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TWO.WE'RE AT BAYOU METTIE PARK RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF LEBAR AND METTIE ROAD.
THIS USED TO BE JUST A PLAIN GRASS LAWN.
AND OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE BUILT IT OUT INTO A BEAUTIFUL GATHERING PLACE.
WE WORKED WITH TWO HISTORIANS, MAUREEN MCCONNELL AND CATHERINE CAMPANELLA.
THEY HAVE LITERALLY MAPPED OUT FROM THE BC TIMES TO MODERN DAY AND HAVE ALL THESE LITTLE WONDERFUL POINTS IN TIME TO CELEBRATE.
IT'S THE HISTORIC MURAL TIMELINE.
I HOPE THAT AS PEOPLE WALK AROUND THIS PARK, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE MANY OCCASIONS TO SAY, OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
THAT'S REALLY COOL BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT LITTLE FACTS THAT I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT.
THIS GROUND USED TO BE A PLACE WHERE THE BLUE LINE STREETCAR THAT CONNECTED FROM NEW ORLEANS USED TO TURN AROUND.
WELL, THE BLUE LINE, UH, STREETCAR WENT AWAY AND THIS SPOT STAYED AND AMAZINGLY STAYED UNDEVELOPED.
IT HAS BEEN A GREEN LAWN FOR DECADES.
OLD METTIE GARDEN AND CIVIC CLUB SAID, HEY, CAN WE USE THAT SPACE? CAN WE START PUTTING ON A FARMER'S MARKET? CAN WE HOST MOVIE NIGHTS AND MUSIC NIGHTS? WE SAID, ABSOLUTELY.
THEN WE THOUGHT, WELL, THIS SPACE COULD BE SO MUCH MORE.
SO DANA BROWN AND ASSOCIATES CAME OUT AND ACTUALLY GOT FROM THE PUBLIC.
ABOUT 200 PEOPLE COMMENTED ON WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE HERE, HOW IT COULD BE BUILT OUT.
THEY WANTED PLACES TO HOLD WATER AND NATURAL LANDSCAPING AND A SEAT WALL TO KIND OF KEEP THE KIDS IN FROM THE MET ROAD TRAFFIC.
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE COME TO LIFE AND I THINK CREATED A BEAUTIFUL GATHERING PLACE FOR US.