Jim Rhodes announced that the Cane River Waterway Commission will give the City of Natchitoches an additional $350,000 toward the total cost of the Rue Beauport Riverbank Renovation Project. He made the announcement at the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission meeting Oct. 19.
With an initial investment of $3 million, the CRWC is funding the majority of the project. Rhodes said the Waterway Commission feels this project will change the dynamics of the whole riverbank as it will become more used.
“We just want to make sure the Cane River is everything it can be,” he said. “We knew we needed to be a part of this.”
With the City doing more work then they originally planned for, the CRWC felt it was pertinent to provide more assistance toward the project. The money should be transferred toward the end of the year after the CRWC amends its budget and completes the necessary paperwork.
The City will bid out work beginning Oct. 24 to do all the parking spaces on the riverbank in concrete with brick crosswalks every 4-5 spaces. Other additions include the necessary sewer line being moved and upgraded before the renovation could begin. A second stairwell was added on the south end of the riverbank. There was also a change order to install adequate faucets to supply water to all vendors for festivals.
Please give us answers!
These are Parish tax payer dollars that should have been used for the good of the whole Parish! Not the City of Natchitoches, they are going to charge each one of us 10.00 to 15.00 anytime we want to use OUR Riverbank we Paid for! Now a 350,000 change order! Isn’t that nice. So happy for all the landowners in downtown Natchitoches!!!
1.Can we in the parish each get a percentage of the revenue that is going to increase in Natchioches city budget becasue of the misappropriation of my parish tax dollar? You can send mine to the Parish Council. The city is always undermining the revenue sources of the Parish.
2.Why did they not give this gift of $3,350,000 to the whole Parish for road repair or whatever, so we can drive to Natty? I cannot drive down a parish road without damaging my car or falling off into the river.
4.Also,why does the Waterway commission receive so much of our taxes if they do not even need it? Why did the people not get to vote on the use of these funds!
When does this madness stop! With the Parish Board, the School Board and now again the Cane River Waterway Board not getting the needs of the people that voted them in met.
Oh that’s right we don’t get to vote on the Waterway Board, do we?
We can sound off as much as we want however, do not do it in person though. You will be barred from this Clicky and grade school town and not even invited to any more backdoor meetings downtown.
It’s a tax imposed by the state supposed to be dedicated to the upkeep of Cane River. The fact the CRWC NEVER had the funds to fix what needed to be fix,the funds from what I understand were building up to much and the were in danger of the state taking some of the funds and move them where the could be used! So instead of using what it would take to fix the river they are using for the river bank. As for the board,they are appointed by the Governor we the people have NO say! Ain’t that just a pickle?
So we as voters must call and write the Governor’s office to Stop the Madness!!
Done that couple years ago no response!.
Dredge the downtown river; make it deeper!
I’m just wondering when, if ever the pumps will actually begin working. I was told two or three years back that it was just a matter of weeks. I also would like during my life time to see the river dredged downtown and not be able to walk across it. It won’t happen and I’m losing trust in most city and parish officials..
When one of the group bends a prop or spills a glass of Merlot! Then the jumping through hoops begin trying to get it fixed.
I read the dollar amount incorrectly … But, I am at the point that it doesn’t matter … I see so much waste !!!
So, what I am understanding – The Riverbank gets and ADDITIONAL 6.5 MILLION DOLLARS ?????
But, I am still dodging pot holes and just spent several hundred dollars to get the front end of an $82k truck fix – because of the roads in the parish ??? UMMMMMM…. okay…. Priorities …SMH.
We just want to make sure the Cane River is everything it can be,” he said. “We knew we needed to be a part of this.”
Well CRWC folks need to take a boat ride! Not evening casual wine sipping ride,note pads and cameras and take a few hours and see you have totally failed at making Cane River all it could be! I have made the offer to anybody that wanted to go and be shown the issues but no takers so I can’t do it on my own so be it I’m done.
These ppl just throwing the money around just need to dam the river at both ends of front Street and call the thing Cane Pond. Mr. Rhoads needs to climb down off the check book and spend a few hours on the river and see what needs to be fixed! Oh and by the way,boat handicapped ramp still taped off like a murder took place and my friend with the special needs child still can’t get to the water to fish! Thank you CRWC for your dedication to your position! Pat each other on the back!
The roads in Natchitoches PARISH are horrible… when is there ever going to be money to fix the roads instead of just doing a patch job…
they will never be fixed,because all the city and parish care about is their
money maker baby “Christmas festival ” if it doesn’t involve riverbank or front
street they could care less about pot holes.
I will swerve now just to miss pot holes on hwy6,spanish lake,hwy 1 etc..