The Lakefront Boardwalk is located at 701 N Lakeshore drive right here in downtown Lake Charles. It is an approximately 2-mile route that begins at the beach near the I-10 bridge and ends at Lakeshore Drive near Clarence Street. It was built in 1999 to provide a pleasant atmosphere for walkers, bikers, and joggers along its route. Now, it includes the Millennium Park, the Bord Du Lac Park, and the Veterans Memorial Park to encompass the whole community.

The boardwalk provides numerous benefits to the community, the wildlife, and represents the beauty of lake Charles as you cross the I-10 bridge. Prior to Hurricane Rita, the park was used by the community for cardio. It provided a clean, safe, lighted path with lamppost every 10 feet.  Families would come from all parts of Louisiana to fish from the piers, and to feed the pigeons, ducks, and geese that nest nearby. It’s home to hundreds of species of birds who migrate through each spring and fall, fish and shellfish. At night, it provided a wonderful view of the refineries and plants on the other side of the lake, and all their dazzling lights.

Rita hit Lake Charles on September 24, 2005, as a level 3 hurricane, with 115 mph winds it was the first hurricane to damage the Lakeside Boardwalk. It specifically damaged the pier and boardwalk in front of the Bilbo Cemetery. Hurricane Laura hit Lake Charles on August 27, 2020, as a category 4 hurricane. With 150 mph winds, it ravished the rest of the boardwalk, dropping the piers and walkways into the water or severely damaging them Now, over a year later, no progress has been made to restore the once beautiful destination. The damaged and decaying piers still linger over the water, causing additional harm to the wildlife, and pose a hazard to human activity. Rubbish has been piled onto the ducks’ nesting ground, forcing them to move their nests closer to human-occupied areas that are dangerous to them. The decay and rubbish are causing the death of fish and ducks, and they continue to wash ashore and rot along the shoreline.

The Park needs the attention of elected officials, including Mayor Hunter, the members of the parish counsel, and city department of parks and recreation. In addition to rebuilding other parts of the city, they need to prioritize funds and seek grants to enable them to fix the damaged infrastructure of the Boardwalk. What does success look like? Success looks like the park being restored to its previous beauty prior to Hurricanes Rita and Laura. This will bring more tourists to Lake Charles, create a better environment for the citizens of Lake Charles, and protect the animals that depend on the land and water around the Boardwalk.