St. Louis Parks

Carnegie Park

Carnegie Park

This part of the park looks used and with a little more hard work could become a real asset to the neighborhood.  The curb appeal of the park would improve by with more hardscape to define the space around the center planting and provide some structure and curb appeal.

The southern section of the park is a blank slate...literally just a mowed field of grass/weeds and a couple random trees.  There was a recent bump out along the sidewalk for a water fountain that does not work or is not turned on, but it looks nice.
 

Buder Playground

Buder Playground

Famous poet and writer Maya Angelou grew up near Buder Park on Caroline street and attended Toussaint L'Ouverture Grammar School just around the way.  I wish the African-American community did a better job of embracing the history and the meaningful black contributions to this city.  There should be something commemorating Ms. Angelou's time here but I couldn't find anything.  If anyone knows the exact address that Ms. Angelou spent parts of her childhood, please let me know.

Sadly, the park has seen a lack of interest from the neighbors over time.  I doubt anyone would say this is a positive space nor asset to the neighborhood.  That's not to say there isn't tremendous potential as the park was built up to rise above Hickory Street and providing excellent views of Downtown and Midtown.

Berra Park

Berra Park

The park shares the local Italian-American heritage and pride...and it's only getting better.  Support of the local business community is evident from the trash cans to the monuments within the park. 

The baseball fields are maintained and in excellent condition, the best I've seen.  Note the nod to the Italian flag, the locked equipment boxes and painted utilities and clean/intact bleachers.

Barrett Brothers Park

Barrett Brothers Park

I ran into a guy with a metal detector, and we struck up a conversation about what we were both doing, me with a camera, him with a metal detector.  We chatted for ~ 10 minutes on the history of the park and the neighborhood.  He has been in Wells Goodfellow since the 1960s and told some great stories.  He said there was a large population of Jewish and Italian Americans living around the park leading up to the 1950s.  They started to leave in the 60s and that's when black folks settled in (the 2010 Census data indicates 98% black population).  This part of the city is bleeding residents.  People can't get out fast enough as 28% of the residential base took off for greener pastures from 2000-2010. 

Amherst Park

Amherst Park

Man, do I love North City.  The way these neighborhoods were laid out is simply amazing.  It seems like there was more wealth in its heyday, meaning more mansions than the South Side which I know much better.  Today my visit took place on a Sunday, a great day to witness the scores of middle aged and older black people dressed to the T's and looking sharp, socializing and showing up in droves to the many, many churches.  It's a scene I love.

Anyhow, Amherst Park is one of those parks that is brimming with potential.

Aloe Plaza and Aloe Plaza West

Aloe Plaza and Aloe Plaza West

As the city started losing population at a staggering rate, there was less need for business and housing...hence, we get more building demolition and are left with easier to maintain park space.  Unfortunately, as go the buildings and people so goes the well planned, dense city.  Anyhow, we lost a lot of tax generating, vibrancy-creating properties and now we have parks.  Albeit...a very beautiful one in the case of Aloe Plaza.

Aloe Plaza West is really nothing more than grass, a few trees and homeless tents and debris.  

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