Bossier Civic Center being prepared as shelter for Hurricane Ida evacuees

BOSSIER PARISH, La. (KSLA) — Cypress Bayou Lake already has 200 Hurricane Ida evacuees and expects another 200+ by Monday, Cypress Bayou Park director Robert Berry said the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 29.

Many of them are from Lafourche Parish, where the sheriff says two hospitals have significant damage and every home in that area will have damage.

Berry said many of the evacuees are finding out their homes are gone or heavily damaged.

He also said he’s already had to cancel many Labor Day reservations to allow storm evacuees to stay as long as necessary. He expects them to be at that park for a decent stretch being that many don’t have much to go back to.

Local church congregations — including Cypress Baptist and The Simple Church — are providing food for the evacuees at the park. And on Tuesday, First Bossier plans to hold a church service for them.

Meantime, steps were taken to open the Bossier Civic Center in Bossier City as a shelter for Hurricane Ida evacuees with serious medical needs, said Julie Parks, of the Bossier Police Jury.

And the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office says the former Sam’s Club building on Jewella Avenue just north of Louisiana Highway 3132 in Shreveport will be open. There also are shelters in Ruston and Bastrop.

Hurricane Ida evacuees can call 211 at any time day or night for information about shelter and other resources.

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