landscape architecture firm. The firm has developed a considerable range of projects that maintain a keen awareness of the environment and understand the importance of identities unique to the places they work. CARBO fosters the ideals of exceptional design and stewardship with attention to detail through each of its projects.

Committed to the axiom that simplicity is the essence of good design, CARBO strives to create elegant, sustainable landscapes with timeless appeal. Using traditional materials, a keen awareness of the environment, and classic principles, the firm interprets and celebrates the historical and cultural context of place. Completed works include residential and estate gardens, regional parks, botanical gardens, nature centers, institutional campuses, and urban streetscapes. Close working relationships with clients, attention to detail, and an ability to glean and cultivate distinct qualities of place have led to landscapes that possess a resolute mission and clear purpose. CARBO has been recognized for its work with over 100 professional design awards, and their work has been featured in Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens, ELLE Decor, Garden Design, Flower Magazine, and the journal of the profession, Landscape Architecture.

 

Best,

Michelli Martin

Media Relations Director

michelli.martin@ci.monroe.la.us

318-372-7640

 

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