The City of Covington was recently honored by the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-LA) as a “Great Places in Louisiana” award winner. “Great Places” is the APA’s flagship program celebrating places of exemplary character, quality, and planning. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow.
Mayor Mike Cooper accepted the award at the APA State Planning Awards Luncheon in Baton Rouge. “It is truly an honor to receive the recognition of the APA in the ‘Great Places’ program. I am extremely proud of this acknowledgement for my hometown and of my administration for their diligent place-making efforts ensuring and enhancing Covington’s commitment to culture, history, and smart planning. It’s exceptionally rewarding to be recognized by others who believe in our City and all that we have to offer,”- Mayor Mike Cooper.
APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work every day. Truly great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement. Specifically, Covington was nominated by the New Orleans Metro Section of APA-LA for its “Historic Downtown” in the Great Neighborhood category.
Among the attributing APA characteristics for designation as a Great Neighborhood, Covington’s distinctive traits touted an eclectic mix of boutiques, art galleries, specialty shops and restaurants in a pedestrian friendly district, and noted the City’s historic charm and culture celebrated through music, food and art. One of the fundamental criteria for designation is memorable character of a community. As acknowledged on the nomination form, the “Covington Historic District in the new millennium should be recognizable by anyone who might have been here in the old. The view may have changed a little, but its unique sense of place remains.”
Find out more at www.covla.com
