Community engagement was and remains at the center of the City Park planning process, which was launched in July 2023 and concluded in June 2025. The engagement framework was designed to be iterative, grounded in research, and informed by ongoing community feedback. A multi-layered, inclusive process revealed two central tracks that shaped the Plan’s development:
True to the spirit of New Orleans, the engagement process embraced a familiar metaphor: Making Gumbo. And just like a great gumbo, the City Park Plan was built with layers of input, ingredients gathered from across the city and seasoned with care by the people who know and love the Park best. From high-school students to seniors, neighborhood leaders to environmental advocates, thousands of voices helped shape a bold and inclusive vision for the future of City Park.
This deep community driven process created multiple opportunities for New Orleanians to contribute including:
What We Heard
At many meetings, a central activity invited participants to contribute to a symbolic “gumbo pot” – adding their priorities, dreams, and ingredients for a better City Park. From access and safety to ecology and culture, every contribution enriched the plan. From this input, two guiding frameworks emerged to shape the conversation and plan: The Givens and Core Intentions.
The Givens: What Every Great Park Should Have
These were recurring priorities identified early and often by the community. City Park Conservancy (CPC) adopted them as baseline standards to be embedded across all projects, so the community could dream bigger, knowing the basics are covered include restrooms, concessions/refreshments, information kiosk, seating, trash cans, drinking-water fountains, signage + wayfinding, lighting, safety/security, bike parking, bike-sharing stations, parking, accessible pedestrians + cyclists trails, shade, native plantings, invasives management, and rain gardens.
Core Intentions: Community Defined Values
These six foundational values, developed with the community, are at the heart of the City Park Plan:
The City Park Plan is not only informed by community feedback received over the last two years, but also by extensive analysis by the design team – including hydrologists, ecologists, transportation planners, and financial advisors. These inputs were synthesized into six planning areas, culminating in a final community meeting on June 25, 2025.
Next Steps: From Planning to Implementation
The City Park Plan will be up for approval to the CPC and the City Park Improvement Association boards in August of 2026, with phasing and implementation priorities focused on infrastructure, ecology, and access. CPC is launching a capital campaign, with the community’s voice continuing to shape programming, design, and storytelling.
Initial implementation highlights:
As key projects continue into the design phase, so will public communication and opportunities to stay involved. We look forward to your continued involvement as we work together to care for this shared treasure.
Questions or feedback?
Email us at masterplan@nocp.org.
The City Park Plan fosters an innovative and thoughtful long-term proposal for City Park grounded in serving the greater good, addressing community needs, preserving historical and cultural context, enhancing environmental resiliency, and fostering a welcoming sense of place.
We want you to be informed. Stay engaged with the process, and explore the most-commonly asked questions, here.
Notifications