Sulphur Center Circle Park’s early years were recalled and its exciting  re-creation celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday. Destroyed by the 2020 hurricanes, the community played a part in the master plan design approved in 2022.

“There were obstacles,” said Len Lemelle, SPAR Board of Commissioners vice president, but it was worth the wait.”

The new pool features a zero entry for ease of access. For patrons with mobility issues, a pool lift. There is also a slide and a spring board, Natalie Bower, SPAR, pointed out.

The playground is a combination of new and reused equipment.

“We were able to preserve some of the existing structures while incorporating new features to make this the first inclusive playground in Sulphur,” Bower said.

Evelyn, Lila and Autumn Guidry squirmed in their seats during the ceremony, eager to get to the park and play. They are the granddaughters of Kristi Saucier Stewart who drove all the way from Baton Rouge for the event.

“I grew up in Sulphur and lived right over there,” she said, pointing to a house on the circle. “My brother and I were lifeguards and taught swimming lessons at the pool.”

 History

The history of Center Circle  goes back 60 years. Some of the officials remembered enjoying its early amenities.

“Back in the mid-1940s, people from all over the nation came to work in industries supporting the war effort. Part of that was the build out of Maplewood, one of the first planned communities in the United States, and part of that was this park,” said Mayor Mike Danahay.

The pool became the mecca, Danahay said, the heartbeat of the area. In the summertime, the place where every kid  could be found, not just those living in Maplewood.

State Rep. Les Farnum was eight years old when his family moved to Maplewood., and he spent an “incredible time” swimming and playing basketball at the park.

“To look at it today, I would have never envisioned this kind of facility sitting in this location. It needed the vision of the SPAR board, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury,” Farnum said.

Brent Clement, Calcasieu Parish Police Juror, commended the taxpayers trust of the SPAR Board to use tax dollars in projects that bring families together.

Earlier that morning, Police Juror Joe Andrepont said that every so often Sulphur residents are surveyed to help the Parish determine what’s most important to them. Quality of life is one answer that shows up on every survey. “Parks and recreation checks that box, especially for the Sulphur area,” he said.

“We are fortunate to have the tax base that we have. That’s the beauty of the Sulphur community. When it comes to children, residents are willing to tax themselves for education and recreation. That’s where our heart is. I call that quality of life.”