Downtown Abbeville has sugar kettles with flowers

No, a black pot cook-off is not about to pop up in downtown Abbeville.
Visitors and drivers will now notice several sugar kettles placed throughout the area. These kettles, serving as flower pots, are situated on traffic islands around Magdalen Square.
“The city decided to add Sugar Kettles with landscaping to the newly completed downtown overlay project,” Councilman Brady Broussard Jr. said. 
“Placement of the kettles can now be seen on the various brick islands in our historic downtown.”
Along with beautification, the kettles help make the islands stand out for safety purposes.
“Those islands are to help slow traffic,” Broussard said. “Those can be seen easier now. These (kettles) are visual aids that are also beautiful.”
The total cost for the project is $7,000 for 12 kettles from Brian’s Furniture and Appliances in Port Allen and $4,950 for 12 stands. Council members cover the cost through their respective discretionary spending funds.
“I was happy to see the response of fellow council members to join together and cover the cost of purchase of the kettles,” Broussard said.
As for the stands that hold the pot, those are local.
“The durable custom stands that the kettles rest upon were manufactured by Mr. Brandon Briggs here in Abbeville,” Broussard said.
Public Works Director Chris Gautreaux and members of the street and park crews are handling the potting soil placement in each kettle and now the planting of the chosen species of plants. Horticulturist Mark Riche is consulting with the city to make choices for spring planting in the kettles. 
Vermilion Parish Tourism Director Alison Miller, who can see one of the larger kettles near the front of her office at Abbeville Cultural and Alliance Center, said she feels like they are a great addition to the area. 
 Abbeville Main Street Manager Charlene Beckett, who helped track down the kettles before purchase, agreed.
“I think they add so much to our downtown,” Beckett said, “and sets us apart from other small cities.”
Broussard said it is something exciting to see happen.
“We hope our residents and visitors enjoy the seasonal floral beauty.”