A River City?

There's water in New Orleans. Really. There is. No, I'm not talking about what comes out of the faucet, but rather entities of water and their effect on this city. I came here with the preconceived notion that this was a water city due to the fact that its surrounded by water. There is Lake Ponchartrain to the north and the mighty Mississippi hugging the remainder. So its not that the water doesnt exist. Its that the city doesnt embrace it. The waterfront is addressed, but through shoreline strip parks that are poorly conceived and don't interact with the water. There is no major waterfront event space; Jackson Square doesn't count either. Its simply an enclosed plaza with a pretty staircase leading to a "riverview". Well done. Yes, I agree viewing the horizon lines of the Mississippi is an awe-inspiring sight, but the plan of the square, and essentially the entire city ignores the beauty and inspiring elements water can provide. In fact, the water is almost a scar upon the city, and every attempt possible to hide is made. For example, New Orleans is a city with a system of canals for flood regulation and economic purposes. But instead of exploiting the positive aspects a channel provides, the potential for waterside parks or interesting bridges, the canals are boxed up. Driving over the canal, you dont feel as if you've left solid ground, when in reality you are floating over a active flowing entity. Water is full of explosive energy, New Orleans simply chooses to repel this intriguing force. Waterfronts provide zones for many different activities and program. However, here you cannot find any real promenades, boardwalks of restaurants and shops, no replication of water abundance through fountains. And certainly the surface grid of the city doesn't respond; waterfronts should be fluid and viscious, but here it is stagnant and unstimulated. There is so much potential for water in this city; embracing its presence would simply allow for the vibrant spirit of New Orleans to flourish. Large open riverfront zones would certainly attract those tired of the stuffy French Quarter and would add a more attractive face to this city. The water certainly isnt going away. Embrace it. Knock down the barriers, chisel away at the city core, and allow for a new force to transform the city experience into an experience in an open, fluid water city, not a dense, dirty european-esque core.