LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — Residents will soon be able to speak up on the future of the "Horse Farm" after years of groundwork for a plan to transform the property into a public park.

The Lafayette City-Parish Council last year approved the purchase of the vacant 100-acre tract to create a new central park.

The Community Foundation of Acadiana last week announced the creation of a new nonprofit group to raise money for the park and to oversee its development and long-term management.

City-Parish President Joey Durel tells The Advocate (http://bit.ly/WfxVTd ) the last step before serious planning and design work begins is a planned agreement under which the nonprofit group, Lafayette Central Park Inc., will lease the property from city-parish government.

Central Park board envisions several opportunities for public input in the future.

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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com