These Pocket-Sized Parks Are Reviving St. Louis Blocks

Samantha Smugala and the dedicated volunteers of Pocketparks were nimble and agile in transforming vacant lots into beautiful spaces enjoyed by thousands throughout the city. Now, the group is using those same skills to help like-minded groups locally and nationally.

“We had to figure out our sweet spot and what would work,” says Smugala (smoo-GAH-lah), the nonprofit’s president and founder.
She shaped her mission following a decade of designing commercial interiors. “In 2021, outside was the safest place to be,” she says. “I fell in love with the idea of creating a public space for all people. I was taking photos of vacant properties and sketching on top of them.”

After learning that St. Louis City had about 15,000 vacant lots, she researched how to quickly transform areas into beautiful public spaces with limited funding, cutting through red tape rather than waiting for federal dollars. Then, she gathered volunteer landscape designers and outreach coordinators to work with neighborhood groups to develop DUC (Downtown Urgent Care) Park, a vibrant background for gatherings near coffee shops and bars at 10th and Locust streets.

With similar efficiency and minimal cost, Pocketparks created five other spaces by 2023, ranging from 3,000 square feet to two acres. Each park features art and gardens and hosts events such as vegan markets, concerts, picnics, and disc golf. Pocketparks has collaborated with neighborhood groups and St. Louis ArtWorks, which employs young artists from underserved areas.

But with a half-dozen parks to maintain, Pocketparks found itself at a crossroads. The handful of devoted volunteers realized they couldn’t continue to grow while maintaining the parks they had developed. So, the group has pivoted, sharing its process with kindred spirits.

Pocketparks has formed a partnership with STL Vacancy Collaborative and the Missouri Department of Conservation in their Vacancy to Vibrancy grants program, which provides up to $5,000 to develop spaces. Pocketparks will provide support to grant winners through its process of community engagement, design, and procurement. The work culminates in a one-day placemaking blitz, when volunteers gather “to implement the park and see their hard work realized,” Smugala says.

Pocketparks staged its first blitz during the national Center for Community Progress conference, devoted to reclaiming vacant properties, held in St. Louis last year. About 100 people from groups around the country pitched in to transform Pocketparks’ Active Art Park at Laclede’s Landing into a disc golf putting course. Smugala says she continues to hear from colleagues nationally, most recently from Birmingham, Alabama. “They had such a great experience,” she says, “that they called us and said, ‘We want to repeat this.’”

Meanwhile, Pocketparks continues to evolve in its own backyard. For more than two years, 2 Acre Park hosted vegan markets once a month and countless informal gatherings, but the space will soon become part of a seven-story apartment complex in the Cortex district.

“We brought attention to it. Now it’s going to its next phase. It’s a huge win,” Smugala says. “It’s not about the number of parks. It’s about reducing vacancy and providing beautiful space, then sharing this information and passion with others who want to make an impact.”

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TINY TREASURES
Plan a visit to these five Pocketparks in St. Louis.

 

DUC Park
Where: 923 Locust St., 63101
Why go: To check out the brightly colored wall and enjoy a beer or coffee with your friend and your dog. Or your friend’s dog.
Smugala says: “This was our first Pocketpark, and in many ways, it’s still my favorite. I love the vibrant colors.”

 

West End Park
Where: 5900 Clemens Ave., 63112
Why go: To admire sculptures from reclaimed bicycle parts and to see a large native garden.
Smugala says: “A staple in the community, the park’s native garden has different blooms throughout the season.”

 

Ratio Park
Where: 2101 Salisbury St., 63107
Why go: To see the park’s raised bed, which is in the shape of the golden ratio, an ancient math principle repeated in some nearby homes surrounding Hyde Park.
Smugala says: “This park was designed by Maryville University students to reflect the neighborhood architecture. Its creativity adds a multi-tiered platform to explore or to host groups.”

 

Dutchtown Park
Where: 4737 Virginia Ave., 63111
Why go: To catch a performance on the center platform or just relax under a colorful sail shade.
Smugala says: “The community long embraced this lot as a gathering space to host events. We helped them design features to enhance that.”

 

Active Art Park
Where: 617 North Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd., 63102
Why go: To test your disc golf skills with friends. (Tip: Grab a free disc and a snack from the nearby Cobblestone Market.)
Smugala says: “The sculptures add interest but also act as obstacles for the disc games. It’s a unique collaboration between art and sport.”

Author: Kathleen Nelson is a frequent contributor to Terrain.

Top image: Active Art Park at Laclede’s Landing in St. Louis. (Pocketparks)