The City of New Iberia is going full speed ahead on its project to renovate the Li’l Brooklyn Pocket Park with increased amenities. 

The park, which is soon to be known as Marie L. Kelly Plaza, is a collaborative effort between the Li’l Brooklyn Neighborhood Initiative, the City of New Iberia and the State of Louisiana, architect David Allain said. 

“This exciting project will serve the historic Li’l Brooklyn neighborhood of New Iberia and is being built on land donated to the city specifically for this purpose,” he said. 

Construction on the new park is set to begin this month, with an anticipated completion date of early 2026. 

A vacant building was removed on the site last year, and a ribbon cutting was held earlier this month to mark the beginning of the project. 

Once completed, Marie L. Kelly Plaza will be completely updated with a pavilion shade structure and school pickup and dropoff zone, designated areas for entertainment and games for kids, a small bandstand for performances, lighting to enhance safety and ambiance and opportunity spaces for community art, including murals and landscaping. 

Located on Rosier Street near the Bayou Teche, Li’l Brooklyn is located on a small street with historic houses that has seen a lot of upgrades in recent years. In 2022, a volunteer effort was led to repaint and repair some of the houses that have been there for decades, and the city has made efforts in recent years to give the park a facelift as one of many recreational projects that are happening. 

Once completed, the pocket park is planned to mark a significant step for the historic neighborhood that honors its history and creates a shared space.