WHAT HAS THE BISSONET CIVIC ASSOCIATION

DONE ?

(A little history)

Fifty years ago in 1958 or ‘59, it was suddenly learned that the parish plan for future streets included widening Green Acres and Haring Roads thru to the Huey Long Bridge and putting the I-10 overpass over them which really impacted the Bissonet Country Club and Green Acres subdivisions.

A joint civic association emergency meeting was held with over 400 in attendance and to develope strategies as to how to oppose the new plan. The new plan really didn?t make sense as Transcontinental was already a dedicated 200 foot wide avenue that ended at the cemetery on Airline Highway. Various members contacted as many politicians as they could reach: one was an airline pilot on the NO to Washington,DC flight and each time before take-off checked the passenger list for politicians and would go one on one with him about the opposition.

During this time, preliminary work began on the project: the canal was rerouted, Club Drive bridge moved, and houses removed from the slab, one house had the corner of a bedroom lopped off. Our efforts paid off finally, the overpass was build overTranscontinental and the houses returned to their respective slabs. Don?t know where the original occupants went.

BCA was formally organized in 1978 to try to prevent the construction of Schwegmann?s super market on Power Drive. We lost in court but won in the fact that wording was inserted that prevents stores in areas zoned “Neighborhood Commercial” from exceeding 25,000 square feet, in other words no big boxes.

There was the oversized garage at Kawanee and Academy and that was a ten year battle due to a permitting error that dragged thru the court system. BCA established a legal fund in order to retain an attorney.

There was the fight to prevent Celebration Station from building a motel in front of the subdivision which involved parking over the canal and serving liquor close to schools and churches.

Our efforts helped to get a newer and larger library built, discouraged commercial development on Riverside Drive and advocated the relocation of the new YMCA to Riverside Drive.

The BCA's fought high-density condominiums on Riverside, made a push for beautification of the “tear-drop” area at Power and Riverside Drives and pushed for the self-storage facility with innovative future land use restriction.

The BCA helped organize nighttime pick-up basketball games for neighborhood teens as part of gang prevention.

The BCS participated in the Police and Firefighter?s Memorial Fund after Deputy Jim Clarius was shot and killed in our neighborhood.

The BCA became a charter member of The Civic League of East Jefferson.