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Central plans 85-acre flood-control lake and new downtown along Sullivan Road
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Summary
City officials described a plan to relocate Central’s downtown to land along Sullivan Road, build an 85-acre flood-control and recreational lake to protect roughly 310 homes, add a multiuse arena and storm shelter, and pursue related road and greenway improvements.
A staff member told the Central City Council that the city is shifting its planned downtown to land along Sullivan Road and intends to build an 85-acre flood-control and recreational lake that would reduce flooding risk for about 310 homes while anchoring a new downtown identity.
The city is also pursuing an indoor storm shelter and a multiuse arena on the site, planning expanded road connections on Sullivan and Hooper roads, and applying for grants to fund greenways and shelter work, the staff member said at the council meeting.
Why it matters: The project is presented as both a flood-mitigation measure for areas along Beaver Bayou and a redevelopment anchor intended to provide a “live, work, and play” downtown core for the city of Central. Council consideration of related property purchases and grant applications could shape traffic patterns, public-safety shelter capacity and recreation options in the western side of Livingston Parish.
According to the staff member, the centerpiece is an 85-acre lake that will capture Beaver Bayou flows and fluctuate about 8 to 10 feet in level. “We’ll store an enormous amount of water here in the heart of the city,” the staff member said, adding the project would “positively impact 310 residences in high water events.” The speaker described the lake as both a flood-control basin and a recreational amenity.
Sullivan Road is under construction and will be widened to four lanes “all the way to Hooper,” the staff member said, and the city intends to shift its city-center planning to the area just south on Sullivan Road because larger parcels remain available there. The staff member said the city spent money on earlier plans for a different center that were never implemented and that those original parcels are now unavailable.
The proposal includes a multiuse arena on the northeast portion of the property. The staff member said the arena would host concerts, rodeos and school graduations, noting that graduations currently take place in Hammond because Central lacks a suitable venue. The speaker said the arena could seat roughly 3,500 in the lower tier and up to about 5,000 with floor seating, and suggested it could serve as both a performance venue and community facility.
Council materials and the speaker link the lake project to broader infrastructure work. The speaker said the city is finalizing a second grant application for a storm shelter; currently Central “doesn’t have anywhere to go in the event of a storm,” the staff member said, noting residents now travel to F.G. Clark or to locations in Southern to reach shelters when they are mobilized. The shelter is described as also functioning as an indoor sports and community gathering facility.
The staff member described plans for aquifer recharge tied to the lake: drilling into a sand layer so that receding lake water can replenish the first aquifer layer and help restore local springs, including Greenwell Springs. The speaker said the city is rebuilding and shoring up the spring house as part of that work.
On roads, the speaker said state work on Hooper Road East will extend four lanes to the area and to Blackwater Bayou, but that a historic property at a key intersection has delayed a planned roundabout. “Tonight at the council meeting, we’re going to be discussing an introduction item to buy this corner,” the staff member said, so the roundabout can be placed where planned. The presentation also noted the city says it has qualified for a DOTD greenways grant to support citywide pedestrian connectivity.
What’s next: The council was presented with an introductory item to consider purchase of the property at the intersection so a roundabout and lane improvements can proceed. Staff said they are finalizing a grant application for a storm shelter and pursuing greenways funding; no formal vote or final action on those items is recorded in the transcript.
The account above is based on remarks by a staff member during the council meeting; no final ordinances, votes, or contract awards appeared in the available transcript excerpt.
