Firefighters petition seeks to reopen East Park station

ANDREA CARLSON Tri-Parish Times

Volunteer firefighters presented a petition to reopen the East Park Fire Station to council members and administration at the Sept. 13 Terrebonne Parish Council Meeting.

The East Park Station was closed December 2004 after budget constraints forced councilmembers to look into shutting down one of two posts n East Park or East Tunnel Stations. Inadequate building codes and requirements became the deciding factor in closing East Park.

Now with possible legislation to fix the Prospect Street Bridge, board members will are facing a dilemma concerning public safety. If the bridge closes, traffic jammed at alternate routes could leave communities in limbo. East Tunnel now answers calls to East Park neighborhoods; closing the Prospect Bridge would cut off an artery into an area where the flow is somewhat stymied.

“We feel that the people of East Park need protection,” said Barry Bonvillain, volunteer firefighter and past parish president. “When that construction is going to happen, people are going to be set back. If you try to cross Howard Avenue and surrounding bridges, the amount of traffic is going to be humungous when the bridge closes. The fire station on Tunnel Boulevard will have to fight solid traffic. That is why the East Park station opened 50 years ago.”

Councilman Harold Lapeyre agreed that the closing of East Park needs to be re-examined. “If we close the [bridge] you create a different scenario of protection and it is my will that administration reanalyze the operation of the fire department and the East Park Station because it creates a valid protection system for people who may not otherwise be protected.”

The petition was presented just as the council is tabulating the 2007 budget. Funds are in excess as sales tax returns have increased.

Petitioning began last year, East Park Volunteer Fire Company Vice President Keith Bonvillain told the council. Action would have come sooner but the hurricane season of 2005 hampered progress.

“The parish, including Houma, has grown appreciably and revenues have gone to the positive side so I would like to see funds that are needed go to re-open that operation,” said Lapeye.

The administration suggested that a thorough analysis of the financial situation be made before promising any action.

“This year we do have more money to put toward our fire department and our police department but the key is recurring revenues,” said Parish Administrator Barry Blackwell. “We have to look at the solid position of the entire department over a long period of time. The administration will investigate but we have to have [secure] recurring revenues.”

The East Village division of the Houma Fire Department now supports the residents that East Park. Chief Daniel Scott of HFD exact service numbers available and had no comment on the issue, noting he had not had a chance to meet with the public on the matter.

Councilmember Christa Duplantis representing District 5 presented her “Wish List,” which included the re-opening of East Park. In 2004, she said confusing language led to her vote for the resolution to close, but voted ‘nay’ in the final decision.

“I think it can be done,” said District 1 Councilman Alvin Tillman, whose area also includes effected residents. “There were several fires in that area and I heard about them. Not only are the people in the area concerned, but people all over the parish are concerned.”

Tillman said the 2004 vote also left him in an awkward position, his “yea” vote. With the current situation, he said he is ready to do what it takes to reopen East Park with open communication with the volunteers and council.

Bonvillain said he was pleased with the response from council members though he does admit that East Park Volunteers experienced a lack of support in the past. “There is still much work to be done and hopefully we can get this rolling. That’s why we are here, for the people of East Park,” he said.

Andrea Carlson can be reached at (985) 876-3008 or andrea@tri-parishtimes.com.