Luling park gets the go ahead

Will include ball field, playground, pavilion

November 24, 2010 at 11:22 am  | Mobile Reader | Print 

The Parish Council approved a contract with Frickey Brothers Construction Inc. for the first phase of Rathborne Park. Frickey Brothers was the low bidder at $318,043.

The park will consist of a fenced baseball field with covered dugouts, bleachers, a playground, two pavilions, two picnic tables, park benches and a parking lot. The parish will use $150,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund along with $150,000 from subdivision fees to help pay for the first phase.

The park should be complete in about four months.

“With this project we're well on our way to having a state-of-the-art recreational facility south of Highway 90 in Luling,” Parish President V.J. St. Pierre said. “It's been a much-needed addition for years.”

Residents have already been enjoying the park site, which is home to the Rathborne Park walking trail, located at the end of Lakewood Drive. The trail is just over eight tenths of a mile long and has a blacktopped connection to provide easy access from Beupre Drive.

Because a portion of the path runs through a wooded section, featuring palmettos and other greenery, it's easy to spot rabbits, deer, birds and other native wildlife. That means that nature enthusiasts, in addition to bikers, inline skaters, walkers and joggers, have found the trail a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of every day life.

Now, the path circles around a 12-acre wooded area that Frickey Brothers will turn into the park site.

While the playground, ball field and pavilions will make the area a top attraction for residents of the Luling area, a future phase could include an additional parking lot, lighting, fitness stations, a basketball court, another ball field, restroom facilities, a batting cage and interior paths.