[StBernard] Chalmette multipurpose building to be completed in fall

[Westley Annis]

Chalmette multipurpose building to be completed in fall

Published: Wednesday, May 30, 2012, 9:30 PM

 By Kate Mabry, The Times-Picayune 

While construction on the Val Riess Recreation Complex in Chalmette has been
slow, St. Bernard residents can see progress on the project first-hand this
fall when the new multipurpose building will likely be completed. Like much
of St. Bernard Parish, the 33-acre park was destroyed during Hurricane
Katrina in 2005, and the original facilities, which included four baseball
fields, one football/soccer field, a remote-control car track, a gazebo, two
concession stand and a rental hall, received about 10 feet of water after
nearby levees failed, according to FEMA's website.

The construction of the new facilities, which has been done over four
phases, will be just one of the FEMA-funded projects in the city following
the storm. While FEMA has provided $13 million to fund the project, more
than $10 million will also be contributed by Community Development Block
Grants. The completed project will include the multipurpose building, a mini
water park, eight baseball fields, two concession stands and a 9-foot-wide
walking trail.

Although the project was scheduled to be finished by last September, Craig
DeHarde, director of the St. Bernard Parish department of recreation,
culture and tourism, said phase III of the project, which includes the
construction of a $9 million multipurpose building, will be completed by
fall and will host a number of events from basketball tournaments and boxing
matches to conventions and Carnival balls.

"The building is constructed, but we're working on tying up the loose ends,"
he said.

While the newly constructed park will bring additional recreation to the
area, DeHarde said it will also provide an economic boost in the community.
According to the Louisiana Recovery Authority's website, the park will
sustain "80 percent of the parish's sports, recreational and festival
activities" as well as increase tourism in the parish by 15 percent.
Although construction is still in progress, DeHarde said he believes tourism
in the parish has already increased.

During the early stages of the project's construction in February 2009,
Former Parish President Craig Taffaro said the park, the centerpiece for the
Recreation Department, will bring tournaments to the parish and thus spark
economic development in the parish. Phase I of the project, which was
completed in August 2009 and cost $5 million, included the construction of
four baseball fields, a concession stand, covered seating, a pavilion and
walking path, and phase II of the project, which was completed in November
2010 and cost $4.6 million, included the construction of another four
baseball fields, which are large enough to host high school or college
games, and a three-story concession facility with a climate-controlled
bistro.

In the fourth and final phase, the parish also planned to add a water park
with a lazy river and FlowRider, which mimics wave action for surfing, but
DeHarde said details on the last phase are unclear at this time.

"This facility will aid in the recovery of our parish in many ways," said
Donny Bourgeois, St. Bernard Parish's then-director of parks and recreation
in 2009 about the project. "In addition to our recreational and All-Star
games, we are going to host baseball and softball tournaments, regional
tournaments, World Series and adult cabbage ball and softball leagues."

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