If the proposed new Des Allemands boat launch site is truly as good as it sounds then let’s hope our St. Charles Parish leaders make it a jewel for everyone.
Leaving the announcement – and site’s location – up to the landowner donating it is fine.
But the focus should be on how to polish that diamond and provide a launch that boaters have been seeking for years. All anyone has to do is look at the area’s incredible waters to understand the yearning so many have to get out there and enjoy the natural beauty of a place that’s clearly under utilized.
If the rumblings are right, this project has stepped up in many ways for the people of St. Charles Parish.
We certainly want to thank the St. Charles Parish West Bank Boat Launch Citizens Advisory Committee, which is apparently disbanding with the parish assuring its members that a West Bank site is in hand. They didn’t find the proposed “alternative site,” but they put great effort into trying to find one.
They met for months and recommended at least five sites for appraisals, but the parish told them none of the landowners would meet with them.
Moving forward, parish officials told them they could meet if they wanted to, but maintained the alternate site is a done deal.
It’s the public’s turn now to ensure the planned boat launch is suitable and that we’re able to keep the old one, also in Des Allemands.
Who would have imagined getting a boat launch could be so political, but the bottom line is providing the access to the area’s impressive natural beauty and the public has clearly stated that’s important.
Talk to your council members to ensure this launch site represents the public’s great desire to go fishing, boating or developing a potential economic boost for the Des Allemands area.
Let’s dream together for a place that could bring us all closer to a natural beauty that many only hope to see.
Money would have been better spent on law enforcement to get the speeding on residential streets under control, but that’s obviously not a concern.