posted Feb 6, 2013, 4:42 PM by Yvonne Mitchell-Grubb
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updated Feb 6, 2013, 5:52 PM
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Councilmember Gisleson Palmer | Dear Neighbors
and Friends, The end of this past year was a busy time for all of us! I
wanted to share some of the improvements we have seen in District "C".
As we end Carnival season celebrations, I hope we will all realize that we
have much to celebrate - from the re-development of the St. Roch Market and
welcoming new and returning small businesses in many of our historic
neighborhoods to celebrating the opening of the Algiers Regional Library and the
extension of the Energy Smart program to
residents in Algiers. There is still a great deal of work to be done. I am committed to working
with you to build upon the progress we have made to improve the quality of life
for District C residents and the residents of our City.
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Development
in District "C"
Construction is underway on the Circle Food
Store and the St. Roch Market. We broke ground on the
Algiers Bike Path extension along the Algiers Levee and on the
5th District Police Station in the Upper 9th Ward. I pushed for
progress on the redevelopment of the Treme Center and
Brechtel Park, and have advocated for further progress on the
new development of Berhman Stadium. For many of these
developments, I worked with other local and state officials to secure needed
funding and support.
We welcomed the opening of the Algiers
Regional Library, the YMCA at Federal City, and small
businesses on both the East and West Banks.
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Circle Food Store
Construction Begins | |
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Breaking Ground on the
Algiers Bike
Path | |
Most
recently, we worked with the Woodlands Conservancy on their
acquisition of 190-acres of protected forested wetlands in lower Algiers. We
also heralded the partnership of the Audubon Nature Institute
with the San Diego Zoo to create a nature and wildlife preserve in
Algiers. Both announcements are great for the maintenance of our local
environment but also for the educational and recreational opportunities they
will provide for residents for years to come.
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Audubon Nature Institute
Press Conference | |
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Woodlands Conservancy
Press
Conference | |
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St. Roch Market Press
Conference | Disaster &
Recovery
After hearing the complaints of many residents immediately
following Hurricane Isaac and touring the District to see the damage, I called
for a special Disaster & Recovery Committee meeting where I led
Councilmembers in examining the post-Isaac clean-up efforts. At
that time, I also committed to working with other Councilmembers to lead an
effort to support emergency preparedness and ensure that our elderly citizens
and first responders have what they need before, during, and after
emergencies.
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| Special Disaster and Recovery Committee
Meeting |
In a joint Hurricane
Recovery Disaster & Recovery Committee with our state representatives, we
examined what happened to promised recovery funding for the many non-profit
organizations supporting individuals and those leading recovery projects
throughout the City.
Finally,
I initiated the effort to reform the Lot Next Door program. By
examining the obstacles our residents are facing along with researching best
practices from across the country, we can improve the program so more residents
are able to take advantage of the opportunity.
Transportation
In the
Summer of 2012, the City Council passed the Taxi Cab Reform
package and changes began to be implemented in the Fall. The reforms, which
require higher standards for vehicles and the installment of navigation, credit
card readers and safety equipment, are helping to ensure that drivers and
passengers experience high-quality, safe travel to and from their
destinations.
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| New Streetcar Route | |
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Loyola Streetcar
Ribbon Cutting
Ceremony
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I have advocated for more
bus shelters and benches at RTA stops throughout the District and saw
the completion and opening of the Loyola Streetcar line.
Finally, as
implementation of the Complete Streets
Policy that I passed is underway, the number of bike
paths and pedestrian crosswalks at intersections and surrounding schools, and
the number of curbs repaired to be ADA compliant have increased dramatically.
This ensures that our residents who walk, rely upon bicycles or have a
disability have safe and more accessible options for transit.
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| Bicycle Rack in French
Quarter |
We all know that there is still a great
deal of work to be done. Please know that as Councilmember for District "C," I
am committed to building upon the progress we have made and will continue to
work to improve the quality of life for District "C" residents and all residents
of the City.
Warm Regards,
Kristin |
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