By Daniel Jones
After months of uncertainty, current plans call for Hodges Gardens to revert to the A.J. and Nona Triggs Hodges Foundation on October 1, effectively leaving it closed to the public.
For decades, the gardens have been a beloved destination for both locals and tourists to the area. After being in private hands, the Hodges Foundation donated 948 acres to the state of Louisiana in 2007, making the gardens a state park. However, rumblings began earlier this year that the foundation was looking to reclaim the park due to lack of promised maintenance from the parks system. The fears recently became reality when the clause in the contract with the state was executed.
Robert Barham, director of the state’s parks and historical sites stated that the gardens fell into its state of disrepair due to state budget woes, pointing to his budget for operation and maintenance being reduced by 40 percent over the past decade.
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