Park Improvements

Park Improvements

Imagine Your Parks 2 - Phases of Design & Construction

After nearly a year of gathering input from the public, BREC has developed the Imagine Your Parks2 Better Parks-Better Living 10 year strategic plan. As part of our accreditation process, BREC creates and implements a strategic plan every ten years to guide the progress of the system. BREC is one of only 106 nationally accredited parks systems in the country and was recently recognized as among the top ten recreational systems in the nation. We would like to thank you for your continued support and patience as we redesign, rebuild, and re-open our parish parks.

Current Park Improvement Projects

Click the park to find out more information about the current projects and park updates. The individual park projects are separated into categories based on park/facility classification: Community Parks, Neighborhood Parks, and Special Use Facilities. These categories were established through the strategic planning process. To learn more about the difference between the types of parks, visit the Community or Neighborhood Park page.

Community Parks


Neighborhood Parks


Special Use Facilities


Transformative Projects 

Baton Rouge Zoo map

Baton Rouge Zoo & Greenwood Community Park

The Master Plan vision for Greenwood Community Park and the Baton Rouge Zoo focused on creating a one-of-a-kind, world class destination for the entire Parish and larger region. It stitches together BREC’s most visited facility and largest park to transform how people experience the park and the zoo together. Phase 1 of Greenwood Park aims to achieve the master plan’s guiding principles to ensure that the first investment made sets up the park and zoo for long-term success.



Baton Rouge University Lakes

Baton Rouge University Lakes Master Plan

A coalition to save the six lakes around LSU and BREC’s City-Brooks Park has been formed. This partnership includes BREC, Louisiana State University, the State of Louisiana, City of Baton Rouge, LSU Athletics Department and Baton Rouge Area Foundation. The lakes will be restored based on a Master Plan underwritten by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. The vision is to create a robust and scenic natural amenity in the heart of Baton Rouge using nature as a catalyst for healthy lifestyles while providing habitat infrastructure for wildlife and migratory birds. This amenity will serve as a touchpoint for visitors from across the Parish and beyond.



Howell Recreation Center rendering

Howell Recreation Center + Swimming Pool

This new facility at Howell Park will be the recreation center of the future that will become the nucleus of major health and wellness developments within the neighboring community along with the rest of the magnificent 113 acre park and BREC’s partnership with the Baton Roots Urban Farm which is located in the park. It will feature a new swimming pool and address a full spectrum of wellness through a combination of innovative spaces and programming.



System-Wide Updates

Some of our projects are on a larger scale and will involve multiple parks and facilities. Follow the links below to learn more about these System-Wide Updates.

Completed Improvement Projects

Looking for information on park projects that were recently completed under the Imagine Your Parks 2 strategic plan? Visit the Completed Park Projects page for more info.

If you're looking for info on the Imagine Your Parks strategic plan (2005-2014), visit the Imagine Your Parks Portfolio page.