Jefferson Parish Council approves deal to transform Johnny Bright Playground

METAIRIE, La. (WVUE) - The Jefferson Parish Council on Wednesday (April 22) voted to enter a deal with Split-Sets Foundation that would transform Johnny Bright Playground on Cleary Avenue into a tennis hub with 30 courts.

Six of seven council members approved the resolution allowing the parish to pursue the public-private partnership. The project carries a $16 million price tag.

Jake Berry, a tennis player who uses the playground, said securing a court on weekends can be challenging.

“The weekends, naturally, the kids are off and parents are off,” Berry said.

Berry said he wants more tennis courts but believes there must be balance.

“They have the current baseball fields and things of that nature. But if there was a way to increase the tennis courts without taking away from the other sports, I think it would be a positive thing,” Berry said.

Inspector general raises concerns

Jefferson Parish Inspector General Kim Chatelain sent a letter to the parish council asking it to defer voting on the item. The IG raised concerns that the deal might not follow public bid and lease laws, which are designed to protect taxpayer dollars.

Council member Hans Liljeberg said the resolution allows Split-Sets to move forward to see if it can raise the money.

“That’s acceptable,” Liljeberg said. “It’s $16 million, which is a tall order to move forward with the proposition,” Liljeberg said.

Liljeberg said the project is preliminary.

“It’s very preliminary, and it is not something that the public should be very concerned about. It’s nothing that we can’t walk back,” Liljeberg said.

Council member raises transparency concerns

Council member Jennifer Van Vrancken said the council has developed a pattern of ignoring Chatelain.

“We’ve gotten in a scary pattern of ignoring our Inspector General and that hasn’t served us well,” Van Vrancken said. “We’re in court now (over the Gretna brewpub project) because of it. I don’t understand why, if something is not time-sensitive and we have 100 emails of concern, let me defer it one meeting.”

Van Vrancken said she worries neighbors do not know about the potential changes.

“I think some conversation ahead of this item would have been really helpful,” Van Vrancken said

Van Vrancken abstained from voting. She said she is not for or against the project but wants to have more public meetings and studies. When asked why she abstained, Van Vrancken said her attorney husband had been approached by the company involved. She said her husband is not representing the firm.

Parish president defends project

Parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng said meetings happened before the park consolidated with Cleary. She called the park a ghost town.

“(Residents) have these strong emotions, but they don’t want change. They’re OK driving by Bright and it being a completely vacant field. That’s not OK,” Lee Sheng said.

Jacques Legrand, treasurer of the Johnny Bright Playground Booster Club, said changing the park to tennis courts would decimate neighborhood sports.

“Just for instance, we had over 100 kids in our track program this year. I don’t think that says that our playground is underutilized,” Legrand said.

Legrand said usage numbers are misleading.

“While the numbers aren’t as high as the other (parks), it’s very deceitful. Those numbers are high because the parish allowed people to go to Miley, Girard and Lakeshore,” Legrand said.

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