KINLOCH, Mo. — St. Louis County has applied for two federal grants that, if approved, would bring in funds to revitalize Kinloch Park into a community centerpiece.
Of that funding, $250,000 would come from the Recreation Trails Program. At last week's meeting, the St. Louis County Council passed a resolution in support of the County Parks Foundation's application for the grant. The county also applied for a $500,000 federal grant that would be matched by local funds if awarded, according to a Monday news release from the office of St. Louis County Executive Sam Page.
“We must preserve our history by giving it a bright future. Kinloch was the first town in Missouri to be incorporated by African Americans,” Page stated in the release. “We need to make sure we are investing and reinvesting in all our neighborhoods, including those that have fallen on hard times with population declines, poverty and crime.”
The Parks and Recreation Department's master plan calls for replacing all amenities in Kinloch Park. With the new funding, the park would undergo significant renovations, including a new playground, shelter, basketball courts, athletic fields for football and soccer, and a half-mile walking trail around the park's perimeter.
“Creating a centerpiece for the area brings pride to a community, interest from outside developers and a safe place for families to come together,” Page said.
Across the street from Kinloch Park in North County, there's housing for University of Missouri St. Louis students, where Patience Maddock has lived for two years.
"It's not as bad as people think. You do hear gunshots at night, kind of get used to them, unfortunately," Maddock said.
Back in the 1890s, the Kinloch neighborhood was developed as a commuter suburb after the establishment of the Wabash Railroad. A small area was reserved for purchase by Blacks.
"Kinloch is a historical North County community. One of the first communities in the state founded by African Americans, and over time this part of our community has really fallen on to hard times," Page said.
The Kinloch Park site was purchased for $32,000 in 1966 from the Kinloch Land Clearance for Regional Development Authority, according to the county's website. The park was dedicated in 1967.