Moncus Park: Then and Now
From Horse Farm to Nonprofit Park Conservancy
There’s no denying the impact that Moncus Park has had on the Lafayette community since it officially opened on January 1, 2022. In just over four years, the park has become a Lafayette staple. From Movies at Moncus, to the Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market every Saturday, yoga and Pilates classes, nature walks and Christmas in the Park, Moncus Park has become a major hub of outdoor activity in the center of Lafayette.
However, before it was Moncus Park, it was a horse farm owned by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In fall 2005, local media reported that the university had plans to swap this land for four acres near Girard Park. This is when UL Lafayette senior, Elizabeth “EB” Brooks, and others in her community-based planning course decided they would “do everything they could to save the horse farm.” What started as a class project fueled by passionate students and supported by their professor, Dr. Griff Blakewood, soon became a local movement.
With this, the “Save the Horse Farm” campaign was underway. The early days of the initiative included making signs and bumper stickers and creating a website that included sample letters people could send opposing the land swap. EB credits social media, explaining using this as a campaign tool when social media was relatively new was a game changer, allowing them to have an immediate, large-scale reach. For the next several years, community members gathered at weekly meetings keeping the issue at the forefront of people’s minds. Support from key individuals, such as then-mayor, Joey Durel, and local media outlets was also instrumental in getting the city’s approval to buy the land from the university. Once the land was officially secured in 2012, years of planning and fundraising would still be necessary; however, this did not deter EB or others who were passionate about this work.
Today, Moncus Park is the only nonprofit park conservancy in Southwest Louisiana, making it a unique space explained Executive Director JP MacFadyen. This means the team at Moncus Park is responsible for all aspects of the park from safety and cleanliness to park amenities and programming. Since its opening, the park has increased property values in the area, brought in other businesses, and helped to attract and retain local talent, exemplifying the park’s mission to “cultivate connections that enrich lives and strengthen community through nature.”
EB, who served as executive director prior to MacFadyen, is proud that the park exemplifies the “values of sustainability, community engagement, [and] inclusivity,” making it a park for everybody.
Planning your next trip to Moncus?
While you’re there, be on the lookout for:
The new Farmers Market Pavilion, which will add more space and allow for vendors both inside and outside.
The largest public collection of irises in the state, including five species native to Louisiana, which is in bloom right now at the park.
The Kergan Family Meditation Garden, located in the back five acres of the park, which is a formal garden of mostly native plants that will be complete in spring 2026.
