By Bonnie Culverhouse
Taking into consideration everything from canines to kids, Webster Parish Tourism Commission, along with architects from Louisiana Tech University, Parish Line and Carbo Landscape and Architecture, has designed a park that could make Minden proud.
In many ways, Miller Quarters Park is still in the dream stages and the commission held two community forums Thursday to ask the local folks what they would like to see and utilize there.
“It’s an 11-acre piece of property, so there’s a lot of opportunity for growth and development,” said WPCVC Executive Director Serena Gray. “The property has been used a couple of times for outdoor festivals, but it would be nice to have more electrical outlets and covered pavilions and shade – an amphitheater and public restrooms.”
Using three main entrance points – one from Gleason Street, East Union and Lee Street, the design shows parking on those three edges with pavilion entrances and public restrooms.
Architects have taken water problems and turned them into water features, including drainage on the Sheppard Street side.
Carbo Landscape architect Shannon Blakeman, said there will be several pathways for walking and biking.
“Those will bring people to the water features,” he said.
Parking on Gleason Street will be near a large playground that has water fountains in which children can play. Nearby are dog park areas for large and small furry friends. There is also room for several food trucks along Gleason.
An amphitheater is designed on the corner of Sheppard and Lee streets with parking and another entrance from Lee that includes a bridge to cross water located there.
Covered pavilions for picnics and relaxation are spaced all around the park. Blake Aaron, co-founder and managing director of Parish Line said those structures, materialistically, complement the terrain, existing structures and is “Louisiana related.”
“The dog trot design actually works really well with a breezeway that people pass through as they are entering the park,” Aaron said. “Restrooms will not open up to this (breezeway) area, so you won’t have that issue when you walk through it. Instead, it will highlight a focal area as you’re entering the park.”
These will be built from materials such as raw steel, shiplap and rock.
Alex Chapman, also co-founder and managing director of Parish Line, said roofs for these buildings will be sloped to match the terrain or in a “butterfly” shape that also complements it. They include louvres to allow air to pass through, as well as light and shade as the sun moves.
The existing structure on the property is conducive to a museum.
“It would highlight the history of the Miller Quarters and possibly contain a gift shop, as well,” Chapman said.
He also said it is important that local contractors and builders take part in the construction as much as possible.
In addition to plumbing, there will be electricity with good lighting in the park. Gray said the hope is to purchase a bit of property on East Union Street that will allow parking and entrance from there.
Because there are many aspects of the project, building steps will be taken slowly, beginning with lawns and trails for public access.
“The bones of the project set up the other projects,” Blakeman pointed out.
Gray stressed the project will cost the community no money.
“At this point, we are interviewing a grant writer to come along and identify grant opportunities that have been successful in other government and municipalities,” she said. “We’ve also been able to identify other grant opportunities that support certain styles of structures that we have on-site – like the amphitheater and walking paths.”
Funds used to purchase the property in 2022 came from occupational taxes paid by outsiders visiting the city’s hotels and motels.
Mayor Nick Cox said he believes this will be an investment in something that will “bring in other people” from outside areas.
“There will be no additional taxes, and none of this money comes from the City of Minden,” Cox said. “Nothing for this project will be taken from any city project.”
That includes problems with Sheppard Street, which Councilman Buddy Myles said the city is aware of.
“We are trying to work out repairing Sheppard Street with the state,” Myles said. “There are issues with whether the state owns it or the city. If it’s us (the city) they (the state) just needs to tell us, and we will go from there.”
Commission Chairman Ty Pendergrass said safety is a top priority.
“The city has ordinances in place that park users will have to abide by,” he said. “We want to do all we can to keep the public safe – and having the police station right across the street has already been a help.”
Anyone who has not seen the plans or did not attend either community event can contact Gray or Johnnye Kennon at the tourism office at 318-377-4240. See below for possible breakdown cost of project.
