Signs of tourism increase for Terrebonne Parish

Wet ground conditions might have kept government and business leaders inside Monday, but it failed to stop promoters of tourism and quality of life standards from marking the occasion with a ribbon cutting for two new gateway signs that welcome motorists to Terrebonne Parish.

Approximately 25 people gathered inside the Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau office to mark the occasion and declare that the $100 million per year generated by tourism in Terrebonne Parish and efforts toward advancing area beautification is a priority for the entire region.

One of the two newest markers that were offered tribute are located on La. Highway 24, across from the Louisiana Highway Patrol Troop C facility, off U.S. Highway 90, and one on La. Highway 24 is at Percy Brown Road near Thibodaux. A third marker welcomes people to Downtown Houma. Cajun Signs & More constructed the markers at a cost of approximately $28,000. Entergy and the Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau partnered with the parish to cover a third of the cost.

“We constructed [the monuments] out of [pre-fabricated] poly-urethane. It is wind resistant up to 180 miles per hour. It is a more durable sign,” said Shane Breaux of Cajun Signs & Moore. “One of the good things too is they used someone local [business to construct the signs].”

“This is part of our Parish Pride program,” Terrebonne Parish Director of Planning and Zoning Patrick Gordon said. “We partnered with the Convention and Visitors Bureau and Entergy in erecting three gateway signs into Terrebonne Parish to promote civic pride. This is also part of an overall program we are implementing with Bike Pass, Pedestrian Pass, and just recently we put in KaBOOM! playground equipment across from the hospital.”

Gordon said that the reaction displayed by citizens on this initiative is that they believe the government does care. “Hopefully this will have a ripple effect and people will take pride in their personal property as well,” he said.

“We are so excited to finally have the welcome signs up in Terrebonne Parish, especially from the tourism angle,” said Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Sharon Aucoin Alford. “It’s all about first impressions.”

Alford said that tourism in Terrebonne Parish is slowly gaining recognition as a viable part of the local economy along with petroleum production and the commercial seafood business.

“Our charter fishing industry is tourism,” Alford said. “It’s bringing people in and taking them on trips to enjoy the nature base tourism we have. There are the outdoor activities. The boat trips where people can go out and see our wetlands is a unique experience for them and that brings a lot of visitors to our area.”

Entergy customer service executive and Keep Louisiana Chairwoman Amy Martinez said that her company is pleased to join in this partnership. “Entergy takes great pride in the areas we serve,” she said.

Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Chairwoman Lynn Ellzey said that this project has been a priority and that she appreciates the cooperation of government and business leaders in building the signs of welcome. “We want to welcome everyone in a friendly, opened arm way to our parish,” she said.

“Everyone knows that a big emphasis of my administration is to make Terrebonne Parish the proud parish that we should be. To come into our parish and have something less than a beautiful gateway sign is not something that we would want at any particular time.” Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet said.

Claudet took this opportunity to stress parish beautification and announce efforts to crack down on abandoned properties that are in disrepair. “With the money that we have been able to get approved through the [parish] council, we are expecting by the end of this year we will have picked up every derelict vessel that you can see on all the bayous. In addition, we will have torn down 450 structures that should have been torn down many, many years ago,” he said.

Claudet said that beautification programs are something that government efforts can lead, but the problem cannot be solved without every resident taking an active role in cleaning up their own property and not littering on the property of others.

“It is a culture problem. We need to start training our children from an early age that throwing items out of the window, out of cars is not something we can condone in this parish,” Claudet said. “I’m happy to say that the sheriff just got a grant to assist in anti-litter [efforts]. We would like to see people actually be arrested and prosecuted for littering in this parish. We don’t think it is something that we can condone any further.”

“My passion is beautifying the parish,” Keep Terrebonne Beautiful spokeswoman and parish relations coordinator Linda Henderson said. “For [Claudet] to put me in charge of the beautification project and anti-litter projects is a perfect fit.” Henderson said she would be working with area schools and other organizations to develop anti-litter programs.

Henderson also suggested that the new welcoming structures on roads leading into Terrebonne Parish were also signs of things to come.

Government, business, tourism and the highway patrol representatives join Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet as they gather to cut a ribbon in honor of placing signs at key road points welcoming travelers to Terrebonne Parish. MIKE NIXON