[StBernard] FOUR GYMS, A YOUTH CENTER AND BALL PARK OPEN IN ST. BERNARD!

[Westley Annis]

FOUR GYMS, A YOUTH CENTER AND BALL PARK OPEN IN ST. BERNARD!

Week marks series of ribbon cutting celebrations heralding growth and
recovery

 

St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro and Parish Council members
were joined by Schools Superintendent Doris Voitier and School Board members
to mark the grand openings of four gymnasiums and a ball park. This highly
celebrated week of progress included the openings of Cypress Gardens Gym at
Davies Elementary, Gauthier Gym at Gauthier Elementary as well as the Paul
Noel Gym, which includes the Fuel Youth Center. President Taffaro also
announced the openings this week of the Sammy Frichter Gym and Kenilworth
Ball Park next to Gauthier Gym.

 

"This is a critical part of our recreation infrastructure to continue to
promote opportunities for our youth and families to have positive social
experiences," President Craig Taffaro said.

 

Acting FEMA LATRO Deputy Director of Programs Mark Landry, who attend the
grand opening event at Gauthier Gym, thanked St. Bernard officials for their
persistence and promised more FEMA help with the forthcoming recovery
projects. Jeff Amering from the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and
Emergency Preparedness, which assists with the recovery projects, also was
on hand to promise the state's continued support.

 

Superintendent Doris Voitier said the events were important to the students
at Davies and Gauthier who will be able to use the Cypress Garden and
Gauthier gyms as a key part of the physical education programs under
cooperative agreements with the St. Bernard Parish Government.

 

Fuel, the youth program created by St. Bernard Parish President Craig P.
Taffaro, also held its inaugural social event after the ribbon cutting that
included basketball, dodge ball, video games, Wrecking Ball inflatable and
prizes. 

 

The center will be opening with after school hours for middle school and
high school students begin December 1st.  The upstairs of Paul Noel's gym
has been transformed as a space for youth to hang out with friends, play
video games, work on your homework and have access to the Internet. Call
Abbey Flaherty, SBPG Youth Coordinator with any questions about Fuel or the
Youth Center at 224-1653.

 

The projects represent major recovery dollars and key projects that involved
a lot of help and support from a variety of agencies. In addition to
President Taffaro and Chief Administrative Officer Dave Dysart, St. Bernard
Recovery Director Michael Dorris Jr. oversaw all the projects as well as St.
Bernard Recreation Director Donny Bourgeois. Diana Goin of the St. Bernard
Public Works Department was the project manager.

 

Noel Gym, which was renovated and funded by FEMA, cost about $662,000. The
work was designed by Meyer Engineers and constructed by T-Mac Construction.
James Thomas of Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. was the project manager. 

 

Cypress Gardens Gym, which was demolished and reconstructed as a new gym,
cost about $2,088,500. It was funded mostly by FEMA, with about $48,500 in
parish government funds. The work was designed by Meyer Engineers and
constructed by Aegis Construction. The demolition contractor was T-Mac
Construction. James Thomas of Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. was the project
manager. 

 

Gauthier Gym, which also was demolished and reconstructed as a new gym, cost
$2,524,477, including about $200,000 for demolition and associated costs. It
was funded mostly by FEMA, with about $48,500 in parish government funds.
The work was designed by Meyer Engineers and constructed by T-Mac
Construction. The demolition contractor was Roofing Enterprises. James
Thomas of Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. was the project manager. 

 

Renovation to Sammy Frichter at the old St. Claude Heights School site cost
about $700,000. Frichter, too, was funded mostly by FEMA, with about $4,500
in parish government funds. The work was designed by Meyer Engineers and
constructed by T-Mac Construction. James Thomas of Camp Dresser & McKee Inc.
was the project manager. 

 

Renovations to Kenilworth Ball Park cost about $695,374 paid for by FEMA.
The work was designed by Meyer Engineers and constructed by T-Mac
Construction. Douglas Landry of Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. was the project
manager. 

 

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