I was pleased to participate in BREC’s Capitol Area Pathways Project open house, yesterday. I saw an estimate that about 120 members of the public had attended the meeting. The BREC staff seemed genuinely concerned with my interests and suggestions, but the format of marking up proposed ideas on their giant satellite maps of the parish was a bit intimidating. However, some hands- on help and encouragement got me started; by the time I left, I had pasted yellow label- dots all over the parish.
There was plenty advocacy for trails and greenways, so I stayed with my interest in paddling access to our local rivers; they termed these corridors “blueways”.
I wrote up and submitted some notes of my ideas, including the following excerpts:
When I was younger, I could launch my canoe in the Amite or Comite River near a bridge and take out at the next bridge. I would spend the day fishing, watching wildlife, playing in the water; I even camped on sandbars sometimes. Now, all of the river crossings are posted with "no parking" signs. Access denied! The development of park facilities and parking spots along our local rivers would certainly be in keeping with BREC’s mission, and would provide access to wonderful recreation in those areas. There already exist a number of parks along or near those rivers, but actual access to the rivers is not convenient for launching a canoe or kayak from the ones I have visited. Additionally, there are a number of road- crossing sites where access would be relatively simple and inexpensive to develop.
It was great to get some personal feedback on my ideas, and I learned of some smaller waterways that have potential for development. I even had a chance to ask about the lakes improvements at City Park and LSU. I’ve been dabbling around those lakes for more than a half- century. The improvement plan looks like a long- term project that will be too late for me, but I will still have the lakes to test new fly patterns and show youngsters how to fish. Those lakes have demonstrated their capacity to grow some really big fish, and won’t it be marvelous to eventually develop a beautiful lake system, with a world- class fishery, right here in the heart of Baton Rouge.
There was plenty advocacy for trails and greenways, so I stayed with my interest in paddling access to our local rivers; they termed these corridors “blueways”.
I wrote up and submitted some notes of my ideas, including the following excerpts:
When I was younger, I could launch my canoe in the Amite or Comite River near a bridge and take out at the next bridge. I would spend the day fishing, watching wildlife, playing in the water; I even camped on sandbars sometimes. Now, all of the river crossings are posted with "no parking" signs. Access denied! The development of park facilities and parking spots along our local rivers would certainly be in keeping with BREC’s mission, and would provide access to wonderful recreation in those areas. There already exist a number of parks along or near those rivers, but actual access to the rivers is not convenient for launching a canoe or kayak from the ones I have visited. Additionally, there are a number of road- crossing sites where access would be relatively simple and inexpensive to develop.
It was great to get some personal feedback on my ideas, and I learned of some smaller waterways that have potential for development. I even had a chance to ask about the lakes improvements at City Park and LSU. I’ve been dabbling around those lakes for more than a half- century. The improvement plan looks like a long- term project that will be too late for me, but I will still have the lakes to test new fly patterns and show youngsters how to fish. Those lakes have demonstrated their capacity to grow some really big fish, and won’t it be marvelous to eventually develop a beautiful lake system, with a world- class fishery, right here in the heart of Baton Rouge.
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