Officials get a look at plans, progress for parish facility

BY MARCELLE HANEMANN

THE DAILY NEWS

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BOGALUSA n Washington Parish is noted for its natural beauty. But much of its property is privately owned and not generally accessible. Many people who would like to hike through the towering trees or sit on a beach and watch the river pass are not allowed.

But a change is in the works. And the work is in progress.

On Friday, Sen. Ben Nevers brought officials from throughout the state, parish and area municipalities to get an on-site update on the Bogue Chitto State Park.

The group that included Nevers, Rep. Harold Ritchie, Bogalusa Mayor Mack McGehee, Franklinton Mayor Earle Brown, Washington Economic Development Foundation Director Ryan Seal, representatives from the Lieutenant Governor's Office and the Office of State Parks and others, assembled under the thick natural canopy on the edge of the 1,800 acre site located near the southwest corner of the parish.Stuart Johnson, assistant secretary of State Parks, said he expects the Bogue Chitto to be "a premiere state park." The plan is to keep the property, which includes widely diverse terrain, as close to its natural state as possible.

And Clifford Melius, State Parks landscaper, said the park is even being designed to enable campers in cabins and at RV sites to feel like they are "kind of out there by themselves." For example, cabins will be located 100 to 200 feet apart and oriented to open upon natural scenes, rather than neighboring visitors, he said.

Bogue Chitto State Park is located between Louisiana Highway 25 and the Bogue Chitto River, with one section on the far side of the river. It covers a 120-foot change in elevation from highlands to boggy areas. And highland areas will be accessible even when the lower areas are temporarily flooded.

The 10 existing lakes that cover more than 32 acres in the park will be available for fishing and canoeing. According to the plans, there will be nine miles of walking trails and more than seven miles of equestrian trails. And tubing and canoeing will be provided along the river.

Visitors will be able to enjoy fishing piers, a bike path, canoe launch pavilions, a beach pavilion and an interactive water play area. Plans also include an amphitheater, group gathering pavilions and children's play areas.

And many "Points of Interest" or Interpretive Areas will be located throughout the park. Each will include signs explaining what is special or unique about the area.

The Visitor's Center will include a 2,850 square foot multi-use building containing a large room for conferences, classes or meetings and a 2,800 square foot Interpretive Center containing an interpretive/display area, a sales area and a naturalist's office. The center will be located on the edge of an 80-foot bluff, which overlooks the main park, and will include a large deck for viewing.

Eleven air-conditioned Visitor's Cabins, five located upland and six bottomland, will have cable and Internet access and handicapped accessible cabins will be provided in each area. The upland cabins will be situated along the bluff, with views across the park. Four will contain two bedrooms, and the fifth will contain four bedrooms.

The bottomland units will be situated around two lakes along the river. There will be five two-bedroom units and one four-bedroom unit.

An Upland and a Bottomland RV Area will each contain 25 RV sites with tent pads, fire ring and picnic tables. And two shower buildings with laundry rooms will be provided at each RV site.

A Large Group Camp will contain two 3,100 square foot camp buildings that each sleep 56 people and contain restroom and shower facilities. The group camp will also include a 3,600 square foot assembly building containing a large meeting room/cafeteria and a full service kitchen.

A Small Group Camp building will contain 4,760 square feet and provide sleeping space for 64 people. It will have a meeting room/cafeteria, a full service kitchen and restroom/shower facilities.

Sam Fauntleroy, of Fauntleroy and Latham Architects, which is developing the project, said that utilities, including water and sewer systems, would have to be constructed for the park.

And funding will reportedly dictate whether or not some aspects of the project have to be scaled back in favor of others. For example, it could come down to a choice between fewer trails or fewer campsites.

More than $12 million has reportedly been budgeted for the project. But Fauntleroy said that "the problem is the unbelievable price escalation" for construction.

Nevers said that the cost needs to be determined "so we can work to get the rest of the money."

Meanwhile, the project is moving forward. Fauntleroy said that the Corps of Engineers permitting process is underway and that architectural and historic studies have been conducted. The design development phase is finished and the preparation of construction documents is scheduled to begin soon, he said.

It is hoped that the project will be ready to go out for bids this fall and that construction could begin early next year. And it generally takes about two years to complete construction, said Melius. But it is highly unusual for a park to be built "all at once," which is the plan for the Bogue Chitto, he said.