$500,000 grant will push work forward

The Patterson Lower Atchafalaya Historic & Cultural District Commission received a $500,000 matching grant through the Land and Water Conservation Fund program for restoring Morey Park.

The city of Patterson will fund $250,000 and the conservation grant will match the other half of $250,000.

Funds cover the creation of a deck pier and kayak launch, pavilion with restrooms, concrete walkways, and picnic furniture, according to the city.

The renovation is set up into five phases. As of now, the restoration project is in Phase 2. Commission chairperson Dawn Rentrop hopes the project is completed in 2020.

“The city has done an amazing job of clearing the park out,” Rentrop said.

As for progress on the renovations, “I think we’re actually a little ahead of the game in a way,” Rentrop said. “We were thinking we probably wouldn’t do anything in that park until we received more money, basically.”

The wharf is also being renovated.

“We’ve had a gracious citizen donating the wharf,” Rentrop said. “They are paying for that and naming it the John Felterman Sr. Memorial Wharf. So, that’s a big help.”

Michael Sumrall is renovating the wharf.

The kayak launch was originally planned for installation at Cajun Jack’s. But Cajun Jack passed away and there were no plans to keep the business open.

State Recreational Trails Administrator Michael Domingue was trying to find another location and asked Rentrop if it’s something the commission wants at the park.

“It was a local decision,” Domingue said. “They saw the value of having it at the park in the middle of the community.”

Kayakers will be able to get off the dock at Morey Park and head straight into downtown Patterson for shopping or other activities.

The commission also applied for a $100,000 grant with the trails program. They are waiting to see if they will be granted funding.

In talking with Domingue, he asked Rentrop if she had applied for a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant. And Rentrop said no, she hadn’t heard anything about it.

“We were just getting to the point where we were just looking at grants and stuff,” Rentrop said.

He directed Rentrop to Suzette Simms, fund outdoor recreation and grant administrator for Louisiana Office of State Parks.

“I explained to them I’d never done a grant before,” Rentrop said. “I’d like to see if I could do it if I had some help.”

Simms guided Rentrop and husband John Rentrop through the grant process during a visit in the Baton Rouge office.

“We sat there a couple of hours and she was showing me other grants that others had done for parks,” Rentrop said. “It’s not hard. It’s just a lot of information. So, she was a big help.

“Anytime I had a question on the grant, she said ‘yes, this is what you do.’”

It was a six-month process to complete the grant application, Rentrop said.

“She and Michael both have been amazingly a big help with this grant program,” Rentrop said.

When Rentrop found out they received the grant, she was shocked.

“It was like hard to believe,” Rentrop said. “It was ‘oh wow, did we really get it?’ We’ve gotten money from the state. It’s a slow process.”

But Rentrop states grants are the way to go these days for securing funding for projects.

“It’s really the only way you can go, because everybody right now is hurting,” Rentrop said. “All municipalities, I’m sure they go get grants. They’re out there for you to get. I don’t want to stop. I’d like to try and get other grants.”

Rentrop is making plans to apply for a playground equipment grant. The commission is currently waiting to hear back on a $100,000 grant for a walking trail planned for the park.

“With this grant we’ve just received, plus what the city’s able to do and our committee is raising money,” Rentrop said, “we’ve raised probably another $5,000 with the things that we’ve done like the silent auction and the historical tour, which was amazing.”

“They’ve done a good job of pulling their resources together,” Domingue said.

Partners of the Park is still accepting donations for the renovation project.

“We would like ongoing money at the foundation to help support with upkeep,” Rentrop said. “Partners of the Park is a catchy little phrase that we decided on for the fundraiser.

“Anytime you donate money to the park, you are a partner. You’re in partnership with us. I like the saying, you are a partner of our park.”

Much of the Lower Atchafalaya River is blocked by homes on Main Street so the renovation of the park gives people an opportunity to enjoy the green space with the river as its backdrop.

“I’m continually telling people you’ve just got to come see the park,” Rentrop said. “This is for everybody to come see this beautiful river that we have. It’s our biggest asset, I think.

“Obviously, I’m very passionate about the park because I really want to see this done for everybody, our grandkids and our great-grandkids.”

Donations can be sent to the St. Mary Parish Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1028, Franklin, LA 70538. To ensure the funds go towards the park fundraising account, write Morey Park Fund in the memo area.

For more information, Rentrop can be reached at 985-520-1171 or dvrentrop@cox.net.

This year’s Christmas Tree Lighting will be held in Morey Park on Nov. 27 at 5:45 p.m. Onlookers will be able to watch the 3rd Annual Christmas Boat Parade Dec. 10 at 6 p.m.