Video Source: WWLTV

New emergency call boxes will soon span the length of the Greenway. The City of New Orleans is installing 18 emergency call boxes and 71 public safety cameras, monitored by the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security, along the length of the trail. The call boxes are located on the lamp posts with blue lights that are labeled “Emergency.” These boxes join NORD’s Grounds Patrol officers-- Rob and Virgil, who walk and ride the Greenway daily-- in working to keep Greenway users safe.

How to use the Greenway's Emergency call boxes

Only use call boxes in case of a true emergency.

1. Press the button. The camera will turn on and you will be connected to a dispatcher, who will see and hear you through the camera and microphone embedded in the call box. You will hear them through the speaker.
2. State your emergency. The dispatcher will connect you to the appropriate response team, NOPD or the NORD Grounds Patrol.

Friends of Lafitte Greenway thanks the City of New Orleans, NORD, and the Office of Homeland Security for their proactive work to ensure that the Greenway is a safe transportation route for people on foot and on bike at all hours. We believe that the number one way to keep the Greenway safe is for many people to use it. As over 320,000 users travel the Greenway each year, and trail use continues to grow by approximately 10% per year, these new security measures put additional tools in place to respond to emergencies.

 For more information about the Greenway’s security system, watch WWLTV’s report here.

request for proposals

Friends of Lafitte Greenway, in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD), is calling on artists to submit proposals for our first Ephemera exhibition, a collection of temporary public art installations on the Lafitte Greenway to debut on Halloween and remain in place for the month of November.

This program will activate the Lafitte Greenway, a public space that connects New Orleans’ neighborhoods, history, and ecology, and plays a critical role in our bicycle and pedestrian transportation systems. 

Five artists will be selected to create temporary installations to be exhibited along the Lafitte Greenway for one month.  The temporary installations will be paired with Friends of Lafitte Greenway (Friends)’ and NORD’s interactive arts programming and events to engage Greenway users and neighbors with the arts and with each other. Technical support will be made available to artists through scheduled office hours with the Friends of Lafitte Greenway team. 

The installation will open at the Halloween Spooktacular, Friends and NORD’s citywide Halloween celebration. The 2018 Spooktacular was the first to be held on the Greenway, drawing over 600 New Orleans kids and families for games and family fun, trick-or-treating, and live music. A beautiful event for children, the art installation and activities will expand this event to create engaging activities for all ages, and programming that encourages participants to interact with the temporary exhibit.

This program is made possible thanks to generous support from The Helis Foundation.

Announcement Date: August 1, 2019

Q&A Info Session & Tour: August 9, 2019, 5:30-6:30pm at Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center, 2200 Lafitte Avenue. RSVP for the Q&A Tour Here!

Submission Deadline: August 23, 2019, 11:59PM

Eligibility:  Emerging artists and artist teams

Maximum Budget: $1,000

More Details & Application Instructions: See our full request for proposals here.

Complete the Greenway: Demonstration + Libations

The Complete the Greenway: Demonstration + Libations event was such an inspiration! Hundreds of community members gathered at Second Line Brewing to show outstanding support for the Greenway's trail completion, test out the pop-up demonstration, and share valuable feedback at our interactive input stations. 

Today, July 26, 2019, Friends of Lafitte Greenway is thrilled to announce that the total commission for From Parking to Plaza: A Lafitte Greenway Public Art Challenge has been increased from $17,000 to $30,000! This project is a partnership between NORD, Arts Council New Orleans, and Friends of Lafitte Greenway.

From Parking to Plaza seeks to activate and celebrate a public space located at a critical juncture with regard to New Orleans’ history, ecology, and bicycle and pedestrian circulation systems. First developed for boats at the historic crossroads of Bayou St. John and the former Carondelet Canal, and later for cars as the driveway to the “Brake Tag Station” for motor vehicle inspections, the project begins the transformation of this unique site at the central node of New Orleans bike network into a place for people, community, and celebration--expanding the Greenway’s role as a cultural asset. 

The project is a commemorative work, made possible by a gift from Elaine Ravich, to celebrate the life and contributions of local artists, volunteers, mothers, and teachers, Deborah Vorhoff. Major support provided by Arts Council New Orleans.

Qualifications are due August 1st. To apply click here.

Announcement Date: July 1, 2019

Submission Deadline: August 1, 2019

Eligibility: Professional artists and artist teams

Maximum Budget: $30,000

More Details & Apply: Arts Council New Orleans Submittable

Request for Qualifications

Friends of Lafitte Greenway, in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission and Arts Council New Orleans, is calling on artists to submit qualifications for From Parking to Plaza, a permanent public art installation on the Lafitte Greenway.

This project seeks to activate and celebrate a public space located at a critical juncture with regard to New Orleans’ history, ecology, and bicycle and pedestrian circulation systems. First developed for boats at the historic crossroads of Bayou St. John and the former Carondelet Canal, and later for cars as the driveway to the “Brake Tag Station” for motor vehicle inspections, the project begins the transformation of this unique site at the central node of New Orleans bike network into a place for people, community, and celebration--expanding the Greenway’s role as a cultural asset. 

The project is a commemorative work, made possible by a gift from Elaine Ravich, to celebrate the life and contributions of local artist, volunteer, mother, and teacher, Deborah Vorhoff.

Announcement Date: July 1, 2019

Q&A Informational: Weds. July 17, 5:30-6:30 PM, Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center, 2200 Lafitte Avenue. RSVP for the Q&A informational here!

Submission Deadline: August 1, 2019

Eligibility: Professional artists and artist teams

Maximum Budget: $17,000

More Details & Apply: Arts Council New Orleans Submittable

Greenway Supporters,

The Mystic Krewe of Nyx and NORD have announced exciting plans to work together to build NORD's first three inclusive playgrounds. These new playgrounds--safe and accessible to people of all ability levels--are proposed for the Mid-City, New Orleans East, and Algiers neighborhoods.

Friends of Lafitte Greenway is currently hiring for two new teammates to join us in building a vibrant and healthy Greenway that connects people to nature, their destinations, and each other.

FITNESS PROGRAM COORDINATOR (Part Time)

AMERICORPS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

What: The Community Engagement Coordinator Americorps Member will recruit, train, and manage Greenway volunteers—including members of advisory committees that steer and support the implementation of programming and projects--as well as event and program volunteers. The member will support community engagement and communications activities, in order to bring community voice and leadership to Friends programs, projects, and advocacy.

Who: A great communicator and self -starter with time management and organizational skills, who can develop and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders in the Greenway's communities.

Position Type: Full time Corps Member - full time for 11 months starting September 1st.

Compensation: Benefits include a living allowance of $14,000, an education award of $6,095, health insurance, student loan forbearance, child care reimbursement, in-depth personal and professional development, and valuable networking opportunities.

Apply by: Applications must be submitted through Serve Louisiana. Click here for more information and to apply by June 30th. 

Position Title: Community Engagement Coordinator

Host Organization: Friends of Lafitte Greenway

Deadline to Apply: June 30, 2019 at ServeLouisiana.org

Service Term: September 1, 2019 - July 31, 2020

Printable Position Description: Download here

Overview:

In partnership with Serve Louisiana, Friends of Lafitte Greenway is recruiting for an AmeriCorps member to serve as our Community Engagement Coordinator. Corps Members serve full time for 11 months starting September 1st.  Benefits include a living allowance of $14,000, an education award of $6,095, health insurance, student loan forbearance, child care reimbursement, in-depth personal and professional development, and valuable networking opportunities. For more information and to apply, visit servelouisiana.org.    

About Serve Louisiana:

Serve Louisiana partners young leaders with nonprofits for a paid year, helping local organizations improve lives and build stronger communities. As Louisiana's longest-running AmeriCorps program, Serve Louisiana offers young leaders 11-month opportunities to work with community-based organizations to improve the health and lives of South Louisiana families and children. Through progressive, hands-on training, coaching and mentoring, we prepare people to address the real needs facing communities -- poverty, mental health and wellness, education, youth development, environmental preservation -- and help to effect true, long-term change.

About the Corps Member Experience:

Corps members serve 40 hours a week from September 1, 2019-July 31, 2020 with a community-based organization (Friends of Lafitte Greenway) providing capacity-building activities such as volunteer coordination, program development, social media/technology coordination, and community outreach.  Through their partner organization site and through Serve Louisiana, corps members enjoy personal and professional development opportunities, workshops, trainings and extensive networking opportunities.  

Dear Greenway Community,

One month ago, we celebrated the inaugural Hike Fest. Our community was still reeling. Three weeks prior, Nellie (our Program Director) and I narrowly survived the horrific crash, biking on Esplanade Avenue, that took two of our dearest friends’ lives. For me, that day at the Hike Fest--under the crisp sunshine, surrounded by dancing, and laughing children--was a crystallization of the goodness of life, and it began to fill a space in my chest that felt hollow.

At the Greenway, we have worked together to build a community and a place that connects us. Nellie and I have shared our awe: we never anticipated that we would personally need to draw so heavily upon it, and yet this Greenway community stepped in with a thousand acts of goodness to support our healing, to produce the Hike Fest, and to carry us through.

This inaugural fest was a success beyond our goals. Attended by 2,500 community members,

The City of New Orleans announced public meetings for Moving New Orleans: Bikes, an iniative to develop a citywide bikeway network. At the Greenway, we know how important it is to have safe, connected, and protected bikeways in New Orleans. Join us at these public meetings to give your input. 

The first round of public meetings begins the second week of April and the City is asking everyone to help identify specific areas with transportation challenges, desired biking and walking destinations, and potential bike routes. Your voice is crucial to creating a strong collective vision for increasing safe and equitable transportation options.