I like how Lafayette Park is a “living” park, where people can go and engage with their neighbors and community.
Too many parks in St. Louis are someone’s “turf” or not safe.
How sad that we have given up on so many of them, when Lafayette Park shows us a better way.
See pictures of the police station here from a post in early April of 2020.
Is no park safe from those giant flying rats?
I can see the headline now: Flying Gangs of Celebrated Poopers Terrorize Citizenry.
Having said that, I live near Marquette Park, in Dutchtown, and it gets regular use by a number of groups. The rugby teams (once a month or so), the soccer teams (regular games every other week or so, more so in the summer), the guy who uses it as a practice range for chipping dingers (golf; I guess he’s working on his short game, eh?), and the kids from the neighborhood who come for both organized and impromptu soccer and football games, some employees of the Dutchtown Care Center across the street. Of course, most of this is in the daytime, but even at night, the Latino population (mostly male) gathers to drink and talk, sometimes along Louisiana, and others in the little drive across the street from Virginia (Sure, it’s kind of loitering, but I don’t really mind, except when they don’t turn their booming stereos down, and then it’s 321-1212, the police non-emergency #). This is all around the athletic field at Gasconade and Louisiana. I would guess that the pool end of the Park, across Compton @ Gasconade, being somewhat deserted at night, receives less activity.
However, I have heard tales on Mark Groth’s blog, and unpleasant happenings in Mount Pleasant Park (correct name?).