New Orleans’ public recreation department is on the verge of an overhaul shaped by Mayor Helena Moreno’s campaign promises to expand youth programs, improve park maintenance and bring new leadership to a historically underfunded city resource.
And with the City Council’s approval this week of five new mayoral appointees to oversee the New Orleans Recreation and Development Commission, Moreno’s vision has begun to unfold, with changes aimed at making the troubled department function more efficiently.
The reconstituted 13-member board will meet for the first time next week, and its priorities include being more transparent with the public about NORD’s operations and ensuring the department has the resources it needs to get things done, according to a report Moreno’s team released…