Bucktown Harbor 

BUCKTOWN HARBOR PROGRESS

December 11, 2023

November 8, 2023

October 25, 2023

September 27, 2023

September 12, 2023

September 9, 2023

August 16, 2023

August 13, 2023

July 30, 2023

Bird’s Nest

The Bucktown Learning Pavilion is also known as the Bucktown Bird's Nest because this pavilion will overlook the protected Bucktown Marsh and its soon-to-be-created Living Shoreline extension. This proposed project involves the construction of an educational pavilion in an area of Bucktown Harbor that is considered a neighborhood park. The pavilion will have educational plaques/placards placed throughout the pavilion area. These plaques/placards will provide educational information about the marsh, the wetlands, the wildlife, etc., that exists in and around the Bucktown Harbor area.

These improvements are new public facilities / infrastructure being added to an open area with adjacent parking, walking / bike paths, picruc spaces and wetland/waterfront/nature areas. This area is outside of the levee protection area and is Parish owned open space. There is no land acquisition involved.

The Bucktown Harbor park has a number of existing amenities and future proposed improvements planned. The "Bird's Nest Pavilion" will be an integrated part of the park and will serve to reinforce and advance the goals of the Parish. There are no triggers or other currently proposed CDBG funded activities at this location.

It is anticipated that the main users of this facility will be local residents. There are bike and walking paths in the vicinity and the open space and existing recreation infrastructure are well used. Local area residents will benefit from this infrastructure through increased recreational and education opportunities. It is anticipated that numerous neighborhood individuals, families and organized groups will use these facilities to improve awareness about the natural environment, local wildlife, coastal erosion, storm protection and other information.

Bucktown Birdwalk

The Bucktown Harbor Birdwalk provides residents and visitors safe educational and recreational access to the constructed marshland and lakefront shoreline, providing a wetland immersion experience unavailable in this area of Jefferson Parish and the urban lakefront. Enjoy a leisurely stroll on the Bucktown Marsh Birdwalk on Lake Pontchartrain. Along its 1,000 feet, you will find bird blinds as well as informational signs about plants, wildlife, fisheries and the coast. Take a break on one of the benches along the boardwalk and watch a glorious sunset. Make a day out of it and pack a picnic lunch and sit at picnic tables under a covered pavilion. Please note, dogs are not allowed on the boardwalk.

Birdwalk Objectives:

  • Provide public access to the lake and wetland habitat on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain
  • Highlight the values and functions of wetland habitat, and to help build support for the protection and restoration of wetlands, particularly in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
  • Facilitate science education and research relative to Lake Pontchartrain at all academic levels
  • Facilitate birdwatching & ecotourism

Bucktown Kayak Launch

The Bucktown Harbor Paddler’s Launch will provide a convenient, safe access for paddlers of all skill levels to Lake Pontchartrain. The design creates a tidally influenced access channel intended to mimic a natural, historic Lake Pontchartrain shoreline. In addition to a natural bank entry point, paddle craft launch-assist areas with ADA access will be constructed. The paddler’s canal will be flanked on the north by a timber bulkhead and dock inspired by Bucktown’s fishing heritage, and on the south by a terraced pathway that will provide waterfront access and seating areas. The Paddler’s Launch area will be completed by a series of bridges – The Gap Bridge and The Harbor Walk Bridge – that will provide connectivity between the north and south sides of the park and create vantage points of the paddle craft activity below.

Design by Digital Engineering
Renderings by Joseph Furr Design Studio LLC

Bucktown Living Shoreline