Penrose Park

Penrose Park is 1 of 108 St. Louis parks located in the Penrose Neighborhood.  This 51.22 acre park was placed into ordinance in 1910 and is located just south of Interstate 70 at Kingshighway Boulevard:

This is a beautiful park that has seen some recent investment including a jogging path with exercise equipment, trees and a really nice pavilion with BBQ grills.

This park has a great feel and is split into an east and west section by Kingshighway Blvd. NE.  There is a building on the park property whose roof is in severe disrepair.  It would be great to see this beautiful building restored and available for park events.

The west side of the park is largely devoted to sports with basketball courts, ball fields, tennis courts (in unplayable condition) and handball courts with a nice pavilion to provide shade and comfort for players.

 cracks in tennis courts

 basketball court is in great condition

handball courts in the background of pavilion

There are playgrounds and new park benches from local donors:

It'd be good to re-do this area as the majority of structures have been destroyed/removed.

The homes that abut the eastern edge of the park are typical St. Louis classics and appear to be in good to great condition.

So this is a nice park, right?  But there's more.  Maybe the coolest thing about the park can be seen in the low lying area right in the northwestern edge of the park right by the Interstate.  That my friends is a velodrome.

A velodrome is a banked track used for cycling (both training and racing).

According to USA Cycling, there are 29 velodromes in 21 states and the District of Columbia.  We are lucky to have this structure and need to make it a destination place.

Here's some history on the track from the Penrose Park Velodrome website:

One of only 27 velodromes in the U.S., Penrose Park was built on land donated by the City of St. Louis in 1962 after the Forest Park Velodrome was dismantled to make room for Highway 40/64 on the south end of Forest Park. Designed by Olympic Cyclist and Schwinn Bicycle Designer, Frank Burlando, Penrose Park is an outdoor track measuring 1/5 mile and featuring 28 degree banking. Immediately after opening in 1962 in its current location, Penrose Park Velodrome hosted the prestigious U.S. National Track Cycling Championships. In the 1970’s, a sewer collapsed under one of the banked turns on the track. Multiple repair efforts were made with a more complete resurfacing finished in 1984 and again in 2005. The surface of Penrose Park Velodrome still retains some of blacktop bumps and undulations from its many years of use and repair, thus earning it the nickname “Mr. Bumpy Face.” The most recent resurrection of the track in 2005 was due to the organizational work of Bill Howard and the financial support of Michael Staenberg / THF Realty. There are current efforts by track supporters, participants and the City of St. Louis to rebuild the track at its existing location as an outdoor, concrete track to be completed by 2014-15. Please visit our “Support the Track” page for more info.

The immediate surroundings of the velodrome have huge potential as well.  There are weed trees and plants blocking the railroad tracks forming a southern wall.  This area could use some beautification and native plantings to shield the tracks and provide some interest to track users.

The velodrome is in a recessed area that I've never really noticed from the Interstate.  A sign providing visibility from Kingshighway and I-70 would be a big step in raising awareness of this unique structure.

If you want to follow the Penrose Park Velodrome activities, you can do so through Facebook  or the website:  Penrose Park Velodrome.

Congratulations to the cycling community who are working hard to bring this track back to life and make another place in St. Louis special once again.

And if you'd like to volunteer or make a donation to support resurfacing the track, click HERE.

Daydream #384

Closed on the warehouse...dimes became dollars and everything came together.  No insurance yet, no loans. Friends and confidants landed at the right time.  The ping-pong table will be 3rd floor southwest corner.  The drum set is not in the basement anymore, probably near the bar now.  Those chickens won't jump off the roof, right?  Ride your bike to the warehouse and bring your tube amp and practice away...lock the doors...and call me if you need me.  Everyone is invited.  The club is open.  Smoke got thick, walked to the Purple Martin for a Purple Martin and walked home safe.

(Bohemian warehouse dreams continue in Fox Park...)

Sublette Park

Sublette Park is 1 of 108 St. Louis parks located in the Southwest Garden neighborhood (although it feels more like the Hill/North Hampton).

This 13.52 acre park was placed into ordinance in 1925.

The park takes its name from the street on its eastern border.

Here's who Sublette is named after:

Named in honor of William L. and Solomon B. Sublette, western fur traders who were landowners in Gratiot League Square. The street appeared on St. Louis maps dating back to the 1850s. Portions of it were also known as Cheltenham Avenue and Blue Ridge Road until 1881. It was Blue Ridge Road from Connecticut to Pernod until 1881. (source)

Today the park has tennis courts visible from Arsenal, multi-purpose fields for softball/soccer.

There is a multi-purpose utility building, a playground w/ swings and not much else.  This park is ready for some love and landscaping.

The neighborhood surrounding it is typical clean and tidy South City.

Let's hope the neighbors band together and make this a special place...as it sits today it is a blank canvas.

What was this?  Volleyball court? Anyone with the history, please comment.  Update 02/20/14:  the Hill facebook group responded heavily and confirmed this was indeed a volleyball court where the Catholic schools had showdowns.  Why not bring it back to life? That would be awesome. 

The park was in heavy use even a cold day with kids and families and people running their dogs, etc.

McDonald Park

McDonald Park is 1of 108 St. Louis parks.  The 3 acre park was placed into ordinance in 1928 and is located at Bent Avenue and Utah Street in the Tower Grove South Neighborhood:

The best thing about this park is it has soccer goals, so neighbors use this park for recreational and organized youth soccer practice.

ball field with backstop

There is a handsome black metal fence that lines the perimeter of the park.

There is also a playground and swings and a mid-century all purpose building.

This is really the only park within the confines of the neighborhood itself, although many, many TGS'ers use the wonderful Tower Grove Park to the north of the neighborhood borders.

McDonald Park is among the more humble, relatively newer homes in the neighborhood.

Walking the Stan

The newest Mississippi River bridge opens to traffic February 9, 2014. This 1500' cable-stayed bridge is the 3rd largest in the United States and will divert Interstate 70 traffic off of the Poplar Street Bridge (or, Bernard F. Dickmann Bridge).  It was formally named the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial bridge.  Time will tell what the people will call it.  To me, it'll be the Stan.

It's impressive that a massive project of this size was named for a truly good soul with local connections.  And, if you ever thought St. Louis wasn't a baseball town, well then maybe this will help convince you.  Stan Musial, number 6, the greatest Cardinal of all (sorry Mr. Gibson, I love you too) congrats on living a noble life and doing it right on and off the field.

This guy is an American treasure, and I think the name will stick.

I love you Stan, and will always think of you and the harmonica on opening day downtown.

photo source:  cbssports.com

Throngs of people took part in a run, cycling event, ribbon cutting, parade, etc.

I just went to enjoy the scene and be around others who love life and the unique opportunity to dig in on some crazy photo opportunities.

While the temperatures were cold yet tolerable and the skies were overcast, no blue to be seen, the cameras were challenged.  It was an experience to let the kids take in.  And many, many others chose to do the same.

I won't get into the details of this engineering and design feat, rather I choose to keep my mouth shut and cherish the memories of a once in a lifetime experience.

There are great views of the city from newly accessible angles:

 heading southerly

There is new signage:

There were tons of people from all walks of life enjoying the day and the historic moment (looks like Brooklyn on a normal day):

 good job Grandpa, I hope she remembers how cool you were

 that's the right idea my man

 German immigrants built much of this city

 God bless her

There are new river views:

And of course the star of the show:

 inspiration via Vertigo