A volleyball club that plays several times a week along Bayou St. John dreams of building regulation courts adjacent to the American Can apartment complex — if neighborhood resistance doesn’t spike the plan.
The site eyed by the Mid-City Volleyball Group runs along Jeff Davis Parkway between Orleans Avenue and Toulouse Street. A grassy strip of land owned by the Sewerage and Water Board, it is mainly used for parking during events along the waterfront, such as the annual Bayou Boogaloo.
Hickman promises that wherever his group eventually ends up, the sand will be put to use creating their courts.
According to minutes of the volleyball club’s May 2012 meeting, a get-together last year with representatives of the Sewerage and Water Board and an unnamed city official went well.
But as word of the club’s dream spreads, local residents are saying not so fast.
The minutes record that the Sewerage and Water Board encouraged the group to “develop a plan to build a volleyball facility in phases since we are clearly underfunded at this time.” The club’s cash reserves were listed as less than $10,000.
The water board’s deputy special counsel, Brian Ferrara, proposed a rent of $600 a month for the site, according to the minutes. ”Ferrara stated the site has to go out to bid but that the bid would be worded to limit the use of the site,” the minutes stated.
The Sewerage and Water Board did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Peter Hickman, the volleyball club’s prime mover, contends the site could accommodate up to five courts. But “we would probably only build two courts initially and grow slowly as we generate revenue.”
Last week, when the Sewerage and Water Board released the bid proposal for the property, the volleyball club was “shocked and disappointed,” Hickman said, to discover that the water board wants to lease the property a year at a time, not long term. It would take well more than a year for the group to recoup its initial investment, Hickman said, and so, “for economic reasons we are hesitant to submit a proposal.”
Eventually the site can be self-sustaining, Hickman said, noting that the club would be required to carry liability insurance.
Hickman said the club also needs “clarification from the Sewerage and Water Board to see if light poles can be installed on the property” for night games.
In February 2012, Michael DesJardins, former chairman of the Parkview Neighborhood Association, signed off on a letter of support for a volleyball facility, but at a different location.
Concerns about parking and impairment of the bayou’s esthetic appeal had soured the association on the site the club wants. “There is proliferate violation of the non-parking laws on the bayou itself. If this continues unabated, it will eventually destroy the very beauty of the bayou that people are attracted to in the first place,” DesJardins’ letter said. Conversion of the site to volleyball courts would only exacerbate the parking problem, he contended.
But DesJardins said the volleyball group’s cause might be furthered if neighbors could review their plans.
Funding, lighting, advertising and bathroom facilities are the concerns of Randy Richard, a Moss Street property owner who plans to build a house for himself directly across the bayou from the proposed volleyball courts.
Richard said he will be sending a list of questions to Councilwoman Susan Guidry, who represents the area.
After the recent Super Bowl, Guidry was instrumental in lining up some 20 truckloads of donated sand that now sit on the adjacent Lafitte Greenway awaiting a permanent home. Hickman promises that wherever his group eventually ends up, the sand will be put to use creating their courts.
According to several individuals contacted for this story, Guidry has called various neighbors to a meeting in her office later this week to discuss the issue.
Guidry in a recent phone conversation said her office has no plans to convene a public meeting, characterizing her efforts on behalf of the Mid-City Volleyball Organization as support.
The peaceful calm banks of Bayou St. John do not sound like the appropriate place for a volleyball operation. The area should stay multi-use for festival parking, Mid-City theater parking, little league practice area, flag football games, etc.
Agreed. Overdeveloping areas is dangerous–whether the bayou, City Park, the riverfront…. It changes multi-use areas into targeted-use areas. To regimented. Losing to many fields in City Park to development, too.
I seriously doubt a pair of volleyball courts counts as over-development. Ernest Citizen’s comment reads as a non sequitur – it is the volleyball courts that will upset the “peaceful calm” of a site already used for “festival parking, theater parking, little league, and football.” That doesn’t make sense.
Bayou St. John is a National Historic Waterway and has been designated a Louisiana Scenic Byway. If you understand what happens at a sand volleyball venue, I don’t believe most people would approve of such a venue across the street from this bayou.
As far as Eli comments here, the MCVG plan, according to their website, is for 5 or 6 courts, but because of finances they will only start with 2. Also, I would like to note that having lived at this end of the bayou for 14 years, I have never seen little league or football being played. On most days it is, in fact, very “peaceful” and “calm” here.
There are many areas in New Orleans better suited for this kind of intense sporting activity other than Bayou St. John (for example along Marconi Blvd.). This is the reason why cities all over the country place sand volleyball venues far away from residences. This site is simply a bad idea, especially when you factor in league and tournament play with drinking, night play with lights, noise, etc.
I think it’s a great idea. They are already playing out there every
weekend, and it’s worked out fine. They park accordingly it appears,
they spend money at the nearby establishments and use those facilities,
they give free lessons to children, and all get exercise and have fun.
The vast majority of neighbors I hear, are supportive. This article
seemed a tad slanted, in my opinion.
Hmmmm…. Full disclosure. I’m a former Coconut Beach Volleyball player. And supporter of Sand Volleyball.
And hated to see Coconut Beach move to Kenner. And thought the city and UNO should have fought harder to keep them in Orleans.
I don’t see this as particularly “bad” development. The sand volleyball courts won’t impact drainage.
Lighting can be addressed with new LED Dark Skies lighting options. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22292129
But there is very little room for parking (or growth). Coconut Beach….. GREW!
City Park is not far. Wouldn’t that be a better long term location? Or is the rent there higher?
Please quote me correctly: Here is the PNA letter referred to:
February 14, 2012
Cedrick Grant
Deputy Mayor of Facilities, Infrastructure
and Community Development
1340 Poydras Street,
Suite 1000,
New Orleans, LA 70112
RE: The Mid-City Volleyball Group
Dear Deputy Mayor
Grant,
The Parkview Neighborhood Association Board is writing in support of the Mid-City Volleyball
Group
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the concerns of our Mid-City neighbors.
The Mid-City Volleyball Group (MCVG) and Mid-City Youth Volleyball (MCYV)
promote fitness, good health, and sportsmanship through the sport of outdoor
volleyball along Bayou St. John.
We believe in a strong community, and meet regularly with the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization, the Greater Mid-City Business Association, and the Friends of Lafitte Corridor. As participation in our events continues to grow, many local businesses have seen an increase in patronage.
MCVG has been a part of this community since 2008 and has positively impacted the quality of life for
hundreds of people. Our goal is to build a modest sand-court venue in Mid-City that will offer beginner and advanced level clinics, tournaments, and league play in a safe, public space.
We are considering options now to address the need for bathroom facilities and parking space and our proposal to the Sewerage and Water Board for lease of the property on Jefferson Davis Parkway will reconcile those efforts.
Our adult competitions on the bayou build discipline and offer a fun, healthy outlet for anyone who wants to play, but we are particularly committed to serving the youth of this
community. Every Saturday from 9:30-11:30 am MCYV runs free volleyball clinics for children ages 6 to 17 to share a sport we love with the next generation. In the future, we intend to extend the clinics to after-school and summer programs as well.
The MCVG/MCYV Board of Directors welcome your comments. Please direct any questions or concerns to us at MidCityVolleyball@gmail.com, or visit our website at http://midcityvolleyball.org.
Sincerely,
MCVG Board of Directors and MCYV Board of Directors
light poles can be installed on the property