Welcome Center Multi-Year Plan

The St. James Parish Welcome Center, a well-used and highly visited center of introduction and learning, has acquired historically significant buildings in need of renovation (donated to the site); has become insufficient in parking and display areas for monthly "Market Days", an opportunity for local farmers and makers to show and sell their wares; and its focal point - a small natural wetlands accessible from the Center - has become damaged due to Hurricane Ida and other storms.

The Parish has undertaken a Renovation project consisting of several phases in approximately this order:

1. Site survey and Design for new Master-Plan: This is a total lay-out and design for this natural Louisiana swamp and wetlands site damaged by Hurricane Ida. Its structures, learning centers, and the adjacent wetlands were all also damaged. Included in the plan will be improved drainage and utilities; expanded parking; improved security (gates and lighting), additional set-up bays and other locations for vendors to market days; new uses for existing buildings (meeting spaces, educational use), and re-thought and re-developed learning "centers" or displays to highlight the three features of the parish: tobacco, cypress lumber production, and sugar production; and includes the rehabilitation of the central and critical natural swamp and wetlands within and adjacent to the center. A damaged, elevated boardwalk through the swamp, which is the main venue for visitors and residents to learn about this natural resource, also requires repair and perhaps re-routing.

2. Oversee master plan and renovation process; this includes developing necessary permitting applications; managing costs and outcomes, and creating enhanced educational, promotional activities, and creating assessment tools.

3. Restoration of Swamp/Wetlands: several acres of the site consist of natural cypress swamp and wetlands. However extensive damage (downed trees, altered drainage and waterways that must function for necessary for periodic flooding and drying. Currently the downed trees, undergrowth and questionable access to a nearby waterway for nourishment has allowed invasive plant and animal species, which must be re-balanced to a natural cypress swamp bio-culture. We are seeking funds for a master design and activities to rehabilitate the central, natural swamp, which includes species assessment, condition assessment, determination of natural connection to nearby waterway; followed by removal of invasive species, planting of natural species and repair and care for remaining trees and plants.

4. Grading and gravel or asphalted additional parking; this is critical to maximizing natural drainage to maintain proper hydrologic conditions of the swamp and to minimize the negative impact of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

5. Educational Building restoration and modification. The Center has received an historic frame building, formerly the offices of the St. James Historic Society. This building has been squared and leveled placed on new, elevated piers. The parish has put a priority on bringing this building into active use as a learning/educational center. It requires architectural design, some internal and external construction, power and water.

6. Subsurface drainage, improved electrical systems, modernized lighting, gating and signage to improve way-finding, security, safety and visibility. This includes water features, walking and structural components to enhance water flow into and out of wetlands as well as provide better security. This drainage will work with the natural drainage entering and exiting the swamp/wetlands. It is critical to maintain a balanced flow and healthy wetlands.

7. Remaining building repair, restoration, modernization. The center contains an office/visitor check-in building, a large covered barn/pavilion for use by vendors or other gatherings; an historic Post Office building (relocated to site) and the original building housing the Parish Historical Society (also re-located to site). Some of these may need re-positioning; all need repair and modification to bring to code and to become useful on the site. This includes boardwalk restoration, restoration of historical artifacts and buildings for increased access, education, and promotion of further tourism.

 8. Learning Centers/Kiosks: the site has collected various historical artifacts from its three "industries" - tobacco, sugar, cypress, including a small, narrow-gauge locomotive once used to haul cypress logs from nearby swamp/forests, machinery from sugar mills, and a large model of the famous "bonfires" that appear each Christmas season, among other items. The artifacts will be renovated and assembled into three learning centers/kiosks for visitors to read, see and touch the history of the parish.

9. An existing boardwalk through the swamp needs renovation and possible re-routing away from now barren portions of the swamp. This boardwalk will introduce visitors and residents alike to naturally occurring plants and animals of the swamp as well as the importance of this ecological environment to the history and modern life in the parish.