West Monroe, Louisiana

organization. Ouachita Green places a large focus on environmental education, as well recycling, litter abatement, and beautification. West Monroe Parks & Recreation also plays a role in the city’s environmentally-friendly efforts. “Our Parks and Rec Department prides themselves on sustainability,” says Hornsby. “They compost, they reuse, they chop up wood and mulch it and reuse it, as they do with the Christmas trees. They also have their own greenhouse. For being as small as we are, I think we’re very focused on green initiatives in our community. There’s always room for improvement, but I think we have done a really good job in that area.” The city’s historic downtown, often referred to as ‘Antique Alley’, has recently undergone a transformation with the help of the Downtown West Monroe Revitalization Group. The group formed six years ago to raise money for the beautification of this heritage area. Mitchell recalls, “It was a way for us to raise capital to put back into things downtown that the city was