Broussard, Youngsville Still Working On Parks

Several months after voters in Broussard and Youngsville approved sales tax measures to fund the construction of two recreation parks, those parks are still very much in the planning phases.

Youngsville will build five baseball fields, four softball fields, six soccer fields, 10 tennis courts, and covered pavilions on 70 acres of donated land. Mayor Wilson Viator says the project has experienced delays because of complications in getting capital outlay dollars from the state, but he hopes to see the sports complex finished by January 2014.

Viator says the project will cost more than $14 million. A new sales tax passed by voters last year is expected to generate $1.5 million per year.

Broussard Mayor Charles Langlinais says a site for his city's park has not been decided yet, but he hopes to see it built somewhere on Broussard's east side to complement the growing residential population there.

Broussard would build two parks. One would feature sports fields while the other would emphasize jogging and walking trails with an entertainment complex available for festivals. The parks would cost between $15 million and $17 million. A new half-cent sales tax would generate more than $3 million a year.