Body and Soul Conference

1
Body and Soul Conference

• Re-Discovering Our Neighbors and Our Community
  in City Parks
• Robert W. Becker Ph.D. FAICP
• Chief Executive Officer
• New Orleans City Park

2
City Park

• Located in the heart of the city
• The largest recreation site in the metropolitan
  area
• One mile wide by three miles long

City Park
City Park
Airport
Airport
French Quarter
French Quarter
Superdome
Superdome
3
City Park

• 1,300 acres
• Over 150 years old
• More than 11 million visits each year
• More than 5 times the visitation of all State
  parks combined

4
City Park
5
City Park
6
City Park
7
Attractions
8
Attractions
9
Attractions
10
Attractions
11
Attractions
12
Attractions
13
Attractions
14
Attractions
15
Damage from Hurricane Katrina

• On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina dealt a
  devastating blow to City Park.
• Over 43 million in damages

16
Impact of Hurricane Katrina

• Every building damaged
• All equipment destroyed
• Over 1,000 trees toppled
• 90 of the staff laid off
• 95 of revenue obliterated

17
Damage from Hurricane Katrina

• Before the hurricane, City Park had 260 employees
  a combination of full-time, part-time and
  seasonal.
• Given the loss in self generated revenue, all but
  23 employees were laid off.
• Currently the park has 58 full time employees.

18
Damage from Hurricane Katrina

• 90 of the park was under one to eight feet of
  water.

19
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
20
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
21
Damage from Hurricane Katrina

• Over 1,000 of the parks trees toppled.
• 2,000 additional trees have died or are in
  distress since the storm. Currently the Park is
  removing approximately 300 additional storm
  damaged trees.

22
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
23
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
24
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
25
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
26
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
27
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
28
Damage from Hurricane Katrina
29
City Park Before and After
Photos courtesy Pictometry International
30
City Park Before and After
Photos courtesy Pictometry International
31
City Park Before and After
32
City Park Before and After
33
City Park Before and After
Photos courtesy Pictometry International
34
City Park Before and After
35
Our recovery plan

• Clean up
• Open Revenue generating facilities
• Fundraising
• City Park 2018 Master Plan

Seizing the Opportunity
36
Our recovery plan
Clean Up
37
Our recovery plan
38
Our recovery plan
39
(No Transcript)
40
(No Transcript)
41
(No Transcript)
42
(No Transcript)
43
(No Transcript)
44
(No Transcript)
45
(No Transcript)
46
(No Transcript)
47
(No Transcript)
48
Our recovery plan
Open Revenue-generating facilities
49
(No Transcript)
50
(No Transcript)
51
(No Transcript)
52

• Celebration in the Oaks
• 45,000 people in 2005
• 80,000 people in 2006
• 95,000 people in 2007

53
Status of FEMA Claims As of July, 2008

• First six months 6 PWs completed - 6,500
• First year 26 PWs completed - 720,000
• 18 months 45 PWs completed - 2.0 million
• Two years later-414 PWs completed - 11.2
  million received or obligated.
• Estimated total PWs at the end of the
  process, are 529 with a total estimated
  value of 33 million dollars.

54
Fundraising As of July 1, 2008

• 60,844,000 total funds raised for projects
  completed, under design or under construction
• 21,000 volunteers donating 100,000 hours.

55
Background Data
City Park Improvement Association July 27, 2004
New Orleans City Park Vision Plan
Vision for the 21st Century - City Park 2018
Wallace Roberts Todd, Inc. Cashio Cochran
LLC Economics Research Associates
56
City Park Master Plan
57
Tri-Centennial Place (Entertainment/Attractions)
58
(No Transcript)
59
(No Transcript)
60
(No Transcript)
61
(No Transcript)
62
(No Transcript)
63
(No Transcript)
64
(No Transcript)
65
(No Transcript)
66
(No Transcript)
67
(No Transcript)
68
(No Transcript)
69
(No Transcript)
70
(No Transcript)
71
(No Transcript)
72
Cultural Corridor
73
(No Transcript)
74
(No Transcript)
75
Open Space Festival
76
(No Transcript)
77
(No Transcript)
78
(No Transcript)
79
Trail
Marsh and Iris Garden
80
Athletic Complex
81
(No Transcript)
82
(No Transcript)
83
(No Transcript)
84
(No Transcript)
85
(No Transcript)
86
(No Transcript)
87
(No Transcript)
88
Natural Resource Area
89
Golf Complex
90
(No Transcript)
91
Equestrian Complex
92
(No Transcript)
93
(No Transcript)
94
(No Transcript)
95
(No Transcript)
96
(No Transcript)
97
(No Transcript)