NEW ORLEANS – Two years ago, Plaquemines Parish’s Reverend Percy Griffin Davant Community Center was a hub of activity…teenagers running bases after hitting a ball into the outfield, kids splashing in the pool to cool off on a hot summer day and mothers pushing infants in the playground swing set. Then, Hurricane Katrina hit and a silence fell over the area.

After high winds and flood waters damaged nearly everything at the site, the center was closed to the public. Plaquemines Parish plans to rebuild, however, and funds recently obligated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help with this process.   

“We’re very excited about this funding from FEMA. This is a blessing for getting us to where we need to be to put these community centers back on the map,” said Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser. “By working with the United Way and YMCA, we will enhance what FEMA is giving us to move forward. This has given us a real opportunity to add things to this community center.”

Katrina affected each of the facilities at the complex. The 7,200-square-foot main building was littered with sea trash and torn apart by flood waters, which also destroyed the electrical, heating and air conditioning systems, the windows and ceiling. The storm surge washed away the playground equipment and left mounds of debris on the basketball court. The baseball field suffered damage as well, with the dugouts and bleacher rendered beyond repair.

The pool and pool house did not fair much better and were a great loss to the parish, which only had two public pools before the storm. Plans are underway to expedite the repair of the pool first, and then the repair or replacement of the other facilities will follow. FEMA has recently obligated $1.9 million in reimbursement funds to the Davant Community Center.  

When projects are obligated by FEMA through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are transferred to a Smartlink account. This allows the applicant, in this case Plaquemines Parish, to work with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness as quickly as possible to access the reimbursement monies. The state may require additional documentation from the applicant before disbursing the funds. Obligated funds may change over time as the project worksheet is a living grant that is often adjusted as bids come in and scope of work is aligned.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings and recreation centers, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.