New Orleans City Park
A Community Plan That Comes Together Like Gumbo
Service
Issues & Crisis Management
Industry
Government & Public Affairs
New Orleans City Park has nearly 180 years of history, more than 1,300 acres and an established place in the lives of residents across Greater New Orleans. TEG's relationship with City Park dates to 2015 and has spanned major funding, operational and communications milestones. When City Park Conservancy began developing a comprehensive master plan for the park's future, The Ehrhardt Group helped turn a complex planning process into a community-wide conversation built around participation, transparency and shared ownership.
The Challenge
Early outreach showed that the community wanted to be involved. More than 5,000 people completed an initial survey, and public meetings drew strong interest. But the traditional open-house format offered limited opportunities for collaboration, and some emerging planning concepts did not resonate with residents. Many participants questioned whether their feedback would meaningfully influence the final plan.
City Park Conservancy paused the outreach program to regroup. The challenge was no longer simply generating participation; it was rebuilding trust, broadening representation and demonstrating through action that City Park 2050 would be shaped with the community, not presented to it.
The Strategy
TEG, City Park Conservancy, planning consultants Concordia and landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates redesigned the process around community co-design. The team used gumbo as a distinctly local metaphor: many ingredients coming together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. That idea made the planning process more approachable while reinforcing a clear promise that every voice could help shape the park's future.
The Execution
The relaunched campaign created a series of connected opportunities to listen, respond and show how the plan was changing. TEG developed key messages, FAQs, scripts, news releases, media alerts and talking points in plain language, then used journalist briefings, embargoed interviews and targeted pitches to build understanding before each major public engagement.
Four interactive community meetings allowed residents to respond to evolving ideas and see their input reflected in the next phase. Neighborhood presentations, focus groups, pop-up engagements and a Community Fellows program extended the conversation beyond the meeting rooms. Outreach through neighborhood associations, churches, schools, libraries and culturally specific media helped reach historically underrepresented audiences.
The Outcome
The process evolved from a planning exercise into a visible demonstration of listening and shared decision-making. More than 1,950 participants representing over 50 neighborhoods and communities took part, and public feedback directly informed the final City Park 2050 master plan. The campaign secured nearly 160 earned-media placements and more than 550 million impressions, with coverage across every major New Orleans television station and in local, regional and national outlets. Most importantly, coverage consistently described the process as transparent, inclusive and accessible. City Park 2050 was adopted in August 2025, leaving the park with both a community-informed vision for the future and a renewed sense of public ownership.
- 550M+ { Earned Media Impressions
- ~160 { Earned Media Placements
- 1,950+ { Participants From 50+ Communities
Stay Ahead of What's Moving
Understanding this region takes time, attention and perspective. Let us help you navigate uncertainty and take action.
.webp)
.webp)