Community gardens, food courts, bike paths and enhanced walking trails are just a few of the design concepts visualized by a group of Louisiana State University students for the future of the city of Jennings.

About 30 students from the university’s School of Landscape Architecture and architect profession Dr. Traci Birch have spent the last six months working together to create plans to improve the quality of life, attract people to the city and grow the city’s economy.

“We as a city are the beneficiary of these plans and ideas because all of this is from 19 and 22-year-old individuals who would reside in Jennings,” Mayor Henry Guinn said. “This is what young people want.

“ As mayor, you have to take into understanding that some of it is futuristic,” he continued.  “We didn’t give these college kids a budget and say, ‘Here’s $2 million, give me something.’  This is them using their imagination and critical thinking to tell us what they like and what they see feasible.”

The project, which provides students with real world experience in the fields of architecture, landscape, historic preservation and planning, was funded by a grant from the National Academy of Science.

In looking at the plans, Guinn said some of the plans are achievable.

“When I started looking at some of these plans, some of them are actually very affordable,” he said. “Something like to enhance the city, we have Bayou Nezpique. You can launch a canoe from La. 97 to the park on East Academy and you can coordinate all that through the Gator Chateau. It’s something to enhance summer activities.”

Other ideas incorporate plans to repurpose the old Jennings City Hall, the Heywood Building, the Louisiana Oil and Gas Park, as well as utilize local waterways, abandoned alleyways and recreational facilities to strengthen the city’s resiliency, elevate urban design aesthetics and foster unity in underserved areas.

The plans also utilize native plants and fruit trees for landscape.

“I am impressed with what I see,” Guinn said. “To see some of these ideas on paper, not all of them are affordable, but some are very realistic and can be implemented.”

Many of the ideas focus on providing visitors and residents better access to local businesses, jobs and recreation, he said.

To create the plans, Guinn said the students spent time in Jennings touring the area, taking pictures, studying existing architecture, visiting with local residents and businesses owners and gathering information about the area including median income and population.

The next step for the city will be to pick a plan the community wants, that can enhance the quality of life and is something that the city can afford. Grants may be available to assist the city with implementing some of the projects, he said.

The plans will be available for public viewing this month inside the lobby of the Jennings City Hall, 145 N. Main St.