All Entries Tagged With: "parks"
Save our North County parks from closing!
A budget dispute at St. Louis County has threatened to close a number of North County's finest recreational gems, including Sioux Passage Park and its popular disc golf course. Photo: flickr/GuyFuNGo
Some call it a political game. Others say it’s a genuine crisis resulting from a bad economy. Whichever way you feel, one fact remains: Following St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley’s recommendation for significant budget cuts in 2012, some of North County’s most beautiful parks are scheduled to be closed.
Dooley’s plan to save $10 million and achieve a balanced budget calls for closing 23 of the county’s 50 parks, including several of the most exceptional and historically significant parks in the area. In NoCo, the closure list is outright brutal, and especially disappointing given that Dooley is a North County resident. On it are some of our most valuable local treasures…
- Fort Belle Fontaine – the site of the first U.S. military post west of the Mississippi, where Lewis & Clark camped both before and after their epic journey. Also home to unique WPA structures from the 1930s and incredible walking trails by the Missouri River.
- Larimore, Kinloch, Castle Point and Bon Oak – These smaller parks provide the only public recreation area in their respective neighborhoods.
- Sioux Passage Park – A 188-acre natural wonderland where you can fish, ski, hike, ice sled, play frisbee golf, and launch your boat into the Missouri River.
- St. Vincent Community Center & Park – This Normandy-area landmark sits in the shadow of one St. Louis’ most striking historical buildings. It’s also a vibrant community hub, offering swimming, playgrounds, bike trails and a rec center.
- North County Recreation Complex – St. Louis County recently spent $1.8 million upgrading the facilities here and the place has never looked better. Countless NoCo residents enjoy the Olympic-sized swimming pool, fishing lake and indoor basketball and volleyball courts.
If you agree that closing these parks would be a great detriment to our North County community, make sure your voice is heard! You have two options:
1) Attend the public hearing tomorrow, November 15, 6:30pm, in the St. Louis County Council Chamber, Administrative Building, 41 S. Central Ave., Clayton, 63105.
2) Contact your council reps directly……..Charlie Dooley: (314) 615-7016 or cdooley@stlouisco.com, District 1′s Hazel Erby: (314) 615-5436 or HErby@stlouisco.com, District 2′s Kathleen Burkett: (314) 615-5437 or KBurkett@stlouisco.com, District 4′s Mike O’Mara: (314) 615-5439 or MOmara@stlouisco.com.
In case you’re interested, there’s also an online petition to save the county parks. And here’s a list of other links (Facebook pages, etc) where you can support the parks as well.
Watch for Eagles from Fort Belle Fontaine
If you happened to miss Eagle Days this past weekend, no worries… The Friends of Fort Belle Fontaine and St. Louis County Parks are teaming up this Saturday, January 22, to host another eagle-viewing event, this time surrounded by the beautiful winter landscape at Fort Belle Fontaine Park.
Besides watching for eagles along the Missouri River, you can take a guided three-mile trail hike and view live birds of prey up close, courtesy of World Bird Sanctuary. Living history experts from the Lewis & Clark Visitor Center in Hartford, Illinois, will also be on hand with their amazing replica of the Corps of Discovery’s flat-bottomed “pirogue” boat.
Admission is free, and all are welcome. January 22, 11am-2pm @ 13002 Bellefontaine Road, 63138
If you’ve never been to Fort Belle, please note that there’s a semi-menacing-looking guard’s post at the entrance. It’s not a big deal – just protection for the children’s home located in one section of the park. Just mention the eagle event, they’ll write down your license number and you can drive right in. Follow the signs toward the Grand Staircase.
Fall Photo Essay: Fort Belle Fontaine
Hiking trails, river views and a wealth of history - you'll find all that and more at one of North County's finest parks, Fort Belle Fontaine
These days, I get a lot of emails asking for my “best of North County” list. Apparently more and more St. Louisans are eager to explore NoCo, which is fabulous, but they’re worried about missing the really good stuff. You know, like Fort Belle Fontaine.
I’ve loved this exquisite county park since I was a kid, when I would hike there along the banks of Coldwater Creek. Today it remains one of my very favorite places in North County, so much so that I’m almost hesitant to write about it.
I love the rich history of Fort Belle, the natural beauty, the “haunting” atmosphere. I also relish the fact that I’m usually the only one there. But hey, if you’re looking for a true NoCo gem (and you promise not to visit on Friday mornings), this 305-acre park with wetlands, prairies, architectural treasures and a three-mile rustic trail definitely fits the bill.
Here’s a fun look at Fort Belle Fontaine, courtesy of my talented husband, Keith Howard…
Fort Belle Fontaine is located at 13002 Bellefontaine Road, 63138. Hours are 8am to 30 minutes past sunset. After signing in at the gate, I recommend proceeding to the Grand Staircase and then hiking the area below the bluff. Go left at the bottom of the staircase to see the WPA structures and Coldwater Creek.
My NoCo Neighborhood: Spanish Lake
With an active community association and some truly stunning natural beauty, Spanish Lake is one of North County's underrated jewels.
Spanish Lake, the historic North County community bounded by the Missouri River and the great Mississippi, is probably one of the most interesting areas in St. Louis County. Parts of it feel almost unchanged from decades past, with wide, rolling farm fields and quaint old storefronts. Other parts, especially the classic mid-century subdivisions and the secret properties along the bluff, represent what I consider some of the sweetest real estate in NoCo. Talk about a lot of house for the money! Here’s what local resident and NOCO contributor Jo Batzer has to say about her NoCo Neighborhood: Spanish Lake.
What is the name of your neighborhood and where is it located?
Spanish Lake, specifically the old Bellefontaine Place area just north of 270.
How long have you lived there?
Almost 15 years now. Moved here after a 2 year stint in St. Charles County after growing up in the Florissant area.
What’s the age & style of most of the homes?
The original Bellefontaine Place homes were mostly built in the 30’s, in the cottage revival style popular after WWI that dot the Spanish Lake area. Beautiful craftsmanship and character! After WWII, the rest of the adjoining neighborhood was completed with well built, solid brick ranch homes.
Overall, Spanish Lake has a broad range of homes, from modest ranch suburban homes built from the 50s through the 80’s, to new sprawling homes on private, gated roads. There is even a new “green” Subdivision off Trampe. Within 10 minutes of each other, the neighborhoods can range from a very urban feel, where you can walk to stores, restaurants or the dentist, to rural areas where people still grow crops and raise animals! [Ferguson Farmers Market vendor Sue Hodgson raises chickens in Spanish Lake.]
A charming vintage house in Jo's neighborhood, Bellefontaine Place
What do you like most about your neighborhood?
-Local amenities like Columbia Bottoms, Fort Bellefontaine, Larimore, Spanish Lake & Sunfish Lake parks as well as close proximity to Chain of Rocks Bridge and Trailnet. Plenty of opportunity to run, bike, hike, fish, boat, hunt or bird watch and with the added bonus of historical significance!
-The close proximity to 270 & 367; 20 minute access to downtown or Forest Park, 10 minutes to the airport or the Alton and Madison County areas of Illinois right across the rivers. Bike trails connect Spanish Lake from downtown St. Louis to Madison County trails across the Chain of Rocks Bridge or the Great River Road Trail over the Lewis and Clark Bridge.
-The quality of homes at affordable prices! You get so much more for your money in North County. When deciding to buy, we looked at similar styles of our homes in Kirkwood or Webster Groves that would cost 3x as much! Spanish Lake boasts many over sized yards, even with modest sized homes. If you garden, Spanish Lake has beautiful soil!
-Last, but not least, our great neighbors! We have helped each other out thru illness, death, storms and power outages. Birthdays, graduations, divorces and weddings. We have impromptu bbqs or dinners, do couple-only weekends out of town, and keep an eye out for each other; be it kids, pets or homes. I’ve lived in neighborhoods that were ‘nice’ but neighbors were always bickering, reclusive or just plain rude. I have never regretted a DAY after moving to Spanish Lake.
Does your neighborhood have an active neighborhood association and/or a strong sense of community spirit?
Spanish Lake has a very active volunteer community association with almost 300 dedicated members. It doesn’t take much to get a group of 70 or more to protest in Clayton or collect signatures over a cause. There are annual fundraising events and work days to clean up litter, weeds, etc…The most important project right now is the renovation of the Twillman House into a community center. The association purchased it in 2004, and the renovation is being done through many grants, private donations, union donations and hours upon hours of volunteer work.
What kind of people live in your neighborhood – families, retirees, artists, gardeners, bankers, etc?
Like the housing in Spanish Lake, there is a broad range of people. Good amount of retirees, but also singles and families. Many heath care industry professionals choose the area due to nearby Christian Hospital and the 20 minute commute to Barnes, Childrens, or Depaul. There seems to be a good mix from union workers to teachers, accountants, even lawyers. One thing I love about Spanish Lake is the diversity. We have people of all races, incomes and backgrounds. Diversity, just like in nature, makes a community stronger-not weaker.
Is there one special house in your neighborhood that’s currently for sale?
Only 1 on our street and it’s under contract! Plenty others in Spanish Lake though, like this one…
For more info about Spanish Lake, which is located in unincorporated North St. Louis County, be sure to contact the Spanish Lake Community Association. President Dora Gianoulakis is always happy to talk about her community and welcome new visitors!
