‘Parker’ Hebert City Park in Abbeville gets improvements

During his 16 years serving District A on the Abbeville City Council, O’Neil “Parker” Hebert had a passion for youth sports and activities.
That culminated in his efforts to help create a park on Graceland Avenue, located in his district, which opened in 1988 and was named in his honor. On Tuesday, May 20, officials from the city and other community members gathered to cut the ribbon on improvements made at Parker Hebert Park.
“We are cutting the ribbon on park enhancements made at Parker Hebert Park,” Mayor Roslyn White said. “It’s fitting that we are here on May 20. The park’s original opening was on May 18, 1988. It just made 37 years, and we are very honored to be here.”
Among the recent upgrades is an entirely new playground equipment.
“If you didn’t know what was here before,” White said, “it was a little plastic playhouse from Walmart.”
Acadian Contractors donated the time and labor to refurbish an existing merry-go-round.
“It was made of really good material,” White said, “and we didn’t want to throw it out.”
White, who represented District A for four years before being elected mayor in ‘22, said the park has been a focus for her. She referenced improvements to the basketball goals made during her time on the council.
“This park has been at my heart since I was on the council,” White said. 
The mayor added that Tuesday’s event served as a de facto ribbon-cutting ceremony for improvements on Graceland Avenue, including the roadway and sidewalks. The city also added speed bumps on Graceland to enhance safety.
Council Tony Hardy, who has represented District A since ‘22, said he is pleased to see these improvements for the area. Hardy previously served as Abbeville’s chief of police from ‘10 to ‘18.
“As long as I have worked in Abbeville,” Hardy said, “this has been a sore spot. We’ve got it cleaned up. We hope to get the kids back in here. 
“It’s a good thing for the city.”
John Listi, an Abbeville native who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, remembers the impact Hebert made on him as a child.
“My brother and I wanted to play Biddy Basketball,” Listi said. “My dad was running the Christian Service Center, and at that time, our income was really low, with lots of mouths to feed. We were playing in the yard one day, and Mr. Parker was walking like he would normally do. He asked why we were not playing Biddy Basketball. I told him I didn’t think we could afford it. The next thing you know, we were playing Biddy Basketball. I think he waived the fee to let my brother and I play.
“It was Mr. Parker and his big, old heart that helped make sure we got to play.”
Hebert’s daughters, Christine Landry and Connie Suire, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Listi’s story matched what they saw him do for so many.
“He loved children from all walks of life,” Suire said. “He always wanted to help children.”
Hebert’s legacy continues to allow children to enjoy sports and outdoor activities.
“I know he would be happy to see that the park is still open,” Landry said. “They are keeping it up, and they keep upgrading it. He really fought hard for this park. We were born and raised about three blocks from the park. He knew, and he knew there was a need for something for the kids.
“That was his main reason for opening this park.”
White said the city plans to build on Hebert’s vision.
“We hope to continue working on the park moving forward,” White said. “It is well-utilized in an area of high need. Thank you to the council for  being supportive and putting some money back into this park.”