The Bayou Teche runs through the heart of New Iberia. The city has big plans to build a marina along the famous waterway to attract more tourist to the area. 

City of New Iberia has received a grant to build five boat slips along to Bayou Teche.

“When you look at the history of our community here, the bayou plays a big part in it,“ says Mayor Freddie DeCourt. “When you look at tourism, kayaking  and all of those kind of recreation opportunities that could happen right through the middle of our town.We want to wake people up to the bayou.“

Between a future kayak dock that’s in the works, these boat slips are that we have a grant for, DeCourt said.

“We are working on getting money to re-do the present boardwalk. We have another set of boat slips that we’ve applied for, and we have a CVA unit that was donated so that gives boats the ability to clean out their sewer.“

The city is also working on getting a marina.

The Bayou Teche is one of only seven national paddle trails in the country. Fran Thibodeaux with the Iberia Parish Visitors Bureau says the famous water way attracts tourist from all over the world.

“People are looking for recreational activities and the Bayou Teche is a tremendous asset for us,“ she said. “The marina and the boat slips just gives people another activity and another piece of the bayou to be able to use and have fun.”

DeCourt said he or hopes with the development of attractions along the bayou, there will be a need for a tour boat. He says they had one in the past and it was very successful. Construction on the boat slips should start in the next four to five months.