Peace Park rendering © Arbolope Studio
The Peace Park Project
As the only neighborhood in St. Louis to not have an official city park, the effort to redevelop and repurpose unoccupied land in the College Hill community began. Peace Park - located next to the Grand Ave Water Tower - was founded and named by the late Otis Woodard and had been used as a safe community gathering space for more than 20 years. The Woodard family also used to maintain a "Share Shed" on the property, providing food, clothes, and more to anyone in need. In spring 2017, a team of College Hill neighbors, along with over 20 partner organizations including The Nature Conservancy began collaborating to acquire and redevelop 14 vacant lots for what would become the revisioned Peace Park. Along with interest from the community, the redevelopment was guided by the recommendations from For the Sake of All, which is a study led by Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis University scholars about the health and well-being of African Americans in St. Louis and why it matters for everyone.
With help from design students from Harvard University, the community held visioning sessions to make discuss the needs of the community and a plan for the park’s best use. The new park design will bring to life the neighborhood’s vision of a green and healthy gathering space, complete with an entrance pavilion, recreation area, raingardens, native trees and plants, pollinator habitat and new streetlights and sidewalks. Peace Park aims to inspire community engagement and neighborhood pride and reflect the peaceful intent of the park's creation. The Nature Conservancy has been proud to be a funding partner for Peace Park, thanks to your support of this effort. Updates from 2023: Construction of phase one of Peace Park has begun. Grading and earthwork has been underway along with installations of benches, trash and recycling bins, bike racks and exercise equipment. Additional projects included in phase one include the installation of water lines for drinking fountains and garden spigots, removal of utility poles from the alley that are no longer being used and installation of a bamboo pavilion. As we look to 2024, construction of a rain garden will begin and community planning and design for newly acquired properties and repurposing of a building will also be underway.
College Hill Water Tower © Keith Dotson
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