PEACE PARK PROJECT GAINS NEW PARTNERS & FUNDING, DEVELOPS AN UPDATED VISION FOR PEACE PARK

Peace Park - located next to the Grand Ave Water Tower - was founded and named by the late Otis Woodard and has been used as a safe community gathering space for more than 20 years. The Woodard family also used to maintain a "Share Shed" on the property, providing food, clothes, and more to anyone in need. Today, Peace Park partners are working to develop and implement an updated Vision for Peace Park - one that will reflect the peaceful intent of the park's creation... read more about the project's history and progress here.

In early 2020, Grace Hill Settlement House and Peace Park project partners approached Green City Coalition about collaborating for the design and development of Peace Park, and to implement a vision developed by College Hill residents more than three years ago. The Peace Park project partners have since entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to help facilitate the collaboration and include the following partners and roles:
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Green City Coalition (Lead Partners: St. Louis
​Development Corporation ​& City of St. Louis)
project management, community engagement and communications, ​property acquisitions, property management
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Washington University in St. Louis -
Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts
designs, from conceptual to construction plans, community engagement 
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Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
neighbor communications and events support
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The Nature Conservancy
storytelling, fundraising, project monitoring and evaluation
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McCarthy Building Group
surveying, labor, equipment, construction ​project management support
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In the summer of 2020, Washington University hired Arbolope Studio to develop designs and construction plans for Peace Park - a necessary next step to move the project from resident vision and conceptual designs to development and construction. Arbolope worked with project partners to review materials from past community events and meetings, as well as renderings developed by Harvard design students through a neighborhood design charrette, to develop a vision that we hope reflects residents' interests and priorities. 

A Vision for Peace Park honors the site's legacy as a peaceful, safe, and supportive community space by incorporating its current assets, including:

• Community Table and Bald Cypress Tree Grove: additional seating areas and cypress trees are added to create a full dining grove 
• Orchard: existing orchard trees are pruned, and ne and more resilient species of fruiting trees are proposed
• Existing Trees: in addition to the orchard and bald cypress tree grove, a collection of river birches and oaks are preserved
• Deck: a wooden deck is built around two oaks to create a slightly elevated area for relaxing under the tree canopy
• Brick Alley: the alleyway is preserved as a walking path through the center of the park
• Accessibility: upgrades the accessibility of the connections to the neighborhood through improved intersections and crosswalks
• Connections: visibility is enhanced and highlights the Grand and Bissell Street Water Towers

View more elements of the design and provide your feedback HERE. 

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NEXT STEPS

OCT - DEC 2020
Design Review & Survey
Confirm that this vision for Peace Park continues to respect and reflect residents' visions for the park.  ​
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TAKE THE SURVEY!

​DEC 2020 - FEB 2021
Finalize Design and Develop Construction Plans
Complete site surveys and determine earthwork and infrastructure needs and costs.

SPRING 2021
Community Review Period: Materials 
Determine materials to use for design elements (e.g. stage, plaza, deck, pathways, lighting, etc.)

SUMMER 2021
Construction!