ULL farm transfers to parish Saturday
LAFAYETTE — A ceremony celebrating the official transfer of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Horse Farm property to Lafayette Consolidated Government for use as a city park will be at 9 a.m. Saturday in the 2900 block of Johnston Street, a news release says.
Parking will be available at the adjacent South College Shopping Center.
“Saturday is going to be a celebratory day for Lafayette,” Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel said in the news release. “It is not an exaggeration to say that many people have been waiting years for this day, and I look forward to signing that paper and telling the people of Lafayette that the Horse Farm will be theirs for generations to come.”
The deal calls for Lafayette to pay ULL $5.8 million and then give the university the city’s 8-acre Youth Park next to the ULL campus. Youth Park, the site of a dog park, sports field and picnic areas, has been appraised for $800,000.
The deal calls for the 100 acres to revert to ULL if development of the park does not begin within 10 years.
The agreement also prohibits tennis courts and fields for basketball, baseball, softball, soccer or football on the Horse Farm property. City-parish officials have said the plan is to develop a passive park, which could include gardens, hiking trails, picnic areas and large green spaces.
An “Acadiana Greenspace Legacy” fund to help with the maintenance and development of the property has been set up through he Community Foundation of Acadiana.
For information call, (337) 266-2145 or visit: http://cfacadiana.org.