Campers, fishermen and boaters will now be able to enjoy full access of Houssiere Park along Bayou Nezpique at all times.

The Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury agreed this week to keep the park, located at the end of East Academy Ave. in Jennings, open to the public at all times at no cost.

The Police Jury had limited public access to part of the park in 2013 by installing a gate at the back area of the property after vandalism, illegal dumping, drug activity and other problems forced them to restrict access to the park.

Police Juror Kori Myers said residents want to keep the back section that is currently blocked open at all times at no cost to the public.

“We will continue to keep it open as long as the residents don’t tear it up or and we don’t have any drug activity that starts in that area of the property,” she said. “That’s the original reason we had to close it in the first place.”

Police Jury President Steve Eastman said Sheriff Ivy Woods has agreed to continue to have a law enforcement presence in the park to deter crime.

“He said he is actually doing it now,” Eastman said. “That was the issue in the past, we weren’t getting law enforcement out there so things were happening.”

Although there have been problems in the past, police jurors said most people use the park to camp, fish, boat and picnic or just to enjoy the park.