We're proud of our very own Nellie Catzen and Sophie Vorhoff for being awarded Bike Easy's Advocate of the Year Award in 2019. Thanks, Sophie and Nellie, for your fearless leadership to make New Orleans streets safer for all, and thanks to our friends at Bike Easy for the honor.

Carnival season has begun, and with it, parades and festivities in our streets. “How can bicyclists and drivers share the road to Carnival safely?” here are some tips and tricks you can follow to ensure for a much safer carnival!

Help ensure that the Greenway is a safe, active, and vibrant public space.

To apply for a board member position: Please submit a letter-of-interest and resume or equivalent to the Nominating Committee at apply@lafittegreenway.org by Monday, January 6, 2020.

Call for board members -2020-2023 Term:

Friends of Lafitte Greenway was formed in early 2006 by New Orleans community members who saw an opportunity to rethink their community’s landscape to enhance livability, environmental sustainability, open space equity, health, and revitalization. The organization built a network of diverse constituents who shared its vision of preserving the continuous open space in the former Lafitte rail corridor, and developing a Greenway that encourages active living, stimulates economic development, and links adjacent neighborhoods, cultural amenities, historic sites, and public spaces.

The Lafitte Greenway opened in November 2015 as a 2.6 mile pedestrian and bike path and linear park, connecting neighborhoods from Armstrong Park to City Park. The backbone of New Orleans' bike network, the Greenway is now used by 320,000 people annually.

Friends of Lafitte Greenway (Friends) is the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission’s (NORD’s) official partner, working together to program, develop, and steward the Greenway. Friends is a community-driven organization, guided by a Board of Directors, members, volunteers, Ambassadors, and staff. 

Mission:

To build, program, and promote the Lafitte Greenway as a great public space. 

Vision:

A healthy and vibrant public space that connects people to nature, their destinations, and each other.

Values:

Accountability ∙ Equity ∙ Sustainability ∙ Collaboration ∙ Joy

During your 3-year tenure the organization has big plans to implement our Strategic Plan, including the following key initiatives:

• Grow the Greenway’s role as a highly-used, community-oriented public space through expanded arts, cultural, and recreational programs, and excellent design and capital development.
• Ensure that the Greenway is a well-maintained ecosystem that is thriving, attractive and sustainable through stewardship, maintenance, and environmental education.
• Expand the Greenway’s role as a transportation connector that safely links neighborhoods and locations along the Greenway through design, development, and education.
• Increase individual giving, corporate, philanthropic support, and earned income opportunities to power our impact.
• Strengthen community engagement and communications.

We ask that you are willing to work as a team and openly share ideas. Additionally, we seek candidates with any or all of the following attributes:

• Knowledge and connections to the communities along the Lafitte Greenway.
• Leaders in the local business community.
• Community members from Greenway neighborhoods.
• Commitment to helping Friends achieve its fundraising goals through network development and personal giving.
• Access to diverse political and community networks.
• Ability to serve as an active, engaged board member for one 3-year term.      
• Prior participation with Friends of Lafitte Greenway as a member or volunteer is appreciated.

Friends of Lafitte Greenway in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC) and Arts Council New Orleans is excited to announce the selected artist for the “From Parking to Plaza” public art commission, Will Nemitoff. 

Nemitoff’s project, “Iris of Memory,” will be a commemorative work recognizing the life and contributions of local artist, volunteer, mother, and teacher Deborah Vorhoff. The project will activate, celebrate, and transform the public space located at a critical crossroad related to New Orleans’ history, ecology, and bicycle and pedestrian circulation systems on the Lafitte Greenway. It will be installed on the parking pad of the former Brake Tag Station, where the Lafitte Greenway meets Bayou St. John and Jefferson Davis Parkway.

The 2019 Greenway Soirée will have our largest auction yet, featuring the very best in arts, experiences, hospitality and entertainment from the Greenway and beyond. Don't miss your chance to win! Join us on Friday, October 4th at the Cellar on St. Louis.

Live Auction (7:50pm)

L1: Dashing Bike Right (Dashing Bicycles, Anonymous Donor)

Take home your new bike! The Retrospec Mantra V2 is our premium fixie/single-speed. Quick response dual braking, sealed bearing hubs, and dripping with style, Mantra is your go-to for your every commuting, cruising, zipping, coasting and speeding need. Includes a bike lock, front lights, and rainbow wheel lights. Value: $375.

L2: Ride Fly (Monica Kelly Studio)

Get your bike right with $50 to Bayou Bicycles, then make it fly as can be with a custom paint job by legendary New Orleans artist Monica Kelly. Value: $550.

L3: Downriver Desire (New Orleans Airlift, Hotel Peter & Paul)

There's a magical village along the river, where all the houses are instruments. We're talking about the legendary Music Box Village! Enjoy VIP Season passes for 2 people, including all performances and events, early entry to performances, Unlimited entry to their open hours, and VIP opportunities like backstage passes. Paired with a one-night stay at the newly opened Hotel Peter & Paul. Value: $850

L4: Cinemaniac (The Broad Theater, Parkway Bakery & Tavern)

Treat your friends to the party of your dreams! Bring your own movie to the Broad Theater for a private screening for 60 people, catered by Parkway Bakery & Tavern! Includes cold drinks and popcorn for the film. Value: $1,300

Video Source: WWLTV

This week, Mayor Cantrell, NORD, and City Officials unveiled the new security measures on the Greenway, including Real-Time Crime Center cameras and 18 emergency call boxes.

Friends of Lafitte Greenway believes the best way to keep the Greenway safe is for many people to use it. We're grateful to our partners at the City of New Orleans, NORD, NOPD and the Department of Homeland Security for their investments in Greenway users' safety.

Learn more about how the call boxes work here.

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.

This program is made possible thanks to generous support from:

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