Students' idea goes to the dogs; 'Lake End Bark' is now open

From conception to reality, it has taken two years to build the Lake End Bark dog park. The waterfront playground for pups, the first of its kind, is now open in Morgan City.
It is located on La. 70 alongside Lake Palourde.
The park gates opened Sept. 1. A ribbon-cutting will be held soon, said Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi.
Two years ago, Morgan City High students Diana Tran, Andre Steckler, Johnny Ha, Omar Ledezma and Callie Breaux presented the dog park idea at the annual New Generations forum sponsored by the Rotary Club. This group graduated in 2015. The forum invites students at St. Mary high schools to come up with ideas for civic improvements.
A year later, a second group of Morgan City students, including Logan Wolf, Davis Tran, Ian Gray, Jennifer Tran, Thomas Pham, Taylor Richard, Krystina Pitre and Harleigh Price, enhanced the first group’s plan and moved forward to bring this idea to life. This group graduated in 2016.
“We were trying to think of an idea that would enhance our area or make people maybe want to visit,” said Leslie Smith, co-sponsor for Morgan City High New Generations participants.
Smith, also an English teacher at Morgan City High, has worked with New Generations participants for eight years.
Michelle South is also co-sponsor of the Morgan City group. She led the second group with the project while Smith was out on sabbatical leave.
“The project had lost its steam,” Smith said. “So when I was out, the co-sponsor, South, did the same topic, I think to maybe kind of reinvigorate the mayor, parish and city to get it finished.”
Every year, co-sponsors select a few students exhibiting good leadership skills, are active in the community and would enjoy participating in a New Generations public forum.
“We came up with the idea of the dog park,” Smith said. “And I think it just so happened that coincidentally the mayor had been thinking of putting a dog park somewhere.
“We didn’t realize that. So, it kind of went hand in hand. We just had to find a place.”
The mayor suggested a location along the lake on La. 70. With a dog park attached to Lake End Park, the group thought, the location would be appealing to campers or visitors in the area.
The initial group visited other areas and checked out dog parks. They researched established dog parks in Thibodaux, New Orleans and Baton Rouge as a resource for designing their own plan.
It was no easy task for students. They created a plan, took measurements for the dog park’s layout, and presented the idea before local and parish government authorities for approval.
The students presented the idea to Morgan City and St. Mary Parish councils, Morgan City Recreation Commission, and Lake End Park committee members.
“Because of the way the wheels turn here in government, it took a tremendous effort from the students,” Grizzaffi said.
“We also, at one time, got a pledge from the parish that they would help fund this dog park. And when the money was requested, they shot it down.”
So Grizzaffi rallied the students again and put the dog park idea back on the parish council’s agenda.
“And we could’ve quit right there, but we didn’t,” Grizzaffi said. “I pledged to show them how to get it done.”
The students presented to the parish council. And unanimously, the council approved funding towards the project.
Overall, about $20,000 was invested in the park from various organizations, including a donation of dirt. Morgan City High’s wood shop made benches for the park and signs.
“I’ve done this for eight years,” Smith said, “and we really haven’t seen too many of their projects or suggestions come to fruition. But it had to be a collaborative effort.
“The kids have to follow through and follow up. And then also, our parish leaders have to not only just show up for that night and make their presence known, but also reach out to the kids and help them along as well.”
“Every year that I was mayor, nothing ever got done,” Grizzaffi said. “So I made a pledge to these kids. If you give me the idea, we’re going to make it happen.
“Central Catholic came up with the recycling idea. It is now underneath the bridge.”
Central Catholic students at New Generations wanted more and bigger recycling receptacles.
The manifestation of these projects are empowering to students for leadership development, but also to the teachers who teach and lead them daily.
“This is just the first time that we’ve seen something actually happen from the New Generations Forum in the past few years,” Smith said.
“It’s a good opportunity for the kids to come up with a plan and see that you can’t just complain about not having something. You have to come up with viable solutions as well. And then you have to present to the right people.”
Dreams really do come true.
“You have to talk to the right people,” Smith said. “A lot of teenagers take the position of ‘we don’t have this or we don’t have this made’ or maybe whine about it.
“We do kick around a lot of ideas at the beginning. But they realize pretty quickly you have to have money and there is insurance. And somebody has to be liable for it. So you can’t just make something happen. It’s just not that easy,” Smith said.
“If they come up with an idea I think that’s reasonable, I told them we can make it happen,” Grizzaffi said.