Pushing the ‘lake’ in Lake Charles

Hammers start swinging Monday in Lake Charles on projects meant to transform the city’s lakefront into a thriving, visitor-friendly complex. After Hurricane Rita hit the area in 2005, the Louisiana Recovery Authority funded a master plan to help the city bounce back. Voters passed a subsequent local bond issue to fund part of the plan’s projects. Two of them get off the ground next week. One is a $3.7 million lakefront promenade that brings new lighting, seating, walkways, landscaping and interpretative signage, and provides better connectivity from the lake to the adjacent downtown. A $1.75 million marina also gets under way, meant to draw recreational boaters. “This is significant because it’s a direct result of the Rita recovery and planning that took place,” Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Lori Marinovich says. Both projects should be finished by next summer, and officials are banking on their ability to attract private investment. The Lakefront Promenade groundbreaking ceremony takes place Monday. To read the rest of 10/12 Weekly, click here.—Maggie Heyn Richardson