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City Park issues statement as another person climbs up tree to protest new golf course
Juan Sanchez
wdsu.com
3/28/2015

A new person has taken to a tree in an area of City Park this weekend to protest a new golf course being constructed.

A group of people known as "Wild is Free" issued a statement, which said a man known as "Beaux" had climb up an oak tree which was supposed to be cut down Saturday. Beaux and the group are protesting the new $24.5 million public golf course. Protesters want the area preserved as a green space. It was the former footprint of a portion of the City Park Golf Complex, but it flooded during Hurricane Katrina and has been uninhabited since.

Proponents feel it was time to turn the post-Katrina eyesore into a course that could generate $1 million annually for the city. According to City Park officials, 110 fairway trees will be removed during construction with 500 to be planed this year and next year.

"City Park has planted more than 6,000 trees since Hurricane Katrina," City Park officials said. "This is three times the number of trees lost in Hurricane Katrina."

Earlier this week, a man known as Lloyd Boover fell out of the same tree after inhabiting it for over a week. He was initially joined by a woman who went by "Heart," but she voluntarily came down and was escorted away by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office.

While City Park officials did not force Boover out of the tree, an arrest warrant was issued for anyone who refused to leave after repeated warnings from the OPSO.

"While we recognize Mr. Boover’s right of free expression, his criticism of the way City Park and its board have handled the proposed construction of the new golf course is unjustified," officials said.

City Park officials said Boover will face civil and criminal action. It's unclear whether he remains at a hospital or if he has been taken into custody.

On Saturday, City Park issued a statement in regards to Beaux and his group, who reportedly vandalized the security fence around the site while wearing masks.

"One individual allegedly possessed at least two incendiary devices while establishing a position in a tree," City Park said. "The discovery of these incendiary devices has caused us a local law enforcement great concern for the safety of our visitors and the park itself."

City Park officials said meetings, debates and hearings have been held in the planned construction of the new park before its final approval. The park said it has hired security and provided care through the New Orleans Fire Department for the man who fell out earlier this week, which reportedly has cost City Park $1,000 per day for services. The park provided a statement, which read:

"It is time for these criminal activities to end. We call on the City Park for Everyone Coalition to join us in demanding an end to these illegal acts of vandalism. Individuals destroying park property and trespassing on an active construction site are endangering themselves and others using the park."

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