March 11, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City to host public meeting to discuss Accessibility Project for Ben Park

NATCHITOCHES – The City of Natchitoches will host a public meeting on Thursday, March 13 from 5:30-7 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 716 Second St. to discuss accessibility improvements at Ben Johnson Park Basketball Courts. The Office of Community Development aims to apply for the T-Mobile Hometown grant valued at $50,000 to fund the buildout of a parking lot and sidewalk that connects the parking lot to the park pavilion.
The T-Mobile Hometown Grant funds projects to build, rebuild, or refresh community spaces that help foster local connections. Projects must be shovel-ready, physical builds or improvements that can be completed within 12 months of receiving Hometown Grants funding. Examples of eligible projects include but are not limited to: adaptive uses of older and historic buildings into community gathering spaces or improvements to outdoor parks or trails, and technology projects for the public library.
Currently, no parking spaces or accessible entrance to the park exist. Accessibility in public parks is essential for creating inclusive spaces that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their physical abilities. Accessible parks ensure that all community members, including those with disabilities, seniors, and families with strollers, have equal access to outdoor recreational spaces.
For more information about the grant or accessibility project, contact Nicole Gray at 318-352-2772.