Hurricane Katrina showed no mercy to City Park, flooding more than 90 percent of New Orleans’ 150-year-old playground.

Before the storm, park officials were on their way to resolving monetary shortages that have plagued the park for years. In March, they adopted a $115-million plan for improvements through 2018. Then the Legislature passed a bill to direct 30 percent of state tax revenues from 700 Fair Grounds Race Course slot machines to the park.