A Metro Council member urged Baker residents on Wednesday to take part in planning and public surveys after city and parish recreation officials presented multiple parks projects and access improvements.
"Get ready for change in Baker — get ready for some catalytic change in Baker," the council member said, urging residents to explore options rather than reflexively oppose them and to complete the on‑site surveys that will inform final designs.
The council member cited recent and planned housing developments that will add several hundred new residents to the area and said the community should be prepared for longer‑term investments that could change the local landscape. The speaker also encouraged officials to sustain outreach so that long‑range projects reflect resident priorities.
Officials at the meeting described proposals for tournament‑level ball fields, a South Magnolia master plan with a public survey, Highway 19 corridor signage and cleanup, Greenwood Park dredging funded by a watershed grant, and a parish‑wide plan to modernize rec centers. Organizers repeatedly invited public feedback at display boards and via digital surveys available at the meeting.
The council member and other elected officials said they would continue to press for community engagement during design and bidding phases; no formal approvals or funding votes occurred during the session.