NEW ORLEANS — Annabelle Signorelli lives just across the Orleans Avenue Canal from New Orleans City Park.
The stretch of Marconi Drive near her home Between Filmore Avenue and Allen Toussaint Boulevard is overgrown with weeds, grass and other vegetation.
“I keep thinking it’s because of the rain, they haven’t mowed it in a while, but they’re still not mowing it and it’s overgrown and it’s ugly,” Signorelle said.
Friends of Lakeview President Al Petrie notified City Park about the area’s current condition. It’s just across the street from a popular bike and walking trail.
“I just don’t understand completely why this area has been so neglected like it is right now,” Petrie said. “It’s only getting worse.”
Petrie said he was shocked at park CEO Cara Lambright’s response to his email.
In the email he shared with WWL Louisiana, she said the area will eventually be transitioned to all native grasses and will no longer be mowed.
Lambright also said that it looks more unkempt than it should…as to not disturb a coyote den.
Signorelli is concerned about coyotes living so close to her neighborhood.
“This is a vibrant neighborhood with young children who play in the yards,” Signorelli said. “Yeah, that’s not okay.”
Petrie also has problems with this part of City Park, close to a densely populated neighborhood, being a protected habitat for coyotes.
“Last year, when it got really hot we started having issues with coyotes getting into Lakeview and we finally figured out they were probably having some sort of den they created in the weeds here last year,” Petrie said.
Some of the overgrowth now extends onto a portion of Marconi.
City Park says the issue is expected to be addressed this week or next.
According to City Park leaders, the park is working with the city to prevent the coyotes from dispersing into the neighborhood by disturbing them.
Both the City of New Orleans and City Park declined to comment for this story.
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