Varsity Sports founder and owner Jenni Peters has a grassroots plan to transform public spaces in Baton Rouge.
She’s launched Envision Baton Rouge, a collaborative initiative where locals can share ideas and visions for how to improve the city’s parks and walking paths. Its focus is The Perkins Road underpass, Brooks Park and City Park.
Peters is accepting supporters and idea contributors for the projects. She plans to add locals’ suggestions for the city on the Envision Baton Rouge website as a digital hub for future community planning.
She wants others to know this initiative is not a fundraiser, but a conduit for ideas and people. Peters plans to accept new proposals for the projects at least until the end of 2024. Once the initiative has enough people backing the concepts, Peters says the next step is sharing the ideas with individuals who can bring them into fruition.
Local business supporters listed on Envision Baton Rouge’s website include BLDG 5, Beechwood Residential, Ivar’s Sports Bar and Grill, Var’s Pizza, Zeeland Street, Uncle Earl’s Bar, Schlittz and Giggles, The Caterie, Rebirth Brands, The Colonel’s Club and Gatorworks.
“Unfortunately a lot of times Baton Rouge depends on city planners or administration to get things done,” Peters tells Daily Report. “It shouldn’t take citizens to be innovative and creative and want new and different things, but that’s been the way it is. There are a lot of opportunities that are not being pursued. We have a mayoral election and the BREC tax coming up. We want to contribute ideas and see what the future mayor can do with them.”
