NATCHEZ — Duncan Park will soon have a new recreation pavilion, thanks to the 2008 class of Leadership Natchez.

Operated under the auspices of the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Natchez is a yearlong program aimed at identifying leaders in the community and educating them about the community.

Each year, the class decides on and carries out a community project.

“In the nine months of meetings, (the class) meets with everyone from the non-profits to government to economic development to the hospital,” Natchez Chamber President Debbie Hudson said. “The class listens to the needs and comes up with a project from attending those sessions.”

This year’s project, the pavilion, was decided upon after members of the 2008 class met with city recreation director Ralph Tedder.

“We wanted to come up with a project that touched everybody, all races and all ages,” 2008 class member and Regions Bank President Charlie Speed said. “In the summer, if you want to go out to the park, you have to get out there early if you want to get under a pavilion.”

Adding a pavilion was one of the projects Tedder said he is not currently able to do due to budget constraints, Hudson said.

“(Tedder) said he could do eight of these pavilions and still not have enough,” she said.

“We decided this project would benefit the most people, whether young or old, black or white, female or male.”

After raising approximately $20,000 in funds for the project, the class members approached city and county leaders about a construction agreement.

“The county is doing the slab work and the city will erect it,” Speed said.

The materials for the pavilion were delivered last week, but because of recent weather, work crews have had to work elsewhere, Hudson said.

“I expect to see it done by after the first of the year,” she said.