Contact: Shelby Hoffpauir, Director of Communications 337-491-6688

The Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, working with the Urban Design Associates (UDA) team, has launched a website and scheduled a round of Listening Workshops to kick off the public involvement for the newly initiated robust resilience planning process for Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes.

“We’ve named this effort Just Imagine SWLA,” said Sara Judson, CEO of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana. “We want our community to take the time to imagine, just imagine, what Southwest Louisiana can be in the future. We want to hear from the community as to what a strong, healthy, and thriving region will look and feel like in 50 years.”

The plan’s website, www.JustImagineSWLA.org is now live and will be updated in real time. This site will provide information related to the mid-November Listening Workshops, as well as continued updates about the planning process, can be found. Visitors to the site can also sign up for direct updates.

The first phase of the planning process is an opportunity for the consultant team to listen directly to the needs and desires of area residents. There will be three Listening Workshops offered during the week of November 15th; all will present the same information and give participants the opportunity to share their vision. People from Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes are encouraged to choose the date and time that fits their schedule best. The meetings are set for the following dates and locations:

Monday, November 15, 2021
6-8 pm
West Cal Event Center
401 Arena Rd, Sulphur, LA

Tuesday, November 16, 2021
6-8 pm
Lake Charles Civic Center
900 N. Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles, LA
Buccaneer Room, 3rd floor

Wednesday, November 17, 2021
5-7 pm
Grand Lake High School
1039 LA 384, Grand Lake, LA
Cafeteria

The resilience planning effort is made possible by a generous $2.5 million gift from Angela and David Filo. This gift allowed the Community Foundation Southwest Louisiana to bring in exceptional planners to work with our local community to rebuild with resilience and equity. Areas of focus within the Master Plan will be housing, infrastructure, economic development, and other quality of life enhancements that will positively impact our region for decades.
For more information and to stay informed, please visit justimagineswla.org.