Despite a global pandemic, Iberia Parish was able to see many new additions and renovations happen in the area thanks to new businesses and public works projects that took place throughout the year.

That doesn’t seem to be stopping in 2022, where several projects are already expected to be completed at some point in the year.

New business additions to the local economy as well as public works projects to enhance the quality of life for local residents are all projected to be completed during the next 12 months.

Here are three projects that those in the area can expect to see in 2022.

ALDI

The ALDI grocery store franchise announced in the summer of 2021 that it would soon be extending its offerings to the Teche Area.

As part of a larger expansion into the Gulf Coast, the company has been renovating the site of the former Stage on Admiral Doyle Drive that will be its New Iberia location.

The German discount grocery is also planning on creating stores in the New Orleans metro area, where several new ALDI stores were just announced.

New Iberia Mayor Freddie DeCourt said that he was excited about the new business opening up in the city.

“They’re a German-owned grocery store with a lot of good beer and sausage,” DeCourt said. “There’s a lot of cheap specials and a lot of different kinds of specials, there’s a lot of different stuff that I don’t notice around here too often.”

The grocery store franchise, which has been operating for more than 60 years and initially opened its American franchises in the Midwest, is expanding in southwest Louisiana at the same time as many other franchises have begun to call New Iberia home in the same district.

The location of the ALDI will be in the shopping center across Lewis Street from the Rouses Supermarket that opened its doors two years ago, and right behind the site of the Chick-Fil-A that also opened two years ago in the same shopping district.

Bouligny Plaza

Walking into Bouligny Plaza in downtown New Iberia is almost a completely different experience than it was a year ago, and there is still more to be done.

The city of New Iberia made some major additions to the plaza recently, including a long sought after Veterans Memorial that depicts the names of local residents who died foreign wars. To cap off the piece, a giant liberty bell replica has also been installed as a centerpiece to the monument.

More recently, the structure that used to house bathrooms at the plaza has been gutted in order to make way for a canopy that will house a new visitors center coming into the city.

The pavilion canopy project at Bouligny Plaza is still underway and taking a little longer than expected due to change orders that were made during the project, but progress is apparent as construction seems to be slowing down.

Bayou Teche Access

Several projects are being undertaken by the city of New Iberia with the aim of adding more access to the bayou that runs through the city.

A kayak launch is slated to be constructed off Duperier Avenue, giving those who wish to canoe or kayak in the bayou an easy way to enter the waterway.

Near the kayak launch could be “Felicite’s Landing,” an average sized boat dock off Fulton Street near Bouligny Plaza. The city council approved a grant application for the project.. So far no notice has come back to the council regarding the grant application.

The New Iberia Civic Center Marina has also been on the agenda for several years for the city, and is coming into fruition thanks to grants from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Sport Fish Recreation Program.

The project will construct boat slips as part of the new marina near the civic center that will allow larger boats to dock.