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Peace Park Kickback and Phase One Grand Opening:
Saturday, September 20, 2025 2:00 to 5:00: At Peace Park In conjunction with the Office of Violence Prevention, we will be hosting a "Kick Back" event at Peace Park which would double as the grand opening of Phase I of Peace Park! Come join for free food, music, a bounce house, fun games, and connections to community partners. No RSVP needed. Peace Park Winter Tree Care Workshop: Join expert arborists from St. Louis Neighborhood Foresters as you learn tree maintenance skills such as pruning and spring preparation techniques, all caring for Peace Park’s newest trees! Winter may seem like an odd time to be working with plants, but it's the perfect time to prune trees!
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Peace Park, a block of once vacant land being converted into a community park in the College Hill neighborhood, has a long history.
Located across from the Historic Grand Ave Water Tower, Peace Park was originally given its name by College Hill resident Otis Woodard (1936 - 2015), a lifelong civil rights activist, minister, and advocate for his community. From his home, which used to stand in Peace Park, and later a sharing shed which was built in its place, Otis served those in need by distributing food and clothing and providing a safe and welcoming space. He named this land "Peace Park" to declare it as a place of refuge and to peacefully gather. After Otis’ passing in 2015, neighborhood residents were inspired to carry forward the vision of Peace Park. Working with Health Equity for All, they set out to address health disparities in College Hill by reimagining Peace Park as a place to promote community wellness, provide neighborhood beauty, and extend Otis’ values of peace and sharing. Residents worked with community partners to co-design all elements of the park, and collectively fundraise and build the park into what it has become today. As of 2025, the first phase of Peace Park has been completed. The conceptual design for the second phase has been drafted, with a rain garden and mister area already installed and more exciting elements to come. The vision for the third and final phase has yet to be set, but will follow the same collaborative path as the rest of the park. |
Photo by U Mission, 2008
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We are seeking residents of the College Hill neighborhood to join a steering committee to guide the continued development and activation of Peace Park. Meetings will be held quarterly (every 3 months) beginning in April/May 2025. Food will be provided along with a gift card for attendance at each meeting. To apply for the Peace Park Steering Committee, click the button to the right.
Those who live in the area immediately surrounding College Hill, previous Peace Park advisory committee members, or those with a very meaningful relationship to the neighborhood/Park may still apply. |
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College Hill neighbors and friends have been exploring ways to improve the health and overall landscape of their community. As the only St. Louis neighborhood to not have a park, residents identified a need to revitalize a block of vacant and abandoned properties known widely as Peace Park. Scroll down or click on a section to learn more about this project. |
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Including, but not limited to,
additional support from: Harvard University School of Design Health Equity Works Fred Weber, Inc. Keeley Companies Meghan Kirkwood Alderman Brandon Bosley ** College Hill Neighborhood Solutions describes the team of College Hill residents that have invested in developing the plans for Peace Park. ** |
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FUNDING PARTNERS The Nature Conservancy Missouri Department of Conservation Washington University in St. Louis // Sam Fox School of Design Private Donations |
PROPERTY OWNERSHIP & MAINTENANCE Land Reutilization Authority GCC Community Land Trust Jubilee Services |
DESIGN inspirationThe new Peace Park design pulls together ideas from
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Rankings of park elements. Community Survey, July 2018 (13 Participants)
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Harvard Students'
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Why Do we need MORE Designs?This next level of designs will provide the detail required to guide fundraising and construction efforts! 
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DESIGNING FOR FUTURE GROWTHPeace Park's (re)design starts with only those properties that are already publicly owned, while thoughtfully planning for potential expansion.
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DROP BY A POP-UP TABLING EVENT
to view designs and share your thoughts SIGN UP FOR THE GCC NEWSLETTER to stay informed on project progress |
DOWNLOAD A PARK DESIGN FEEDBACK PACKET
for yourself or to share VIEW PROJECT DEVELOPMENT MATERIALS to review past meetings and events |
GREEN CITY COALITION
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