The soon-to-come Common Park in Shreveport Common, the 9-block art and culture district on the western side of downtown, isn’t letting any grass grow under its feet as construction plans are made. Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation (SPAR) hosted a pre-construction meeting recently 
and report that more than a dozen general contractors and subcontractors showed up, which bodes well for some competitive bidding. Mayor Tyler recently announced that the city had identified and secured $1.2m for the park, an amount that was approved by the Shreveport City Council. 
Bids for the park will be opened on Aug. 2. If those bids are within budget, downtown could be looking at an early September groundbreaking with construction starting almost immediately after. Though weather will be a factor on this outdoor build, the hope is for completion by first quarter 2019. The city’s $1.2m completes a wonderful park filled with trees, grass, sidewalks, and a unique water feature that collects the groundwater runoff and recirculates it to keep 
the park flora alive. The significant underground work- the cisterns to hold the runoff and all plumbing and electrical, is also included in the initial amount. Shreveport Common, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and other partners in the project are committed to raising additional private donations to add some artistic flair in the form of sculptural trees, a digital video wall, a water wall, an amphitheater stage and more. Several sizable donations have already been pledged.
The city is committed to making this ‘first’ urban park a place that people will remember…for all the right reasons!
