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Elizabeth (“EB”) Brooks is well known in Lafayette for her service as Executive Director of Moncus Park, affectionately referred to by locals as “The Horse Farm.”
In 2005, while a student at UL – Lafayette, EB learned that the 100-acre UL Horse farm property was threatened by commercial development. She and her friends, especially fellow activist Danica Adams, launched a successful community-wide campaign to save the property as green space for future generations to enjoy.
In early 2013, then-Mayor Joey Durel worked with volunteers to create the Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market at the “Horse Farm” and in June 2013, 45 vendors participated in the first Saturday morning market. Today, vast crowds enjoy their weekly Saturday visit to the Farmers Market which is held from 8 a.m. to Noon.
In 2018, the initial ground-breaking occurred and Moncus Park is currently under construction creating lush walking and biking paths, gardens, pavilions, and lakes. On the evening of Wednesday, April 24, 2019, the park will open for viewing to allow guests to witness the transformation taking place. The entire vision for improvements to be built in Moncus Park is laid out in the Master Plan, which may be viewed here, and will be implemented in phases as funding becomes available.
In this interview with Jan Swift taped in 2017, EB discusses her love of Lafayette, her hopes for the future, and the lasting gift the “Horse Farm” offers to Lafayette and Acadiana.
For more information, go to https://moncuspark.org.
This post was updated on April 24, 2019.
