- Pat Evans spoke with Councilwoman Kristin Palmer on Tuesday, May 10th. As of that date, Councilwoman Palmer had contacted the Administration to confirm the Municipal Auditorium was not part of the 100 capital projects but that they were "actively moving forward to get an accurate estimate of Katrina-related damage." No RFP is prepared or released at this time, nor are any proposals by the Administration out there to re-bid the project.
- Luther Gray spoke to a representative at Park and Parkways, who were having a meeting Friday, May 13th with the contractor(s) and told him to call back to follow up this coming Monday, May 16th, at 10:00am. It was noted that the Jazz Heritage / Congo Square Rhythm Festivals were of the few that actually pay to use park space.
- Hearsay currently is that the Mayor's Office/City Administration has hired two other contractors (one is Cajun Construction) to oversee the continuing work of A.M.E. on Armstrong Park's renovation and repair.
- Questions remain as to why only one gate has been opened for now. It was noted that having only one point of entry/egress to Armstrong Park, or any park or public space, is a significant public safety issue in cases of emergency. This could help in the push to open another gate (ideally all gates) more quickly.
- End of the month/early June event to celebrate the heritage and history of Armstrong Park and Congo Square, as well as the recent rededication of Congo Square with its official name. A possible time to formally present the petition to City officials, including Mayor Landrieu and the City Council was discussed. We are currently aiming for Wednesday, June 8th, possibly at Shaka Zulu's Golden Feather Mardi Gras Indian Museum and Restaurant. Beth and Marie will meet in the near future to hammer out the details of the event and related invitation. Damon offered to help with arranging entertainment for the evening.
- In addition to a public celebratory event in early June, it was also noted that a private meeting with the Mayor could be effective to elicit a positive response to our campaign.
- As a reminder, Luther will be leading the drumming circle at Congo Square this Sunday, May 15th, from 2:00pm-4:00pm. All are welcome!
More information as we continue to work on these endeavors. A wonderful weekend to all!
- Marie
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