When the City of St. Louis, its elected officials and employees, and neighborhood volunteers come together, great things happen. Case in point: the transformation of the parking lot at the corner of Skinker and Westminster Place.
The lot is now sporting a newly-repaired and painted wrought iron fence; 18 freshly-planted native chokeberry bushes; hundreds of marigold, celosia and gomphrena seedlings; new mulch, and weeded the perennial bed at the back of the lot. In addition, an industrious neighbor removed aggressive ivy growing on the Westminster side of the city-owned lot.
Neighborhood residents who participated in the cleanup included: Matt Boxdorfer; Josh, Lisa and Pierson Buell; Calah and Lawrence Cramer; Andy Cross; Gale Fitzpatrick; Mary Lou Green; Christina McGroarty; Jason Meyer; Wendy Panagos; David, Fei, Feronia and JJ Powell; Mary Anne Rudloff; Jeff Stokes; and Margaret Welch.
Now the backstory.
Earlier this year, the City of St. Louis’ Forestry Division removed the diseased and dying pfitzer juniper hedge that ran along the west side of the lot down northbound Skinker. The hedge had become so overgrown that the walk was no longer ADA compliant.
In addition, the wrought iron fence adjacent to the walk and hedge was bent so severely that it pulled the decorative concrete pillar off its moorings. Residents called the City’s Citizens’ Service Bureau (314-622-4800 or #311) to report the problems.
Tenth Ward Alderwoman Shameem Clark-Hubbard quickly committed ward funds for the repair while Neighborhood Improvement Specialist (NIS) Max Magee coordinated bids for the repair. At the April Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council meeting, both Alderwoman Clark-Hubbard and NIS Magee advised patience given the complexity of the repairs.
Residents didn’t have to wait long. In early April, shortly after the meeting, residents spotted a city crew on site.
The fence was straightened, the pillar placed back on its moorings and two city employees repainted all of the wrought iron fencing surrounding the lot — all just in time for the neighborhood planting project.
“We couldn’t believe it, the city definitely delivered,” said one nearby resident. “I emailed Alderwoman Clark-Hubbard and Max right away to thank them both.”
In the meantime, Kingsbury resident Mary Lou Green consulted neighbors and native plant experts to develop a plan to replace the hedge.
What was needed was a hardy shrub that could withstand the heat and drought of St. Louis summers, while also adding an attractive visual sightline for walkers, drivers, and residents.
Residents Plant
With repairs completed and a planting plan in hand, approximately 40 neighbors of all ages got to work on Saturday, April 18. They planted the new chokeberry bushes, which were donated by Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, and made quick work of weeding and mulching the beds that surround the lot. Flower seedlings, donated by Brightside St. Louis, were also planted.
The effort was the culmination of many neighbors’ work over the past several years. Neighbors from Westminster and Kingsbury would get together periodically to weed and mulch beds in lot as well as the young trees along Skinker.
Longtime residents still refer to the location as the Bonafide Lot, as it was a small Bonafide Gas Station (with cigarettes) for decades before it was torn down in 1995. The plot of land is now owned by the city.
It’s come a long way (baby)!
