ABetterShreveport BLOG: 2010 Annual Report

2010 was a pivotal year for ABetterShreveport. Our beloved Downtown ABetterShreveport gained 501c3 status known as Texas Avenue Community Association, or TACA. Shreveport City Council replaced five new seats, Jeff Everson, Oliver Jenkins (Chair), Michael Corbin, Rose McCollough, and Sam Jenkins. Leading up to the big election, ABetterShreveport hosted a bike ride and a mayoral and city council Pub Quiz in early September. The new City Council's energetic leadership was just in time for the Shreveport-Caddo Master Plan which was adopted by the City on December 1st, 2010. ABetterShreveport is cited frequently in the Master Plan as an organization whom advocates for a high quality of life using best practices from progressive communities. The Coalition for Better Stops was born in September through a lead up of meetings with Sportran, Shreveport Green, and SRAC. In December, ABetterShreveport created the Shreveport Dog Park Alliance subcommittee and named Cynthia Keith as chair. We closed out the year on December 31st with a hike on Coates Bluff to remember what a great year 2010 was for ABetterShreveport.org.

January
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

ABS spreads the word via our blog of what Cohabitat is and their first 'Jelly' event.
Members blazed a trail from Sevier St. by Montessori, through the forest along Anderson Bayou to Valencia Park.

February
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

ABS meets with Mike Strong, head of City's Department of Operational Services, who approves to using current utility easements for paths, and suggests all future easements should include paths atop them.

March
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

Tons of trash in Coates Bluff nature area cleaned up by ABS volunteers
Dr. Davenport leads Greenways course at Centenary in Environmental Studies
Trails constructed by ABS volunteers as Coates Bluff

April
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

National Park Service collaborates with ABS on Coates Bluff
ABS works with Parrish Commissioner Matthew Linn exploring Coates Bluff possibilities

May
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html

Texas Avenue Community Association reports of their remarkable progress
Bike racks, dog parks, and DDA collaborations discussed

June
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html

Farmers Market improvements proposed
"Time for ABetterShreveport" talk radio show first proposed (later debuted and still on the air today on KSCL, Mondays at 5:00)
Collective, "social" bike rides discussed and planned
New SRAC headquarters plan discussed as model of bike friendliness

July
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html

Premier urban-quality-of-life site, "MetroJacksonville.com" features ABS
Hopes for historic Blue Goose development profiled on radio show

August
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html

ABS member Feico Kempff flown to Smart Growth Conference by Committee of 100
City recycling researched: what's recycled, what's not, and what could be?

September
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html

ABS calls for city rezoning
The "Coalition for Better Bus Stops" born as a subcommittee of ABS; Sportran, SRAC, SPAR, and Shreveport Green collaborators
Downtown bike ride with ABS members and City Council Candidates functions as a forum for discussing downtown redevelopment issues
ABS City Council Candidates Forum at Cohabitat features pointed questions, candidate answers, and stimulating discussion of answers over wine and cheese at Cohabitat, Shreveport's non-profit shared workspace

October
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html

Attorney Jason Brown, Businessman Richard Sparke visit with ABS
Designer Gregory Free describes own vision of "Shreveport Common"
Highland Jazz and Blues Festival profiled
Over 75 riders participate in second annual City Tree Tour by Bike, "Velo Dendro"

November
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

Councilmen Jenkins and Lester attend ABS meeting
Dog Park discussed
Guest from Britain describe "Shelterbox" on radio show

December
http://abettershreveport.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html

Importance of Coffeeshops to civic culture discussed
Needs for Masterplan implementation noted
ABS member and Montessori Outdoor Education Program Director, Jon Soul, leads Coates Bluff Nature Trail walk

Ideas & Projects

General Quality of Life Projects:

a dog park: increasingly it's an expected city amenity. At the least it's a fenced area where dogs can be off leash. Often it's a social gathering place--for the owners as much as the dogs--and can have water, benches, gazebos, etc.
a food coop: could be just a place to pickup orders with minimal necessary space. Jen Courtney runs one now out of her car.
an every day, year-round, farmer's market: Arden and Kevin Kennedy tell us Ruston has one that's every day; Lafayette has one that's year-round; could Shreveport?
a building materials reuse coop: a community run facility for recycling building materials and preserving historic structures in the city (such as furthered by the the Building Materials Reuse Association, and as exemplified by this one in Boston, or this one in D.C.) Dr. Steve Shelburne and USAF Ret. Major Dan Marcalus are enthusiastic proponents of this idea.
a bicycle coop: a community run facility for bike repair education and tool-sharing (such as these in Austin, New Orleans, Fayetteville, and D.C.)
h igh speed local rail--or normal passenger rail--through Shreveport to Dallas and Jackson; what is the status of this project?
improved bus service: think driving your car is so much more convenient and enjoyable than using public transit that it outweighs the environmental harm it does? Then you probably haven't lived in a city with a public transit system. And don't blame Sportran director Gene Eddy; he uses it himself and wishes it could be better, but his funding keeps getting cut.
the Coates Bluff Greenway: a multi-use path through the forest, including educational nature and history signage that could run from E. Washington and Youree to Stoner Ave. going behind Magnet High School; nature trailhead already establish at Savoir St.
a bicycle & pedestrian plan for the city; with one in place specific projects can be advanced more easily; support can be developed and funds acquired; projects such as:
painted bike lanes, "sharrows" and bike boulevards to increase driver awareness of cyclists, cyclist sense of security, cyclist knowledge of recommended bike routes, and--in the case of bike boulevards--cyclist priority and low speed limits.
www.bikeSB.org: a resource for those biking for transportation with maps, tips, and events
installing bike racks in the interests of bikers, property value, art, and the city's future; if a business has a bike rack, it show it wants to have a city where people can bicycle for transportation, and if has an artistic one, it could raise it's community profile and property value. Many an artist would accept a commissions to build a rack that would help advertise a business.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

ABS meetings are Mondays 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in room 103 of the Wright Math Building on Woodlawn Ave., across the street from Magale Library on the Centenary College campus.

Radio Show every Monday at 5pm on kscl, 91.3.

Many are themed, such as these meetings from last year:

September 12, Coates Bluff Nature Trail

August 29, Capacity Building Presentation, Jennette Ginsburg

August 15, Coates Bluff Planning Meeting IV, Jon Soul

August 9, Dog Park Alliance Fundraising Training

Amy O'Prye

August 1, Bayou Pierre Bridge

July 25, Ron Heezman, Director of Caddo Parish Library System

July 18, Dr. Gary Joiner, Civil War Mound at Future Dog Park Site, Hamel Memorial Park

July 11, Coates Bluff III Meeting, Gary Hanson, LSUS Red River Watershed Management Institute

June 13, Downtown Library: topic TBA

June 6, Community meeting on nature trails and bike ways (Steph Pedro & Jennette Ginsburg)

May 30, Kings Highway and Youree Drive Intersection Renovation and Redesign (Steph Pedro & Jennette Ginsburg)

May 23 Downtown and Shreveport Common & Transit Hub (Demerath)

May 2: Shreveport Common & Magnet High Buses (Demerath & Manning - CoChairs)

April 18: Debriefing from Saturday's Community Meeting (Pedro and Demerath - Chairs)

April 11: City Fit Challenge (Sabra Hicks - Guest)

April 2: Bike Transportation Grants; Centenary role in Coates Bluff (Pedro and Demerath - Chairs)

March 28: Adjudicated Properties (Bonnie Moore & Malcolm Stadtlander Guests)

March 21: Property Taxes (Steph Pedro - Chair)

March 7: Coates Bluff (Jon Soul - Chair)

February 28: Education (Brian Salvatore - Chair)

February 14: The City Bond Issue (Liz Swain - Guest)

February 7: Downtown Zoning (Bill Pogue - Guest)

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