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Golf Course Renovation Upsets Neighbours
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Residents claim work will damage park's beauty
08/10/2001
By: WDSU - The New Orleans Channel
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New Orleans, Aug 10th 2001
Some Uptown residents are protesting the overhaul of the Audubon Park golf course, saying that the changes will destroy part of the park's natural beauty
The golf course is undergoing a $6 million renovation that will include new drainage, new greens, new tees, and four new lagoons.
The project was initialized (sic) and backed by the Audubon Institute.
Audubon Golf Club member Stan Stopa assisted in what he called badly needed renovations.
"The greens were outdated, there's no irrigation system in the fairways, the tees are not good... it just needed to be done," Stopa said.
Many residents are opposing the renovation. Petitions to end the project were started by Debra Howell and Mike Easley.
Howell said that much of the problem stems from the public being left in the dark about what exactly would be taking place through the course of the project. Plans call for trees to be cut, as well as the elimination of Meditation Walk, which some consider to be an Audubon Park landmark.
"We feel that the users of this park have a right to have their voices heard," Howell said.
Public hearings were held, but some people said that the hearings were not publicized properly.
Easley, a golfer, said that the new course could be unsafe.
"The two small par-3's near the club house are going to be replaced with one long one and they've moved the tee next to the park boundary," Easley said. "Now, slice shots are going to go into the houses near the park."
Stopa said that concern and opposition was and is expected, but said that in the end the new course won't be so bad.
"When its finished, it will probably be one of the best facilities around here," Stopa said.
Protesters said that they would like some public hearings to be called and for city leaders to become involved, but councilman Scott Shea said that the city has no say on how the Audubon Institute redesigns the golf course.
As reported by Helena Moreno
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