City has big plans for bicentennial

St. Martinville – Planning is in its final stages for the city’s year-long slate of celebrations of the 200th anniversary of its founding.
Tourism Director Elaine Clement gave the city council an update at its last meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 19. She said a 24-page bicentennial souvenir booklet has now been delivered. It contains the full schedule of events for the year as well as a brief history of St. Martinville, maps and a “passport” page that visitors will fill with stamps from attractions and events. Orders are being taken for bicentennial yard signs, which are also ready to distribute.
Organizers expect the Jan. 28 main event to bring big crowds to Longfellow-Evangeline State Historical Site. The Renaissance de la Ville 5K run will start at 8 a.m. and follow a route in and around Longfellow.
The schedule of public events will start at 9 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. featuring music, Cajun food, reenactments and games. A “wishing wall” interactive art installation will hold notes with remembrances and wishes for the city’s future, contributed by attendees. State legislators will be part of the event, reenacting the 1817 signing of the city’s charter, and there is hope that Governor John Bel Edwards may attend, but that is not certain at this time.
Clement said plans for the events are “really coming together” and high attendance is expected for the 200th birthday of one of Louisiana’s oldest incorporated Cities.
In other business, Mayor Thomas Nelson spoke about the need for plans to be finalized for the park improvements made possible by the bond issue passed by voters on Dec. 10. He said an anticipated $700,000, St. Martinville’s share of the $5 million parish-wide allocation, will probably be divided equally between Magnolia Park, Adam Carlson Park and the St. Martinville Festival Grounds.
Dist. 2 councilman Craig Prosper said he has been researching options for a permanent outdoor stage at the grounds, which will be large and versatile enough to accommodate a variety of events, including larger musical groups and theater performances. Planned improvements to the old Talley shop building on the property will eventually provide enough indoor space to avoid rain-out of scheduled events at the site.
Finally, Dist. 1 council member Mike Fuselier brought up the need to resume work on the promised home field for the Elite Tigers football program at Adam Carlson Park. Work on the field was delayed by this summer’s flood. Funding for the project is independent of the new bond issue, which will mostly fund improvements to park structures, restrooms, concession facilities, lighting, fencing and walkways.