Hodges Gardens rose bushes relocated to Cypress Bend Park

Published 6:00 pm Thursday, March 22, 2018

By American Press Staff

In its final act as a Hodges Gardens organization, the Friends of Hodges Gardens will be using its remaining fund balance to assist with the relocation of the park’s venerable rose bushes.

President of the Friends organization Chris Nolen said that more than 180 rose bushes can now be viewed at the Sabine River Authority’s Cypress Bend Park, surrounding its flag plaza.

“The SRA has a horticulturist and staff members who are very capable of caring for the rose bushes and we were very pleased to have been able to find such a suitable home for them,” Nolen stated.

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She said the rehoming of the rose bushes was approved by the A.J. and Nona Triggs Foundation, which maintains ownership and control of the remaining gardens. Plans are also in place, she said, to rehome the park’s climbing rose bushes next.

{{tncms-inline content=”<p><strong>‘… it also brings a sense of finality to the closure of Hodges Gardens that myself and others had worked so hard for so long to prevent.’</strong><br /><br />Chris Nolen<br />President of the Friends<br />of Hodges Gardens</p>” id=”5c831078-cd75-424c-a835-d6fb4a74d7fb” style-type=”quote” title=”Pull Quote” type=”relcontent”}}

Upon completion of that relocation, Nolen said the Friends organization will be dissolved.

“It’s a heartbreaking situation. It’s been very hard to accept and there have been many tears shed over this,” Nolen stated. “We are happy to have found a solid future for these gorgeous roses, but it also brings a sense of finality to the closure of Hodges Gardens that myself and others had worked so hard for so long to prevent.”

The gardens officially closed on Oct. 1 after the state returned ownership of the 700-acre park back to the Foundation, saying that it could no longer afford the nearly $500,000 in annual maintenance costs.

Since that closure, Nolen said that two proposals had been submitted to the Foundation in an attempt to reopen the gardens, but neither came to fruition.

“Both the SRA and the Friends of Hodges Gardens met with the foundation in an attempt at coming to an agreement, but both parties were unable to find common ground in either of the discussions,” Nolen stated.

She said that the Foundation was not wiling to relinquish control of all operations at the park, and that in their talks it was made clear to her that it had no interest in resuming operation of the Gardens in whole or in part.

“I don’t believe they are going to sell it and I don’t believe they want to see it developed, there just simply is no future for it; at least not right now,” she stated.

In their last attempt to save the gardens, the Friends organization nominated Hodges Gardens to the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation’s Most Endangered Places list. If accepted, the nomination will provide a platform for state and national recognition that Nolen said she hopes will bring in financial support for the gardens.

“While we hope that it is accepted, simply being added to the list will not reopen the gardens itself,” she stated.

“What we hope will happen is that by being accepted, it gets the attention of some person or organization that is financially capable of reopening its gates. That is truly what we all want to see with these magnificent gardens.”

The gardens were previously added to the state’s Registry of Historic Places in 2015.

‘… it also brings a sense of finality to the closure of Hodges Gardens that myself and others had worked so hard for so long to prevent.’

Chris Nolen

President of the Friends

of Hodges Gardens

      e8e2a0c2-f303-11e7-92ef-a788d7c84b5d2018-01-06T19:00:00Znews/local,newsRaces set for March 24 election

      Doris MaricleJefferson Davis Parish Reporterhttps://americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/2/0b/363/20b363ec-3a6d-11e7-be79-bf9dc8973cf5.4ddcfc90d57047524e082314ecc99992.png

      Races were set Friday for the March 24 elections in Southwest Louisiana as qualifying wrapped up.

      Early voting will be 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 3-10.

      The deadline to register to vote in person or by mail is Jan. 17 or Jan. 27 through the secretary of state’s website, www.geauxvote.com.

      The slated races:

      Beauregard Parish

      DeRidder mayor: Misty Clanton and Mike Harper.

      DeRidder City Council, at large (2 to be elected): Michelle Pierce Bennett, Narayan “MK” Dokwal, Michael D. Harris, Vincent LaBue (I), Chance Lewis and Billy Spikes.

      DeRidder Council District 1: Steven Brand and Kimaron Haynes Moore (I).

      DeRidder Council District 2: Faith Buckley Scott (I) and Julian “Pee Wee” Williams.

      Merryville police chief: Tommy Robberson and Robert Earl Thompson (I).

      Merryville aldermen (5 to be elected): Mark W. Allen (I), Rodney Farris, Daniel R. Ferguson, Amanda Dawn Pointer (I), Dale Reinhart (I), Alison Page Robberson, Sara Barnes Sellers (I), Shelia Lanier Smith, Darrell Thompson and Jay Williamson Jr.

      Calcasieu Parish

      Sulphur mayor: Mike Danahay and Christopher “Chris” Duncan (I).

      Sulphur City Council District 1: Drusilla “Dru” Ellender (I) and Randy Hebert.

      Sulphur Council District 2: Donnie Fuslier, Michael “Mike” Koonce, Hunter Pago and Jonathan “Johnny” Thomas.

      Sulphur Council District 3: Melinda D. Hardy and Lelan J. LaBorde.

      Sulphur Council District 4: Joy Abshire and Joseph “Randy” Favre Jr. (I).

      Sulphur Council District 5: Daniel “Danny” DiPetta Jr.,  Jesse N. Fontenot, Gerrit Zick Lawrence and Mandy Thomas.

      Jeff Davis Parish

      School Board District 10 (special): “Vickie” Buller and James Edward Tarver.

      Vernon Parish

      Leesville mayor: Richard “Rick” Allen (I) and Roland Huson.

      Leesville City Council District 3: Danny Dowd (I) and Nicole Ybarra.

      Leesville Council District 4: Phillip R. Hunt and Anthony “Tony” Shapkoff (I).

      New Llano mayor: Freddie Boswell (I) and Denis Jordan.

      New Llano town council (5 to be elected): Charlotte McHenry Cooper (I), Lesley Poteat, Terry Speicher (I), Winfort “Stew” Steward III, Carolyn H. Todd (I) Ervin Wilson Sr. (I) and Ervin “Buggy” Wilson Jr.

      New Llano police chief: Marie Carter, Danny Hunt (I) and Kel Sagram.

      Anacoco police chief: Mike Martin, Michael Sanders, Bradley Shores and Jerry C. Waller.

       

      Several candidates were elected without opposition in Southwest Louisiana on Friday after no one qualified to run against them in the March 24 elections.

      Those elected:

      Beauregard Parish

      DeRidder City Council District 3: Gordon C. Jenkins (I).

      DeRidder Council District 4: Randy Larken (I).

      DeRidder Council District 5: Keith Hooper (I).

      Merryville mayor: David Eaves (I).

      Vernon Parish

      Leesville City Council, at large (2 to be elected): Alice Guess (I) and William R. Thomas (I).

      Leesville Council District 1: Chris Robertson (I).

      Leesville Council District 2: Willie Mae Kennedy (I).

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