Ford Park is a popular facility operated by the City of Shreveport

Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....

, the seat of Caddo Parish in northwestern Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

. The 85 acres (343,983.1 m²) park is located in north Shreveport at 5784 South Lakeshore Drive near the municipal pier

Pier

A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...

 and boat launch.

Ford Park offers two recreational ballfields, two playgrounds, two tennis

Tennis

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

 courts, A disk golf course, a picnic

Picnic

In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...

 area, a walking trail, and a fishing pier on Cross Lake

Cross Lake (Shreveport, Louisiana)

Cross Lake is an lake located near Shreveport, Louisiana. The waterway provides the water supply for the City of Shreveport. Moss covered cypress trees line the banks of this open lake popular for fishing and recreational boating. Supporting waterfowl, alligators and an abundance of wildlife...

. There is space for large family events.

The park is named for John McWilliams Ford

John McW. Ford

John McWilliams Ford was the longest-serving elected public official in Shreveport, Louisiana. Though he served as mayor only from 1918–1922, it was his tenure as finance commissioner that is most remembered for longevity -- from 1930 until his death...

, mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

of Shreveport from 1918-1922 and its finance commissioner from 1930 until his death in 1965.