Something is happening across New Orleans and the surrounding parishes — a quiet transformation that’s changing how we experience the outdoors. From a former industrial salvage yard turned riverfront gathering spot to a living shoreline protecting Lake Pontchartrain’s edge, the region is reimagining what public green space can be. And for the first time in generations, New Orleanians are getting unprecedented access to the Mississippi River, their neighborhoods and nature itself.
The Batture
Ben Jacobson and his partner Casey Burka spent eight years — from 2015 to 2023 — working to purchase 10 acres of riverfront that, until recently, most New Orleanians didn’t even know existed. For 170 years, this stretch of land beside Audubon Park was closed to the public — first owned by the Bisso family before the Civil War, then used as a marine salvage yard filled with scrap metal and heavy equipment.
“As native New Orleanians, the Mississippi River has always been a defining presence, yet there are surprisingly few places for locals to truly experience it,” Jacobson said. “Finding 10 acres of undeveloped riverfront, tucked beside Audubon in the heart of Uptown, was unforgettable. Like most people, we had passed it countless times without noticing it. Then suddenly it was, ‘Wait — someone owns this?’”
After closing on the property in October 2023, they began the transformation where Magazine Street meets The Fly. “When we first walked the site, it was still an active salvage yard — filled with marine scrap, heavy equipment and very little greenery,” Jacobson said. Their first order of business was to clean up debris, relocate structures, and introduce plants and green space. The former Bisso office headquarters became The Rigs, a coworking space that opened in October 2024.
Today, The Batture opens Fridays through Sundays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., plus Tuesday mornings for the Crescent City Farmers Market. “I have overheard people saying things like, ‘How have we never been here before?’ or ‘If we can be here, why would we ever be anywhere else?’” Jacobson said. “One moment that stayed with me was hearing an older woman quietly say, ‘A whole different world, so close.’”
The soft-opening approach — gradually activating the space with food trucks, art installations and programming — has allowed the space to evolve organically. “We wanted this place to feel like the neighborhood’s backyard, and it has become that surprisingly quickly,” Jacobson said. “Families are spending entire days here. Kids gravitate to the barnyard. Adults sit and watch the ships move up and down the river.”
Miss Market, a small shop offering wine, canned drinks, coffee and kids’ snacks, quietly opened this winter. “My goal is to fill The Batture with brands and tenants we truly love — places my family craves and concepts that reflect how exceptional this city is,” Burka said.
Looking ahead, Jacobson’s vision is simple but powerful. “Ideally, The Batture becomes a place people can’t imagine the city without.”
Parks & Parkways
Michael Karam, director of the Department of Parks and Parkways, manages an almost impossibly large portfolio that includes 2,000 acres of public green space, 200 smaller parks and squares, and 100,000 public trees across neutral grounds, parks, playgrounds and rights-of-way.
The tree work is particularly impressive. Since 2017, the city and its partners have planted 27,712 trees citywide. “With continued support from multiple funding sources, the City is on track to meet, and potentially exceed, its goal of planting 40,000 trees well ahead of the 2030 target outlined in the Climate Action Plan,” Karam said.
Recent funding includes $3.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery support for Central City, $1.5 million from the USDA’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, and $5 million from the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Program — all targeted to disadvantaged communities.
New Orleans also earned Tree City USA recognition for the 43rd consecutive year and received the Growth Award for the second year running. This was partially due to updating and modernizing the Tree Protection Ordinance, which the City Council unanimously approved in March 2025.
However, planting trees is only one part of the equation. Parks & Parkways uses a three-pronged approach — focused on parks and neutral grounds, street trees and private yards — to strategically plant trees and expand canopy coverage citywide. Priority is based on existing canopy coverage, available planting space, socioeconomic data and community input.
On the West Bank, exciting developments also are underway at Brechtel Memorial Park. “The long-term vision is to restore the natural systems and critical infrastructure while reactivating the park through nature-based programming that encourages regular use by West Bank residents, including renewed access to Scout Island,” Karam said. The Algiers Development District commissioned a Park Restoration Feasibility Study to guide phased improvements.
There’s also a brand-new park coming to the Real Timbers neighborhood in Algiers. “Parkways is working in partnership with [Councilman] Freddie King III and residents to transform a 3.79-acre, City-owned parcel into a new park,” Karam said. “Planned improvements include substantial landscaping enhancements and the installation of a one-third mile walking trail.”
Armstrong Park and Congo Square also have seen recent upgrades, including enhanced lighting, a butterfly garden and new landscaping. “Parkways is collaborating with other City departments and community partners in Treme, such as The Save Our Soul Coalition, to guide larger improvements,” Karam said.
Meanwhile, the fully renovated 18-hole Joseph M. Bartholomew, Sr., Municipal Golf Course offers an example of accessible recreation. “[The course] emphasizes accessibility and inclusivity, being fully handicapped accessible and hosting programs such as First Tee Greater New Orleans, which helps youth build confidence, character and life skills through golf,” Karam said.
Lafitte Greenway
“When I moved back to New Orleans in 2021, I was amazed at how far along the Greenway had come,” said Jason Neville, executive director of the Lafitte Greenway Partnership. “There’s so many challenges to living in New Orleans — and the Greenway gave me a tangible sense of hope that a safer, more sustainable, more beautiful, more connected New Orleans was possible.” Today, he is leading the final push to complete the vision — a 3.1-mile linear park and bike trail connecting the French Quarter to City Park.
“In less than 10 years, the Lafitte Greenway went from an abandoned rail line to a beloved park visited 500,000 times annually, the most used bike path in the city and generating $360 million in new development,” Neville said. One-third of that development is permanently affordable housing — a crucial detail that shows how infrastructure investments can support communities rather than displace them.
The Greenway’s impact goes well beyond statistics though. “I hear so many stories from people who love the Greenway — as a safe place to bike to work, as a calming place for wellness, as a destination for public art, recreation and programming,” Neville said. “The Greenway is helping New Orleans prosper, as well as making us all happier, healthier and more connected to one another.”
The final half-mile extension to Canal Boulevard is now in design, connecting the Greenway to Delgado Community College, City Park and the RTA transit center. “Thanks to New Orleans voters who passed Proposition 2 in November, funding to contract the project is fully in place,” Neville said. “I am hoping design work will be completed in 2026 and the city can begin construction in 2027.”
By March 2026, the Lafitte Greenway Partnership also will have planted about 865 native trees, hitting their 1,000-tree goal by 2027. “These trees help reduce the volume of water going into our drainage system, helping reduce neighborhood flooding,” Neville said. “They also clean the water, which eventually flows into Lake Pontchartrain, and they reduce extreme heat temperatures by as much as 40 degrees.”
Programming on the Greenway is equally impressive. GetFit on the Greenway, the free year-round outdoor fitness program, reached 10,000 participants in 2024. The Greenway Supernova light festival, now in its 11th year, showcases emerging artists. “Over 30 percent of emerging artists who perform at our Greenway Supernova go on to play larger events like JazzFest and French Quarter Fest, helping strengthen our cultural economy,” Neville said.
New Orleans Recreation Development Commission
Larry Barabino, Jr., CEO of NORD, has a unique perspective on New Orleans recreation. He grew up at Willie Hall Playground and St. Bernard Community Center, and he still volunteers there. He also led NORDC from 2006-2009 during post-Hurricane Katrina recovery, reopening 90 playgrounds and 10 pools when staff had been reduced from 264 to just 16 employees. When he came back to NORD in 2018, he said it was because there was still work to do.
Barabino’s biggest recent win was the Super Bowl LIX turf donation. “This turf is meaningful because our kids are playing on the same professional-grade surface that champions competed on,” he said. “It reinforces that our youth deserve world-class fields and that their dreams, talent and future opportunities are worth investing in.”
The turf went to Joe Brown Baseball Stadium, Perry Roehm Baseball Stadium, Larry Gilbert Stadium, Wesley Barrow Stadium and the Lafitte Greenway sports field. Because the turf was so large, NORD got creative. “We repurposed portions of it for our baseball facilities,” Barabino said. “Using this turf in our baseball venues is a creative approach that you do not typically see, and it allowed us to maximize its impact across multiple sites.”
Other wins include the George V. Rainey Natatorium at the Morris F.X. Jeff Recreation Complex, which opened in May 2025. “Attendance has remained strong, and the facility is already serving as a hub for swim instruction, fitness, water safety and therapeutic programming,” Barabino said.
NORD also is meeting kids where they are. For example, E-Sports labs opened at four recreation centers (Cut-Off, Lyons, Milne and Joe W. Brown), funded through District C Councilman Freddie King III. “Not every young person wants to play traditional sports, and these spaces give them a safe, engaging environment where they can connect, compete and learn,” Barabino said. “The response has been very positive, because the labs feel relevant to their interests while still keeping them in a supportive recreational setting.”
Meanwhile, Joe W. Brown Park has become an outdoor education hub. “Camping, canoeing, fishing and archery introduce kids, teens and adults to experiences they may never have had access to,” Barabino said. “This helps New Orleanians build confidence, curiosity and a sense of adventure.”
Council President Helena Moreno recently proposed $100 million in bond funds for NORD renovations. “One hundred million dollars in bond funding would be a game changer for NORD,” Barabino said. “It would help us bring older facilities up to modern standards, improve lighting and safety surfaces, and make sure families in the neighborhoods with the greatest need have access to quality recreation spaces. I would love to see NORD fully funded and living up to the motto of ‘‘Something for Everyone.’”
Jefferson Parish
Across the parish line, Tripp Rabalais directs Lafreniere Park with infectious enthusiasm. The Pointe at Lafreniere Food Pavilion opened in November 2025 with four permanent vendors — Coastal Barbecue, Sabor Del Parque, Louisiana Purchase Kitchen Express and Nonno’s.
“The response has been very positive,” Rabalais said. “During the Christmas Lights, the food vendors actually had evenings when they sold out. The ability to simply come to the park and enjoy yourself without having to plan a meal is a big new advantage.”
A $2 million walking track upgrade is another special addition. “This track is two miles and winds through some of the most tranquil and beautiful parts of Lafreniere Park,” Rabalais said. “The number of people who use the track daily is truly remarkable. We host dozens of walks/runs on the track every year.”
Additionally, Tripp’s Treehouse — the first all-inclusive playground in Lafreniere Park — opened in July 2025. “This playground is thoughtfully created to promote graduating complexity, independent access, parallel play, sensory engagement and social inclusion,” Rabalais said. “It provides a safe place where children with and without disabilities can be challenged and have the option to choose how they engage in play.”
Overall, the park’s transformation has been comprehensive with new roofs on all shelters, fresh paint on the Copeland Stage and color-coded facilities (blue roofs for bathrooms, green for shelters and copper/gold for special buildings). “We hope that this period will be remembered for renewal and renewed interest in Lafreniere Park,” Rabalais said. “We have polished the Jewel of Jefferson Parish that welcomes all to come and enjoy all the park has to offer.”
For Harold Buhler, director of Jefferson Parish Recreation Department, success means delivering high-quality programs that serve all ages and ability levels in a positive, welcoming, family-friendly environment. “It means continually investing in and improving our parks, playgrounds and facilities so residents always have safe, modern and inviting places to play and gather,” he said. Ultimately, success is reflected in a community that is excited to participate, return and stay engaged in everything JPRD has to offer.”
Beyond Lafreniere Park, the parish is making major investments in parks across both the Eastbank and the Westbank. For example, Waggaman Playground is getting new lighting, fitness equipment and covered pavilions. Little Farms Playground is undergoing interior and exterior renovations in celebration of its 100-year anniversary, while the Jefferson Golden Age Center is being completely rebuilt to better serve older adults in the community. Segnette Field and Stadium also are being renovated to support JPRD programs and local high school athletics.
City Park
Rebecca Dietz, who became president and CEO at City Park Conservancy in June 2024, did so during a crisis. The master planning process had stalled amid community controversy, with proposals that didn’t resonate with the people who love the park most.
“I spent time listening to the people invested in City Park, its staff, board members, regular park users, donors, members, etc.,” Dietz said. She brought on local firm Concordia to work alongside the New York-based planners and completely changed the engagement approach. “We convened interactive co-planning community meetings, ensuring that members of the public felt directly engaged in the planning. We added park-user focus groups, a youth committee and community ambassadors.”
When early proposals — including relocating Grow Dat Youth Farm and shaving part of Bayou Oaks South Golf Course — sparked pushback, Dietz didn’t dig in. “Proposed plans early in the process did not resonate with the community, and that’s all we needed to know to change course,” she said.
City Park 2050 was finally approved in August 2025, and its philosophy is clear. “City Park does not need to be reinvented,” Dietz said. “It needs to be cared for, enriched, preserved and thoughtfully improved.”
Practically, that means improved nature trails, upgraded sports facilities and more of the basics like parking, sidewalks, restrooms, lighting and water fountains. “We heard that park users want more access to thoughtfully maintained nature spaces and trails; improved and increased recreational facilities; and new amenities appropriate for our space,” Dietz said.
Climate resilience also is woven throughout the plan. For example, City Park has an opportunity to serve an important stormwater management and flood mitigation role. “Certain projects in the plan, such as parking gardens and bioswales, are specifically designed to assist with holding water longer in the park before it discharges into our drainage system,” Dietz said.
Her vision for City Park balances its dual identity as both neighborhood park and regional destination. “I believe that one of the most enduring parts of City Park to tourists is that it’s a local community park,” Dietz said. “I believe visitors want to experience what the locals love.”
Audubon’s Riverfront
Succeeding Ron Forman after 53 years, Michael J. Sawaya took over as president and CEO of Audubon Nature Institute in January 2025. His top priority is now to advance Riverfront for All, a project that will create 2.25 miles of continuous riverfront access from Spanish Plaza to Crescent Park.
“Imagine being able to walk, bike or simply wander along the Mississippi River for more than two uninterrupted miles — no fences, no dead ends, no confusing detours—just a clear, welcoming connection between people and the river that has shaped this city for 300 years,” Sawaya said. “That’s the heart of Riverfront for All.”
Forman called it creating a “front porch” for New Orleans on the Mississippi River. “To me, that metaphor means creating a riverfront that feels like an extension of people’s homes and neighborhoods, not a space you visit only for special occasions,” Sawaya said. “It’s about turning the Mississippi River from a backdrop into a lived-in, everyday experience.”
He imagines locals using the space in new ways. Instead of isolated pockets of access, people will be able to move freely along the river — walking, biking, meeting friends, exercising, or simply sitting with a cup of coffee or a cocktail.
Phase 1, focused on the Governor Nicholls Street Wharf, is nearly complete. By removing 80 percent of a 160,000-square-foot warehouse, there are now views of the river that were hidden for more than 75 years. “In place of the industrial metal building, we’ve added a series of raised lawns that can support different park activities under the shade of over 120 trees,” Sawaya said. “One lawn has a series of posts where you can tie up your hammock amongst the trees and watch the ships go by. Another lawn features a Louisiana marsh themed playground with a speckled trout, red-eared slider turtle and American alligator that kids can climb all over.”
The space officially opens in April, with French Quarter Festival as the first major event. “Visitors are going to be amazed — not only by the lush new linear park along the Mississippi River — but also by the sweeping skyline views,” Sawaya said.
While Phase 2 faces budget challenges — costs have risen from an original $15 million estimate to potentially exceeding $55 million — Sawaya remains committed. The vision includes food and beverage from local vendors, pop-up culinary and retail opportunities for local artisans, and sports and recreation like pickleball and beach volleyball. “Our goal is to put some initial infrastructure funding in place and invite fresh ideas from the broader development community,” he said.
At The Fly, improvements are more modest but equally important. The playground being replaced is more than 40 years old, and the restroom building had aging plumbing. Both projects are scheduled for completion in March. “While we don’t have any major redevelopment plans for The Fly on the table right now, we’re excited to work with the City on a comprehensive strategy that serves the broader community,” Sawaya said.
His five-year vision is both practical and poetic. “I would imagine the most meaningful legacy is one that New Orleanians can feel in their daily lives — not just see on a map or in a plan,” Sawaya said. “My hope is that people will say that we have made it easier, more natural and more enjoyable to be outside; that the riverfront feels like it finally belongs to everyone.”
The Big Picture
Overall, these projects represent a fundamental reimagining of what outdoor life in New Orleans can be. From The Batture’s riverside lawn where families spend entire Sundays watching ships pass, to the new riverfront park opening this April, New Orleans is building a different relationship with the outdoors — one where access to nature isn’t just for special occasions but for everyday life.
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