[00:00:06]
TODAY IS A GREAT DAY IN THE TOWN OF JEAN LAFITTE.
WE ARE SO PROUD TO HAVE THIS RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE LOUISIANA WETLANDS EDUCATION CENTER, THIS FANTASTIC FACILITY.
WE WILL EDUCATE LOUISIANA, THE NATION AND THE WORLD ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR COAST.
Y'ALL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
I THINK IT'S AROUND $6 MILLION FACILITY, AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.
IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THIS JUST DON'T GET BUILT OVERNIGHT.
I, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH, UM, OUR TEAM, COUNCILMAN KERNER, UH, TO BRING AND LOUISIANA TOURISM, UH, FOLKS TO BRING IN, UH, THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL DISC GOLF TOURNAMENT JUST UP THE ROAD LAST WEEKEND AT PARK DAY.
FOR ME, I'M SO GLAD THIS WILL BE OPEN TO WELCOME THEM NEXT YEAR WHEN WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMING BACK BECAUSE LEARNING ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT, LEARNING WHAT MAKES US SPECIAL FOR THEM TO PLAY OUT ON THAT COURSE, BUT THEN REALLY COME LEARN ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S THAT KIND OF THING THAT MAKES US UNIQUE.
WE WANT TO KEEP ADDING ON THINGS THAT'S GONNA BRING PEOPLE HERE, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE WHERE THEY WANNA SPEND MONEY AT.
OUR RESTAURANTS WANNA STAY FOR A FEW NIGHTS.
THE WETLANDS EDUCATIONAL CENTER, AND THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT SO WONDERFUL, IS YOU WALK THROUGH AND YOU LEARN ABOUT THE WETLANDS.
YOU LEARN ABOUT THE FIGHT, YOU LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S AT STAKE.
AND IF YOU DON'T DO NOTHING, WHAT HAPPENS? IT, IT, IT ENGAGES PEOPLE, IT MAKES PEOPLE CARE, BUT THEN THEY LEARN ABOUT THE WETLANDS AND THEY WALK ON THE LONGEST BOARDWALK OVER A SWAMP OF WETLANDS IN THE COUNTRY, IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY SEE THE WETLANDS.
SO IT TIES INTO A FULL, REALLY INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE THAT, THAT I THINK IS REALLY GONNA LEAVE PEOPLE WITH SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST A GOOD TIME, BUT LEAVE SOME PEOPLE WITH A STORY.
THE VISION BEHIND THIS WAS BECAUSE THE WETLANDS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO, TO THIS AREA THAT WE WANTED TO, WE WANTED TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON HOW IMPORTANT IT'S NOT ONLY TO THIS AREA, BUT TO, UM, THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IN, IN AMERICA, SO THAT WE CAN GET SUPPORT IN PROTECTING THESE AREAS.
THIS CENTER ACTUALLY IS STATIONED IN SUCH A GREAT LOCATION THAT YOU'RE IN THE CENTER LEARNING ABOUT THE SWAMP, THE WETLANDS, THE FOREST, AND YOU SEE IT RIGHT OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW AND HAS ALL THESE WONDERFUL PICTURES AND IMAGERY IS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE STUDENTS, THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE TOUCHING THESE BOARDS, UM, READING THE CAPTIONS, PLAYING THE GAMES OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS AS A HANDS-ON FACILITY.
SO LET'S SAY IT'S RAINING OVER HERE, AND AS IT RAINS, LOOK AT THE ELEVATION.
IT SHOWS THAT WE NEED A, WE NEED TO GET IT HIGHER.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET IT HIGH ENOUGH TO STOP THE WATER.
THIS IS THE FRONT LINES FOR THE BATTLE OF THE COAST.
THIS IS BY FOUR, THE GREATEST FIGHT LOUISIANA WILL EVER HAVE.
WE MAY BE FIRST, BUT WE WON'T BE LAST IF WE DON'T FIX THIS PROBLEM.
SO WE WANTED IT HERE TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND AND SAY, WE'RE NOT BUDGETING.
THE LOUISIANA WETLANDS EDUCATIONAL CENTER IS GONNA BE ON THE FRONT LINES, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE NEVER LOSE THIS FRONT LINE.