‘This is madness’: Warehouse District resident frustrated with tree trimming for Endymion parade
Updated: 5:15 PM CST Jan 30, 2020
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THOSE CHANGES. JENNIFER? JENNIFER: WE ARE IN MARDI GRAS TERRITORY, WHERE PARADES WOULD ROLL AND CROWDS WOULD FLOCK, BUT NOT THIS YEAR. THE LOOMING DANGER FROM THE HARD ROCK CONSTRUCTION COLLAPSE IS DETOURING BOTH ENDYMION AND ZULU TO NEW ROUTES. IN MAJOR MARDI GRAS CHANGES, TWO SUPER KREWES WILL BYPASS THEIR TRADITIONAL ROUTES ON CANAL STREET ZULU WILL TURN OFF ST. CHARLES ONTO POYDRAS, CUTTING CANAL OUT ENTIRELY. ENDYMION WILL TURN OFF CANAL ON ELK, INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO ST. CHARLES. SOME BUSINESSES NEAR THE COLLAPSE ZONE SAY THE CHANGES ADD INSULT TO INJURY. >> WE WAIT FOR THIS EVENT ALL YEAR. IT’S GOING TO AFFECT US BIG TIME. JENNIFER: BUT THOSE ALONG THE NEW ROUTE EXPECT A BOOM IN BUSINESS THIS MARDI GRAS. >> DOUBLE OUR STAFF, THAT WAY WE CAN ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE. WE WILL DO AN OUTSIDE BAR LIKE A NORMAL GAME DAY FOR US, OF COURSE MAKING SURE THAT WE ORDER ENOUGH PRODUCT. JENNIFER: ENDYMION IS ALSO ENDING AT A NEW LOCATION, THE CONVENTION CENTER, BECAUSE OF RENOVATIONS HAPPENING AT THE SUPERDOME. THE KREWE’S PRESIDENT SAID THE CHANGES COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN BIGGER FOR ENDYMION, REVEALING THAT THE BEGINNING OF THE PARADE WAS NEARLY CHANGED AS WELL, AND THE KREWE WILL SPEND MORE MONEY ON MORE POLICE OFFICERS TO KEEP ITS MID CITY HOME. >> POLICE JUST DON’T HAVE THE MAN POWER TO BE ABLE TO WORK OUR PARADE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY TO GET IT READY. JENNIFER: EXTRA JEFFERSON PARISH SHERIFFS DEPUTIES WILL BE ON DUTY AT ORLEANS AND CARROLLTON THIS YEAR. THAT’S AFTER TWO DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES ON OR NEAR THE ROUTE IN TWO OUT OF THE LAST THREE ENDYMION PARADES. LAST YEAR, TWO PEOPLE DIED ON ESPLANADE. NEARLY 30 PEOPLE WERE HURT IN THE 2017 CRASH ON THE ROUTE. THIS YEAR, ENDYMION EXPECTS A SAFER PARADE EVEN WITH THE DOWNTOWN DETOURS. >> IT’S THE NORMAL ENDYMION PARADE. WE ARE 3200 STRONG. WE ARE 80 FLOATS. WE ARE JUST VERY EXCITED TO START IN MIDCITY AND HAVE A PLACE TO END OUR PARADE AND GO INTO THE CONVENTION CENTER. JENNIFER: BOTH KREWES HOPE TO RESUME THEIR NORMAL ROUTES NEXT YEAR AFTER THE HARD ROCK HOTEL CONSTRUCTION SITE IS DEMOLISHED. THE LATEST PLANS, ACCORDING TO THE CITY, CALL FOR THE DEMO TO
‘This is madness’: Warehouse District resident frustrated with tree trimming for Endymion parade
Updated: 5:15 PM CST Jan 30, 2020
One Warehouse District resident is frustrated city crews swarmed her block of Julia Street to trim trees in preparation for the Endymion parade.City crews were trimming branches and cutting down some tree branches on Julia Street, where Endymion is going to roll down until it comes to an end at the Convention Center.The route update was made because city officials wanted the superkrewe to avoid the site of the Hard Rock Hotel collapse on Canal Street and because of renovations at the Superdome.Cassandra Sharpe, who lives on Julia Street, said she was annoyed when she found the city crews trimming the trees to make way for the large floats. She said many of the trees on her street are approximately 70 years old.
One Warehouse District resident is frustrated city crews swarmed her block of Julia Street to trim trees in preparation for the Endymion parade.
City crews were trimming branches and cutting down some tree branches on Julia Street, where Endymion is going to roll down until it comes to an end at the Convention Center.
The route update was made because city officials wanted the superkrewe to avoid the site of the Hard Rock Hotel collapse on Canal Street and because of renovations at the Superdome.
Cassandra Sharpe, who lives on Julia Street, said she was annoyed when she found the city crews trimming the trees to make way for the large floats. She said many of the trees on her street are approximately 70 years old.
