Park means ‘connection’ to alumna who manages it

As manager of Crescent Park, Katherine Campbell Guidry wears many hats, handling programming, social media, community relations and more, down to the smallest (but crucial) details like overseeing weed-pulling by her landscaping team. What started as an internship with the French Market Corp. in 2014 ended up as a job in 2015, largely due to Guidry’s independent research and development plan for the park.
 
Guidry, a 2009 Tulane University graduate, gathered input from community members on how the park would best serve their needs. Crescent Park officially opened in July 2015 with breathtaking city views, green space rich with native landscaping, bike paths, a dog run and multi-use pavilions.

“This is a place that isn’t quite like anywhere else.”

Katherine Guidry, class of 2009

 
Running 1.4 miles along the Mississippi riverfront, the park represents “connection,” according to Guidry. It reconnects locals and visitors physically and visually to the river as well as provides a corridor that connects the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods to the riverfront.
 
A California native, Guidry was a sophomore when Hurricane Katrina hit. When she returned to campus, Tulane administration organized a day of service that helped stoke her compassion and solidified her relationship with the city.
 
“To really serve New Orleans, I think you have to understand New Orleans,” Guidry says. “This is a place that isn’t quite like anywhere else. Being a student at Tulane taught me to love New Orleans. It also taught me how to have a good time. In my job I get to develop events with the sole purpose of providing a great experience to our community!”
 
One of those “good-times” events Guidry helped organize is the Crescent Park Bazaar, a monthly outdoor market featuring local artisans, food trucks and more on the Mandeville Wharf in Crescent Park. The bazaar is held the third Sunday of every month from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., with the exception of January, February and August.