A green space connects NOLA neighborhoods
The Lafitte Greenway is a 2.6-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail and green corridor connecting neighborhoods from Armstrong Park to City Park. The Lafitte Greenway transforms one of New Orleans" most historic transportation corridors originally a canal connecting Bayou St. John to the edge of the French Quarter, and later a railroad right-of-way that has sat vacant since the mid-20th century into a multiuse linear park. (Photo from Tenbo Air: Remote Aerial Imaging)
The Lafitte Greenway"s freshly paved walking and biking path and newly manicured landscape is officially open. City officials and greenway supporters held a grand opening on Nov. 6, marking the end of several years of work, including assistance from Tulane University.
The 2.6-mile Lafitte Greenway transforms one of the city"s oldest rail lines into a multiuse transportation corridor and linear park, connecting neighborhoods from Armstrong Park to City Park. The City of New Orleans broke ground on the $9.1 million project in March 2014. Friends of Lafitte Greenway, the nonprofit steward of the greenway, spent several years generating financial support for the project, developing programming on the land, and promoting it as a community space.
Tulane University has supported several aspects of the Lafitte Greenway. The Tulane Prevention Research Center at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine measured the outdoor physical activity levels of neighborhoods within a half mile of the greenway and administered surveys with high school students in 2010, asking about their physical activity and health. The center intends to follow-up with more measurements and surveys after the greenway opens to determine the health impacts.
The Tulane PRC also placed a graduate student intern with Friends of Lafitte Greenway over the summer to help the nonprofit create a plan to increase access to healthy, local foods. The intern used her training in nutrition and public health for garden program development, community outreach, fundraising and meeting coordination.
“We now have a Community Action Plan for community garden development that will help make the Lafitte Corridor neighborhoods healthier and stronger,” said Sophie Harris, executive director of Friends of Lafitte Greenway.
The Tulane Center for Public Service provided Friends of Lafitte Greenway with an undergraduate intern last summer. This fall, the nonprofit was selected as a partner to host a Tulane AmeriCorps VISTA member for three years. The Tulane Center for Gulf Coast Environmental Health Research, Leadership and Initiatives placed a community health worker with the nonprofit for two years to provide recreation and physical activity programming for residents.
Naomi King Englar is the communications coordinator for the Tulane Prevention Research Center and the Tulane Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health.
