Work on boardwalk renovation nears completions
LAKE ARTHUR — The Lake Arthur boardwalk and nearby docks are getting a $60,000 makeover.
Crews are nearing completion on the project which provided much-needed repairs, renovations and safety upgrades to the boardwalk stretching over Lake Arthur, according to Mayor Sherry Crochet
The project includes removing rotten boards and adding new rails for the boardwalk along with electrical work and new sand for the beach and sandboxes.
New LED solar lights will soon be added along the boardwalk for those who want to enjoy it after-hours.
The old diving tower was also removed with future plans to replace it with a platform with railings.
“This means the people are finally able to come out and enjoy the boardwalk and the beach again,” Crochet said. “It has already brought people from all over and out-of-town who come to enjoy our park and restaurants.”
The improvements are being funded by the town’s park funds and are part of Crochet’s goals to keep the town family-friendly, she said.
“We want to keep the town family oriented and give families and kids a place to come and enjoy the park and beach,” she said.
Some 830 yards of new sand has been added to the beach area and sandboxes throughout the park. A mini beach was added to the east side of the park’s large covered pavilion.
“We haven’t had sand on the beach in three years because of the high water,” she said. “We got a grant so this summer we put down half of the sand which built the beach back up. Now we are adding the rest of the sand to the beach while it is dry.”
In addition to the boardwalk improvements, the town recently renovated the boat docks at the Molezuen Canal off New Orleans Street. Two new wharfs were added along with rocks for a parking area. Electricity was also installed at the pavilion.
“They will now have electricity so if they want to have a fishing tournament they can plug in their scales to weigh the fish or have a picnic,” Crochet said.
Since 2015, the lakefront park revitalization project has also added new pavilions and benches.
The town and the Lake Arthur Women’s Library Club also worked to rebuild the park’s bandstand (circa 1920s) after storms made the structure unsafe, and restored the bandstand.
Crochet said the next major project will be renovating the old Capital One bank building for a new town hall.
“We are so desperate and need more room,” Crochet said.
The town purchased the 200,000-square-foot bank building, at the corner of Arthur Avenue and Lake Street, two years ago for $125,000 but had not acted on it until now, Crochet said.
Relocating the town hall to the former bank building will allow the police department to expand into the current town hall to ease overcrowding for the department.
‘We got a grant so this summer we put down half of the sand which built the beach back up. Now we are adding the rest of the sand to the beach while it’s dry.’
Mayor Sherry Crochet
Leslie Byler works to spread new sand at the Lake Arthur Park on Friday. The town is working to complete a renovation project at the park and boardwalk which will include new rails, electrical upgrades and solar lighting.