Berwick man hopes land will become community garden

BERWICK — Local dentist Dr. Scott Sicard has property in Berwick he currently is not building on, so he wants to open it up for others to use.
Sicard proposed to the Town Council Tuesday offering his approximately two-acre lot at 1394 Old Spanish Trail, for the time being, as a community garden.
He said the lot could be used by schools or to support a farmers market, where he said he hasn’t seen a lot of vegetables and fruit.
“So I thought if this could be just a sparkplug, if it snowballs, it could grow,” Sicard said.
He said the garden provides an opportunity to help the parish and provide healthier foods for youngsters as well as to teach them how to grow healthier food.
“We’re planning to manage it and take care of it,” Sicard said of himself and his family.
The Town Council offered its support for the idea.
Councilman Raymond Price noted the garden could be something that agriculture students at Berwick High could help keep up.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for years, too,” Price said. “Just I don’t have the land. Scott has the land.”
Sicard said he is open to other ideas for the garden from the community and said he would like to have others come and plant on portions of the land, too.
“It’s open to the whole parish,” he said.
St. Mary Parish Council on Aging Executive Director Beverly Domengeaux asked for space for senior citizens because gardening is an activity they would like to do.
“They could probably teach some kids a few things,” she said. “They (seniors) need things like that to do.”
Sicard said he has not received any objections from his immediate neighbors about the idea, and he plans to put in some fencing and parking.
In other action the council:
—Learned from Police Chief David Leonard that three units in the Berwick Housing Authority are available. Applications are being taken Friday 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at www.berwickhousingauthority.com for two- and three-bedroom apartments.
—Learned from Mayor Duval Arthur that he has called the U.S. Census Bureau multiple times to inquire if Berwick has qualified to become a city, but he hasn’t learned any news yet. He said they will not know until July whether they will be elevated to a city. Arthur was hoping they would find out before then because of the implications it has on grants. Each grant they are applying for, they are applying for as a town, and if they could apply as a city, it could mean more money could be available from nearly all grants, he said.
—Approved renewing its AT&T Video Services agreement. It includes offering U-Verse. Town legal counsel Robert Duffy said the agreement will renew for 10 years. The town will continue to get royalties and revenues in the pact.
—Approved a graduation parade permit for Berwick High School for Wednesday. The parade will begin at BHS at 6 p.m. on Pattie Drive and will travel down Hogan Street, to Nicklaus Street, turn south on Nicklaus Street and continue to Trevino Street, turn on Trevino Street to Tournament Boulevard, turn north on Tournament Boulevard to Hebert Street, continue on Hebert Street to Pattie Drive and then end at Geisler Stadium.
—Learned from Coun-cilman Raymond Price in his public safety report that Officer Josh Hudson was honored by the Marine Corps League in Patterson Tuesday as Berwick’s Officer of the Year.
—Learned from Councilman Kevin Hebert in his recreation report that he and Arthur have been discussing the possibility of a pickleball court and a basketball court for the community on property under the U.S. 90 bridge.
—Approved payments related to the town hall roof project. The project’s engineer, George Mikhael, received $6,051, while B&J Enterprises of Metairie received $81,320. B&J Enterprises is installing the town hall roof. It is the second payment to the company.