Feature

Parks on the ballot

The revenue from the passage of Proposition C would be used to improve and maintain the city’s local parks and stormwater infrastructure

BY CHARLOTTE BEARD

The residents of Creve Coeur may soon be the beneficiaries of a special Parks and Stormwater Fund if Proposition C passes this November. The revenue from the imposed sales tax of one-half of one percent will be used to improve and maintain the city’s local parks and stormwater infrastructure. In 2019, the Creve Coeur Parks and Recreation Master Plan was created to help identify needed improvements in the parks as well as to gather recommendations for new amenities and renovations, trail system expansion and new recreation facilities. A master plan survey was created to gather input from the Creve Coeur community. “Citizen input suggested a desire for improvements to parks and new amenities well beyond what the city’s current funding could provide,” stated Melissa Orscheln, Creve Coeur’s Public Information Officer and ManageTHE SHOW MUST GO ON ment Analyst. The administration received input for its parks as summarized below, which has become part of the Creve Coeur Parks and Recreation Master Plan:

Dr. H. Phillip Venable Memorial Park • Resurface asphalt trail • Water play feature • Replace picnic pavilion • Dog park • New playground for ages 2-5 • Replace pedestrian bridge connecting neighborhoods

PHOTOS COURThe Creve Coeur Parks and Recreation Master Plan recommends improvements to existing park trails, such as replacing the asphalt trail in Malcolm Terrace Park and developing the nature trails. Millennium Park • Asphalt trail resurfacing • Playground improvements • Educational nature trail • Outdoor fitness equipment • Amphitheater/band stand

(From Left) Creve Coeur Parks and Recreation Master Plan recommends improvements to existing park trails, such as resurfacing the asphalt trail at Conway Park; An eroded culvert pipe in Creve Coeur; The edge of a residential street in Creve Coeur collapses after a heavy rain storm in August eroded the roadway base around the culvert pipe below.

PHOTOS COURTESY CITY OF CREVE COEUR

Conway Park • Resurface asphalt trails • Expand parking lot • Dredge pond to allow fishing • Disc golf

Malcolm Terrace Park • Replace asphalt trail • Replace pavilion • Replace play equipment • Develop nature trails • Multi-use court

LaVerne Collins Park • Improve benches/picnic table • Dog park • Community garden

Lake School Park • Pickleball courts • Perimeter walking path • New tennis courts and facilities • Interpretive/educational elements related to historic Lake School

“Our city parks provide many benefits besides being great places to exercise,” stated David McCoy, Creve Coeur Parks and Historic Preservation Committee Chair. “They also provide economic benefits to businesses, increase property values and reduce air pollution and water run-off. Overall, they improve the quality of life in the community and this is something we should recognize.”

In 2012, the Stormwater Master Plan was created to identify problem areas where excess run-off causes flooding, erosion, and potential damage to properties.

“The City’s Capital Improvement Program identifies approximately $13 million in stormwater-related improvements as ‘future projects’ – projects for which no funding or schedule have been identified,” stated Richard Koch, Chair of the Creve Coeur Stormwater Committee. “Many of these projects – to address erosion, flooding, and stormwater infrastructure – will not be addressed in the foreseeable future without a significant increase in funding.”

According to Orscheln, “The city currently responds to stormwater issues on an emergency basis due to the lack of funding. With a dedicated revenue source, the city could fundamentally change its approach to stormwater management, shifting from reacting to emergencies to proactively planning needed improvements and maintenance.”

Some of the major improvements under the Stormwater Master Plan involve culvert replacements (pipes that carry a creek under a road), infrastructure improvements, and improvements for stream bank erosion. Creve Coeur states that several culverts have deteriorated and require rehabilitation or replacement. The city also states that if the pipes fail before they are replaced it would mean addressing the issue in an emergency at a higher expense. Creve Coeur states that in a non-emergency each culvert project ranges from $125,000 to $300,000.

Currently, eight infrastructure improvement projects estimated at a total of $500,000 have been identified. The city states that many of its older streets were built decades ago and lack the stormwater infrastructure required under current standards.

To date, an estimated $700,000 is needed for ten erosion-related projects. Creve Coeur neighborhoods built along streams such as Deer Creek, Smith Creek, and Monsanto-Sunswept Creek are seeing erosion in backyards and common grounds. Each project may take several years to plan, design and construct a solution.

“The parks and stormwater master plans are certainly synergistic,” stated Orscheln. “Our creeks and streams run through several of our parks, resulting in stream bank erosion and subsequently damage to bridges and other park infrastructure. For example, erosion around the bends of Deer Creek within Malcolm Terrace Park have caused the city to close the bridge near Townsend Street and postpone plans to expand the paved trail near Elzey Street. Each location will need its own design, permitting, and construction of a solution – with an estimated total cost exceeding $1 million.”

Orscheln states that the city council will work closely with the Parks & Historic Preservation Committee and the Stormwater Committee to establish the top priorities based on each of the master plans. The first projects, pending the passing of Proposition C, would be under construction in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021. The above projects will be candidates for early implementation, according to Orscheln.