Dignitaries gathered at Tower Grove Park Thursday to celebrate the groundbreaking of two major initiatives: the restoration of four Victorian pavilions and the Facilities Core project. The second includes a new building to serve visitors coming to the park on the new Tower Grove Connector that links the park with the Cortex District, part of the Brickline Greenway.
The Event Support building will feature a concession stand, and expanded catering kitchen, new public restrooms, a bike service station, enlarged plaza and upgraded storage for event supplies. Also, the Director's Croquet Garden will turn a currently underutilized area into a Victorian garden with modern amenities that can host farm-to-table events, weddings, and other special events.
"I am really excited about the trailhead here," said Mayor Cara Spencer. "Having taken a sneak peek of it this past weekend, riding my bicycle, just envisioning what [the Tower Grove Connector] will bring to the neighborhood and Tower Grove Park."
The construction of the new building and garden is made possible by many private donations that were part of the Common Ground Campaign, which has so far raised more than $19-million. Additionally, the restoration of four of the park's Victorian pavilions was helped by a $500,000 grant from the National Park Service.
Tower Grove Park is a National Historic Landmark and has the world's largest collection of Victorian pavilions in the world.