Take a Tour of the Greenwood Park and Baton Rouge Zoo Project Master Plan
Section 1 - J.S. Clark Corner
With two courses and 27 holes, golf presently dominates Greenwood Park so much that many local residents are unaware that the green-space offers anything other than golf. In fact there is beautiful parkland within, and following studies by golf industry experts which were reinforced by strong general public opinion, the Greenwood Community Park Master Plan recommended a reduction in the quantity of golf holes on the 600+ acre site and dramatically improving the quality of a rebuilt 9-hole course. This will provide a fantastic playing experience for golfers and also frees numerous acres of the greenspace for alternative outdoor recreation programming which suit the interests and needs of a broader community of park users. These images describe an expanded and improved J. S. Clark 9-hole course.
Mini-Golf
A unique mini-golf entertainment venue was a strongly endorsed outcome of the public involvement process during the master planning of Greenwood Park. With only one other mini-golf facility in EBR Parish and the unique and exciting theming of this course, a mini-golf facility at Greenwood would also be a revenue generating component. The siting of this attraction along Hwy. 19 provides high visibility and will attract visitors to the park from a wide region. Character images of this proposed park amenity are provided below.
- Expanded & renovated 9 holes course, cart paths, two bridges, new pumps and irrigation system.
- Maintenance yard addition for golf cart storage
- Parkway extension to Thomas Road
- Updated driving range
- Mini-Golf
- New Playground
2 - Bayou Side
The Bayou Promenade – a pathway along Cypress Bayou within Greenwood Park – is a key design element of the park master plan and functions to link the new entrance to the Baton Rouge Zoo with The Waterfront building cluster on the lakefront at the heart of the park. It will skirt the new centralized parking area serving both the zoo and the park. More than just a walkway, the Bayou Promenade will feature attractive architectural elements, seating areas for rest and contemplation, informative kiosks and views of the natural habitats, and more. As evidenced by the illustrations below, this promenade will become a cherished regional destination.
- Bayou Restoration – reshaping and reforestation of Cypress Bayou
- Blueway Trails
- Zip-line Course/Team Building Obstacle Course
- Birdwatching Tower
- Outdoor Concert Venue
- Community Conference/Rental Center
3 - Sports Meadow
- Parkway extension to Lavey Lane
- Sports Field Complex w/Meadow Landform
- Cross-country Course
- Disc Golf
- Community Gardens
- Relocated Dog park
- Canopy Walk
4 - Heart of the Park
- Bayou Promenade – a pathway along Cypress Bayou that links the new entrance to the Baton Rouge Zoo with The Waterfront.
- Waterfront Playground – iconic Louisiana Black Bear mom and cubnew playground
- New entry drive sequence with roundabout, wayfinding signage
- Expanded Adventure Play & Pavilions
- Additional parking
- Extended Fishing Pier
- Recreation Facility (Safe Room)
- Repurposed Munitions Sheds/Art Installations
5 - Baton Rouge Zoo
New Entry Building
The main entry to the Baton Rouge Zoo will be relocated from its current access off Thomas Road to a brand new entry building from within the heart of Greenwood Community Park. The images below illustrate the layout and functionality of the entry building, the generous drop-off plaza between the ticket gate and parking, functions within the new building, and pedestrian circulation patterns.
New Orientation Plaza
Once inside the new entry of the zoo, guests will be welcomed into a broad Orientation Plaza featuring the globe fountain relocated from the present zoo entry, a meadow for small crowds to gather for performances or presentations, and a hierarchical system of pathways inviting visitors to explore the zoo.
New Animal Exhibits & Care Facilities
Brand new to the Baton Rouge Zoo will be Pigmy Hippos and Colobus monkeys combined within one exhibit. The hippos are aquatic and visitors will be able to view them through glass walls of their pool, while the Colobus will climb the trees and land features above the hippos. The giraffe exhibit will be modernized and enhanced with a new night barn and a new “eye-level” feeding station where humans can walk up a ramp to look a giraffe in the eye! Other improvements include new aviaries for birds, a new American hoofstock exhibit for bison and elk, and more. Many Phase One improvements to our zoo may not be so evident to visitors because they focus on modernizing the infrastructure for managing water. Presently, runoff from rainfall and sewerage are all combined in an on-site sanitary treatment facility. The improvements will remove the obsolete motes from our zoo, and will split stormwater management and sewerage treatment into separate systems.
The above are elements of Phase One improvements only. Many more improvements are envisioned for our zoo and will be realized in future phases. The zoo will remain open to visitors during construction of these improvements.
- New Pigmy Hippos and Colobus Monkey Exhibit and Night Houses
- New Giraffe exhibit, new night barn, and a new “eye-level” feeding station where humans can walk up a ramp to look a giraffe in the eye!
- Four New Aviaries and night houses – one North America, two South American, one African
- New American hoofstock exhibit for Bison and Elk
- Ambassador Animal Building
- Orientation Plaza splashpad with Globe fountain
- Meadow
- Atchafalaya
- Africa
- Parking expansion
