A loud cheer followed by the sharp rat-a-tat-tat of a snare drum and the blare of a horn signaled that the months of work were finally done.
Friends and family of Barbara Lacen-Keller gathered Friday (Oct. 10) to celebrate a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a park named in honor of the woman known as “the mayor of Central City.” Her family, elected officials, members of the Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale and others danced to the sounds of the Sons of Jazz Brass Band and Trombone Shorty after the formalities wrapped.
“It’s an honor, because my mother always said people don’t have to be good to you. But when they choose to be it’s because you’ve touched them in a special way,” Kelly Bentley Dixon, Lacen-Keller’s middle daughter, said during brief remarks before the ceremonial opening of the park at 1801 S. Robertson St.
The Preservation Resource Center supported the idea to name the greenspace for Lacen-Keller.
Before her death on Jan. 16, 2023, she was a member of the PRC’s board of directors and served as the head of the Multicultural Heritage Committee.
Harris’ office worked with Thrive New Orleans to redevelop the lot through a cooperative endeavor agreement that also involves the New Orleans Department of Parks and Parkways and Office of Youth and Families.
The park is on land that once was a New Orleans Police Department district station. In recent years, it was a concrete slab.
Dixon said the family was humbled when District B Councilwoman Lesli Harris approached her and her sisters about the idea.
“When she told us that she wanted to put forth an ordinance to name a green space after my mom, we were actually at a loss for words,” Dixon said, adding that additional features, such as playground equipment, will be added over time and it will be used by neighbors on a regular basis.
“Barbara Lacen-Keller was known as the ‘Mayor of Central City’ for good reason,” Harris said. “She dedicated her life to uplifting her neighbors, advocating for youth, and making sure our community was cared for. This park ensures her legacy of leadership and love continues to thrive in the neighborhood she called home.”
“This space today is named after her, but it’s not for her. It’s for the community,” Dixon said. “If she didn’t do nothing else, she cared about people. Thank you.”
