Parks & Recreation
Parks
The Kirkwood Parks system incorporates 14 different parks ranging in size from the 125-acre Emmenegger Nature Park all the way down to several neighborhood parks of less than half an acre. The center piece of the park system is Kirkwood Park, the original park established in the City in 1941.
Avery Park
Notification has been received that the Kirkwood Parks and Recreation and the Kirkwood Park Board have been awarded a grant of $290,000 from the Minicipal Park Grant Commission of St. Louis County to assist with the development of newly acquired park property at 221-225 Avery Drive. The plans for the new park were developed during two public input and review sessions that were held in 2011. With the award of the grant it is anticipated that construction on the park will begin during the summer of 2012 [Click on the photos below to enlarge.] (You can review the plan here.)
Kirkwood Parks Survey
The Warren Poll will conduct a public interest survey regarding the Kirkwood Parks and Recreation Department and the Kirkwood parks system beginning September 20. The survey, commissioned by the Park Board, will gather information on the community’s satisfaction with current park facilities and recreation programs. It will also examine the level of interest in future developments and improvements to the park system. The four-page printed survey will be mailed to 2,000 randomly selected Kirkwood households beginning September 20. The Warren Poll estimates the survey should take about 10 minutes to complete, so if you receive one in the mail, please take a few minutes to complete the survey and return it. Instructions will be provided with the survey. The responses we receive will be invaluable in guiding future planning for the park system.
KIRKWOOD PARKS & RECREATION MASTER PLAN
The Kirkwood Parks System
A map of the City showing all City parks will help you plan your visit. For additional information on individual parks, please click on any of the Park links on the right-hand navigation on this page.
KIRKWOOD PARK
The oldest park in Kirkwood was established in 1941 with the purchase of two 20-acre tracts. Today the park has grown to 92 acres and features the Kirkwood Community Center, the Recreation Station Ice Arena, Aquatic Center, tennis courts, playground, picnic pavilions, open picnic sites, athletic fields, handball
courts, horseshoe pits, concession stand and a community garden. Other features include the Lions’ Amphitheater and Walker Lake where you can fish to your heart’s content. - 111 S Geyer Road
MCENTEE MEMORIAL PARK
This half-acre park honors the memory of Police Sergeant Bill McEntee, who lost his life in the line of duty. The half-acre park features a playground, gazebo and picnic site and offers a great view of the railroad as it heads towards the Kirkwood train station. The Park connects to the Memorial Walkway, completed in 2010. – 131 W Madison Avenue
WALKER PARK
The land for this beautiful half acre park was donated to the City in 2004 by Earl and Myrtle Walker. The park has a gazebo, playground, walking path, drinking fountain, water feature and two game tables. Don't forget to see the beautiful bronze turtles and the unique butterfly chair also donated by the Walkers. – 135 E Washington Avenue
MITCHELL PARK
This "vest pocket" park features a playground (renovated in 2009) and picnic area. – 115 Mitchell Place
FILLMORE PARK
This park was acquired in the late 1970s with Community Block Grant funds. The 0.9-acre park features two playground areas (renovated in 2009) and several benches scattered throughout the park. – 340 S Fillmore Avenue
GRANT'S TRAIL ACCESS
Kirkwood's portal to the eight mile stretch of Grant's Trail, running along the old Carondolet branch of the Missouri Pacific railroad. A state of the art "green" comfort station is operational on a seasonal basis. An on street connector route also takes travelers through the heart of downtown Kirkwood and then on to Kirkwood Park, Historic Quinette Cemetery and the Meramec Highlands Quarry at Dee Koestering Park.– 700 S Holmes Avenue
MEACHAM MEMORIAL PARK
This 1.25-acre park offers all sorts of activities. Opened in 2003, park features include a pavilion with restrooms, playground, walking paths, basketball court and a unique "sprayground" for cool summer play. - 340 New York Street
EMMENEGGER NATURE PARK
Acquired through the combination of a donation from Russell Emmenegger and a federal grant in 1988, this beautiful property is the largest park in the Kirkwood system. The original 97 acres have been combined with the former City pool property and the Department of Conservation's "Possum Woods" property into a 134-acre park that features a picnic pavilion, restrooms, a paved nature trail, and numerous casual trails that explore the undeveloped portions of the park with beautiful views of the Meramec River. - 11991 Stoneywood Drive
GREENTREE PARK
Another large park located along the Meramec River, Greentree Park offers a variety of features. The initial parcel for this 82-acre park was first acquired in the late 1970s and has
expanded over time. Features include lighted soccer/football fields, boat launch ramp, a picnic pavilion, and a radio controlled model race car track. The park also features a trailhead connecting to a significant portion of the Meramec River Greenway Trail which extends over three miles along the river through Valley Park. – 2150 Marshall Road
ELLA AND CHARLES E. MONFORT, JR. MEMORIAL PARK
The land for one of Kirkwood's newest parks was acquired in 2006, and the park opened in 2008. Named for the owners of the house that stood on the property for more than 75 years, the 0.4-acre site features two age-appropriate playgrounds, a gazebo modeled on the nearby Highlands train station, walking paths, and a drinking fountain. - 2036 Briargate Lane
MERAMEC HIGHLANDS QUARRY AT DEE KOESTERING PARK
One of the truly unique properties in the Kirkwood park system, the 9.4-acre site was once the site of an active quarry that produced stone for area buildings, including the Highlands resort. Acquired in 2002, with the help of a federal grant, the park offers visitors the opportunity to see huge blocks of stone that were cut at the quarry but never removed from the site. Features include a rugged natural trail that wanders along the creek on the property and through the boulder field, as well as an accessible path that leads to an interpretive display with information on the quarry and the park's flora and fauna. - 1703 Marshall Road
HISTORIC QUINETTE CEMETERY
Believed to be the oldest African American burial ground west of the Mississippi River, Quinette Cemetery was saved from a developer's hands in 2002 and transferred to the control of the Kirkwood Park Board a few years later. The historic site, established in 1866, is believed to be the final resting place of nearly 150 individuals, and numerous marked and unmarked grave sites are visible. Recent improvements include an accessible walkway, entrance area, and a memorial to five veterans known to be buried in the cemetery. – 12188 Old Big Bend Road
FIREMAN'S PARK
Located behind historic Firehouse #2, this 3.4-acre park has been left in a relatively natural state, with one small picnic site available. - 11804 Big Bend Boulevard