NOCO ~ The online magazine of North St. Louis County

Bocce Ball (and more) in Bridgeton

Shannon Howard | Oct 28, 2009 | Comments 0

The handsome new band shell at Gentry Park in Bridgeton

The handsome new band shell at Gentry Park, one of several park upgrades that Bridgeton recently completed with the help of federal grant money

To say that the city of Bridgeton has been “impacted” by Lambert Airport is a vast understatement. For the past 25 years, airport expansion has chipped away at the community, gutting entire neighborhoods and causing many St. Louisans to forget that Bridgeton actually has a rich history dating to the 1700s.

In 2006, the U.S. Congress decided to compensate Bridgeton for its losses, awarding the city an $800,000 grant to fund the replacement of park facilities that were lost to airport expansion. Bridgeton used the money to create McKelvey Park at 3220 McKelvey Rd, but it also invested in upgrades at both Gentry Park and Riverwoods Park.

The new bocce ball court at Gentry Park, 4201 Fee Fee Rd

Gentry Park, where the Payne-Gentry house and Bridgeton Community Center are located, also now has eight new picnic areas, a concrete walking trail that loops through the woods, a sleek new band shell for concerts in the park, and what may be the only public bocce ball court in North County.

Over at Riverwoods Park, which sits at the very end of St. Charles Rock Road at the Missouri River, there have also been some exciting new additions. Complementing the park’s gorgeous riverfront trail, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of historic St. Charles and the river itself, Bridgeton recently installed four new picnic sites, additional benches, several information kiosks, and new restrooms.

Eventually, Riverwoods Park will serve as a trailhead for the Greenway Trail being developed by Great Rivers Greenway. This new multi-use trail will stretch from I-70 to 370 (through Earth City) and connect with a larger trail network running from Creve Coeur Park to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area near Spanish Lake.

If you haven’t been to Riverwoods Park yet, definitely check it out. It’s a beautiful, peaceful place where you can enjoy nature and get some exercise. Dogs are welcome too.