What: Unveiling of the Loreauville Bayou Teche National Water Trail Information Kiosk Where: Loreauville Trailhead, east side of Bayou Teche at Bridge Street, Loreauville, LA When: 1 p.m., Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Who: The TECHE Project, Iberia Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Village of Loreauville The TECHE Project, Iberia Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Village of Loreauville to Unveil New Information Kiosks for Bayou Teche Each of the 16 Bayou Teche National Water Trail towns will have a new means of telling their special stories. Loreauville, LA, January 27, 2020: The TECHE Project, Iberia Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Village of Loreauville will unveil the information kiosk for Loreauville and the Bayou Teche National Water Trail at a special 1 p.m. public ceremony on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, at the Loreauville trailhead, 119 Bridge St., Loreauville, LA. Information kiosks will be placed at each of the 16 trailheads along Bayou Teche, the Lower Atchafalaya and Atchafalaya rivers from Port Barre to Berwick. These kiosks will orient water and land trail users to the Bayou Teche and the Lower Atchafalaya and Atchafalaya rivers and present special stories of the 16 trail communities. The TECHE Project is the all-volunteer, nonprofit organization representing the many assets of the Bayou Teche/Atchafalaya corridor. In 2015, The TECHE Project received the exceptional designation of "National Water Trail" from the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service program. This recognition is one of 21 such designations in the United States and the only one in Louisiana. - more - - This event will also recognize the financial support provided by the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area and the Atchafalaya Trace Commission through the awarding of a $46,000 grant to supplement the sponsorships already provided by families, local governments and businesses for the information kiosks. Carrie Broussard, deputy assistant secretary of the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development, which oversees the 14-parish Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, says, "This project represents an effective example of federal, state and local agencies and organizations working together to help residents and visitors enjoy and appreciate the rich natural, historic, cultural and recreational resource of this nationally-important region and waterway." The Iberia Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau is currently the primary sponsor for the Loreauville Bayou Teche information kiosk. "The Bayou Teche National Water Trail is one of the many important and active attractions for Iberia Parish," says Executive Director Fran Thibodeaux. Likewise, Loreauville Mayor Brad Clifton observes, "The information kiosks are important communication tools for the intrinsic resources of the Acadiana region and our community." The Village of Loreauville, along with all water users, will maintain the floating dock and the kiosk. Installing the floating docks with federal and state funding and the information kiosks with local sponsorships in the 16 bayou and river towns is a major part of The TECHE Project's "TECHE Renaissance" initiative comprised of programs to increase the recreational use of the waterways and to enrich boaters' enjoyment. "This is the eighth of 16 kiosks to be installed on the 135-mile water trail," says Conni Castille, executive director of The TECHE Project. "It serves as a model for other water trail towns of what is coming to their community very soon." Each information kiosk measures 4 feet wide by 5 1/2 feet tall and holds two panels: an orientation panel and a community panel. The orientation panel depicts a waterway-long map, safety tips and an inset map of each trail town. The community panel presents stories about the locality, the waterway, wildlife and native plants and helpful advice for exploring Bayou Teche and the Atchafalaya corridor. "For many towns along the Teche and Lower Atchafalaya, these information kiosks serve as a primary 'storyteller,'" says David Dahlquist, kiosk designer. "Our main design objective is to provide information that is easily accessible, useful and encourages people to learn and do more in each town and all along the waterway." The TECHE Ecology, Culture and History Education Project started in 2008 in St. Landry Parish. Our nonprofit, membership-based organization is made up of individuals passionate about making Bayou Teche a healthier waterway for fishing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, tubing and even swimming. We advocate for improved water quality in the Bayou Teche watershed and have removed 54 tons of garbage to date. The TECHE Project encourages everyone to ENRICH, EXPLORE and EMBRACE the Bayou Teche.
