The Eunice News from Eunice, Louisiana • 2

2 Sunday, March 20, 2016 The Eunice News www.eunicetoday.com News parish pulling together to change our STL PROUD Power Of STL PROUD Coalition St. andry reventing veruse and nderage rinking St. Landry Parish www.stlproudcoalition.com 801 N. 8th Street Eunice (337) 457-3077 FRUGE LUMBER COMPANY ACE audette i ier taff riter Since the 1960s, locals and tourists have passed a good time at Lakeview Park and Beach just north of Eunice, and the current owners are working to make sure that tradition continues for generations to come. Bonnie Pitre Kyzar, one of the co-owners, said, share memories with us all the time.

It used to be almost daily. People had so many fond memories here. The park has a good name for itself. People are trying to recreate those fond memories and keep the culture alive. a big part of our mission, to keep the culture of Eunice and the surrounding areas The calling to preserve and foster both the local culture and memories through food, music, dancing and outdoor activities recently earned the campground the Louisiana Travel Promotion title of Campground RV Park of the Year.

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser presented the award at the LTPA Membership Luncheon in Lake Charles in February. knew we had been Kyzar said. Bussey with the St.

Landry Parish Tourist Commission nominated us. I thought it would be nice to win, and then Caitlin called and told me we had won. our main goal, to attract tourists and show them our culture. an honor to be recognized for Lakeview originally opened in the 1960s and changed ownership a few times before closing in the mid-1990s. Kyzar and her siblings, Laura and Lance, bought the park at an estate sale in 2003.

was a disaster Kyzar said. was overgrown, there was trash and there were trees that had been knocked down from hurricanes. There was no underground electricity, so there were power wires hanging from trees and The family received a loan to refurbish the 42- acre site, and trimming the number of camper slots from 350 to 95 was one of the rst steps when the cleanup began. were smaller then, and guests now have more Kyzar added. was new to all of she continued.

had never camped in an RV. We learned quickly that campers like planned activities. When we opened, we had shing, camping and two playgrounds. It was hard the rst year, pretty hard. We dipped a lot into our personal savings.

Reopening the beach is what saved us. I used my inheritance from my grandpa to it Under the ownership of the the campground reopened in 2009. Fixtures still at the park from the rst ownership include two cabins, the chapel, the 11-acre lake and a dancehall that was formed from two Basile dancehalls that were moved to the property in the 1960s. Several new one- and two-bedroom cabins were added to the site when the took over, and the cabins are available to rent. Kyzar said the original two cabins are used as haunted houses for Halloween, but plans are to renovate them for their original use.

The chapel will also be renovated to use as a meeting room for arts and crafts and nondenominational wedding ceremonies. old dancehall will be also be Kyzar said. just started cleaning it out, and got a new roof. 7,000 square feet of space. It will have a commercial kitchen for catering, and we will shrink the dance- hall space and maybe put in some classrooms for group activities like dance lessons.

It will also serve as a back up for the Kyzar said they are also planning to add more cabins and a hostel for out-of- towners who come to see live band performances by local artists in the barn on weekends. Cabanas are also in the works for the beach. During the year, several events are held at the campground. The Lundi Gras Boucherie, the beef tongue cook-off, Black Pot Camp, held in conjunction with the Black Pot Festival in Lafayette, and Hal- loween celebrations are popular at the park. tell people that the quiet curfew is very loosely enforced Mardi Gras Kyzar said, laughing.

had a good crowd for the bouch- erie. rst year in three years that it rained for The co-owner said the slow season is the winter, with summer being the busiest. The majority of their campers during this time of the year are snowbirds retirees from northern parts of the continent who are looking to escape cold winter weather. stay for weeks at a Kyzar said. why like to add more activities, so they stay here longer.

That would boost up the slow Campers travel to the park from Idaho, Minnesota. Washington state, Canada and even France, and the campground is also popular with camper groups. Kyzar said the Black Pot Camp brings in the widest variety of people who have come from as far away as Austraila to attend the event. recently had some visitors from Germany, and they stayed for a Kyzar said. said the park was their favorite place they have visited so far.

nice to In addition to being a haven for locals, award winning musicians and tourists, chefs also stop by the park. Anthony Bourdain, an American chef, author, and television personality, visited Lakeview in 2011. For more information about Lakeview, call 337457-2881 or email lvpar- kof ce gmail.com. Lakeview offers more than camp experience as it highlights local culture Lakeview Park and Beach a labor of love for owners Lance Pitre, left, co-owner of Lakeview Park and Beach, Lt. Gov.

Billy Nungesser, and Lakeview co-owners Laura Pitre and Bonnie Pitre Kyzar at the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association Membership Luncheon in Lake Charles in February. The campground, located north of Eunice, received the Park of the Year award. (Submitted photo) Since the 1960s, locals and tourists have passed a good time at Lakeview Park and Beach just north of Eunice. The park changed ownership a few times over the years before being purchased by siblings Bonnie Pitre Kyzar, Laura Pitre and Lance Pitre in 2003. (Photo by Claudette Olivier) In addition to being a haven for locals, award winning musicians and tourists, chefs also visit the park.

Anthony Bourdain, center, an American chef, author, and television personality, visited Lakeview in 2011. (Submitted Photo).