ST. MARTINVILLE, La. (KLFY) - An estimated $6 million dollar project is in progress to enhance St. Martinville's festival grounds. This comes after the city was awarded $400,000 for the Love Louisiana Grant to reconstruct the grounds.

St. Martinville Mayor Jason Willis said this project hopes to unite the north side and south side of the city.

"We used to have fairs," Willis said. "We used to have different things, in that area, so we would love to bring the festival back over here, different festivals."

Willis said this project will be done in three phases.

"Everything is expensive and this grant right here was up to $400,000, so that $400,000 will go a long way," he said. "It will change the whole outlook of how that space looks right now, but we definitely want to do the rest in phases."

Plans include adding parking for the grounds and the Farmers Market, reconstructing the nearby warehouse on the property into multipurpose facility, adding sound equipment and beautifying the stage, adding a playground for special needs kids, booths, tents and more. It will also focus on making it possible for boats to dock to the area.

"We have one of the most beautiful bayous in Louisiana," Willis said. "Normally you have to drive to Lafayette or a different area to have these nice things and we want to bring the same nice things that is in other cities to St. Martinville."

Phase 1 is expected to be completed in six months. Willis said the city plans to host a groundbreaking ceremony for the grounds in the coming weeks.

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