A small sitting area in Downtown Lafayette is now gone.
Years ago, Lafayette Consolidated Government in partnership with Project Front Yard, the Kiwanis of Acadiana and Downtown Lafayette blocked off the turning lane off of West Congress Street near the library to transform it into a park.
At one point, tables and chairs lined the area.
The goal was to give people an area to relax outside. The Kiwanis Club said they donated the tables and chairs, but over time, they were worn out and were starting to break. A LCG spokesperson said the library has been maintaining the spot, but the furniture was beyond repair.
Several homeless people tell KATC the spot was tranquil, they would often play chess there and relax under the canopy of trees.
One man who did not want to go on camera said, "It was just a safe place for the guys that didn't have anywhere else to go. Even with a lot of people, you could feel by yourself there."
At this time, there's no plans to turn the area into anything and LCG says they are not going to reopen the turning lane to vehicle traffic.
