Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Bayou Pigeon Heritage Association Master Plan Update

Master Plans - Executive  Summary



The Bayou  Pigeon  Heritage Association is an IRS 501c3 non-profit  association  and has received ownership  of the structures  that once belonged  to the St  Joan of Arc Catholic Church.

We will be doing  more membership recruitment  for 2020  in the  coming  weeks / months.  In  the fall , this year, we  will have a major fund raiser and recruitment  program for  2021.

Remember  all dues / donations  are  tax deductible.

So potential members will have information on what  their dues  and donations  will be used for. Listed below is executive summary on Function  and Improvement projects  for the facilities.




The mission of  Bayou  Pigeon  Heritage  Association ;

The Bayou Pigeon Heritage Association is organized as a 501 c (3) non-profit corporation for the purposes of saving the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church Complex from abandonment and demolition by the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge and for preserving and using the said Complex for the preservation, promotion, perpetuation, education and enhancement of the past and present living histories, culture, heritage and folk life of the Swamp Cajuns of Bayou Pigeon, Iberville Parish, and Louisiana.


General  Facility, Exterior:


Visible Signage: Large, easy to read BPHA  sign. Remove  all unnecessary  St.  Joan of  Arc old  signage

Clean it Up: Power wash , parking lot, sidewalk  and and entrance ways. 

Garbage bins supplied  and maintained

Trim / remove  unnecessary and maintain existing landscaping  

Repair pot holes in parking lot.

Restore / Paint New Lines on the Parking Lot: 

In General  clean it up, curb  appeal is important  for public  perception.


Heritage  Hall Master  Plan


Become a upscale event  center  for our  community  and surrounding  area,  for many types of  functions.


1. Ensure the HVAC  system  is maintained  and  working  properly.
2. The main hall  will maintain  the open concept floor plan
3. The  Cry Room  of the  former church  will be remodeled as a food serving  area for  caterers.
4.  The existing Chapel room will be renovated  / upgraded  into a Christian prayer / meditation  room in keeping   with catholic special consideration of Mary the mother of Jesus
5. The interior restoration will include remodel  of the  vestibule area  to new modern Men  and  Women  Bathrooms with multiple   and updated plumbing fixtures.
6. The  confessional  area  will be remodeled into small kitchen.
7. The  sanctuary / altar part of the former church to be maintained as is for foreseeable future.





Our  Lady  Queen of  Peace Chapel Room



Become a Catholic theme Meditation  and Prayer  room,  with periodic services, like communion  for sick, handicapped  folks who cannot make the trip to a  near by church. 

The Chapel room  will contain objects for meditation and prayer.  A statue of  representing Mary  Queen of Peace  from the original shrine,  will be in place.  A wall with pictures  of Gods Plan  for Man’s  Salvation  from the original shrine. Plans  are  for large  mural of the original  Chapel  room and with pictures of the history of the  church  at Bayou Pigeon  are planned.

We intend  for it to a quiet place  for  people  who are bereaved and  / or want pray for  special intentions. Entry  and Hours of availability  are yet to be determined.

Chair  woman of the  committee to develop Entry  and Hours of availability  is Ms. Cindy Vaughn.  Comments  and  suggestions  for use of the  Chapel  can be  sent via the  "contact us' feature of the BPHA  Web  Site.

Work  with Pierre Part  St.  Joseph the  Worker Parish pastor to reestablish some  Catholic Services to the  Chapel.





The  Activity Center









The  BPHA Activity Center 


Will be a recreational activity center  for the kids of the community.  A  smaller venue  for  club's  and other organization meetings.



First order of business will  be repair roof leaks.

Damage  done to   electric wiring and water pipes  by Vandals will be repaired. With power and water restored.

The   three side  room A/C units  will be  cleaned  and charged to  working  condition.  The interior  ceilings  of  side  rooms will have  ceiling tile replaced  and  walls will be  cleaned  and painted as applicable / as required.

The kitchen area  ceiling  tile  will be replaced  and / or fixed.  The kitchen  area will use a 5's model / technique, ie., Sorting, Simplifying, Shining, Standardizing, Sustaining  for reorganizing.

Interior walls  and storage  shelves  repaired / repainted  as necessary.  A new  stove  and Micro wave  ovens  will be  added.  All cooking stuff will be  evaluated  and will be cleaned.  Irreparable  stuff  not salvageable  will be  discarded.

The main interior walls  of the Structure will be  evaluated  and cleaned  and repainted as  applicable.

The  storage area above the  side  rooms  and kitchen area  will be  cleaned  and organized  using a 5's model / technique, ie., Sorting, Simplifying, Shining, Standardizing, Sustaining  for storage.

Install new gutters  on  roof.


The  Outside  Covered  Pavilion







Outside  Covered  Pavilion;  


Outdoor activity center  for all types of community events, fund raisers.  


Exterior  work includes extensive power  washing  / clean up, repairs include roof sealing and  some replacement,

Replacing existing post  and  rotted wood with #1 Grade Treated  lumber.

Repairing / Painting  and / or replacing   eating tables,  walkway handrails as  applicable.

Landscape restoration.

Repairing / Painting  and / or replacing , modernizing  concessions  and  serving  areas using  5's model / technique, ie., Sorting, Simplifying, Shining, Standardizing, Sustaining  for storage.

Evaluating, Repairing / renovation  of the drainage  system and landscape restoration.


Ball Fields


Develop baseball / softball  fields  for all age groups.  Tournaments and Travel ball, 

First order of business will be keeping the grass  cut on all the fields.
Evaluate, repair  and  ensure lights  for  the field are  working properly.
Clean up dugouts  and  concession  stands and remove  all trash.
Repair  and renovate  main (front) field  to a playing  condition
Evaluate  and restore Irrigation  and  drainage repairs completed 
Repair  and repaint  backstop,  renovate dugouts, batting cage and perimeter fencing.
Powerwash  and Repair existing bleachers as  appropriate.






Parish  / Government  Cooperation



Preliminary discussions on a Kids Playground  and  Walking Track. The  Association is willing to look at this  with parish officials.



Caretakers Residence Master Plan


The  Heritage  Association  will seek / advertise for a  caretaker  for the property. 

The priests house  will be the residence of a caretaker of the  property.

The House  will be furnished  and thoroughly  cleaned and   free of  any mold.  HVAC  will be evaluated and certified as in proper  working  conditions.  All  appliances  will be in proper working  condition.

An inventory of  furnishing's  will be  recorded.

A two  for one  is the  desired  outcome. A couple to live  and  manage the complex. Rent will be  part of  any compensation package.

Keeping watch on the property for the Association will be  the primary responsibility, eg., the eyes and ears of the association to let them know when problems arise with the buildings or land, including roads, open spaces and landscaping. You’ll need to watch the comings and goings of people on the property too to make sure everything is  safe and trespassers keep out.

Caretaker, duties  will include to make rounds of the property on a regular basis, keep some  kind of regular hours on the  site as a mutually  agreed upon  with  the BPHA  and be on call for emergencies. Do routine cleanups, and other maintenance tasks, according to the proprietor's requests. 

The managing  couple  will take care of tasks  as requested by the  BPHA as a team.  Routine maintenance duties such as  cutting grass  and taking care of the landscaping  and BPHA typically fall on the man  and  will be required. Minor  / small fixer-upper skills such as carpentry, electrical and plumbing is a plus.

Keeping  regular reports on your rounds of the property and the state of the buildings and grounds will  also part of the job.

A legal lease / contract will prepared  by our attorney with terms, conditions,  timelines, do's & don't and specific clauses  for termination.


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