Great Rivers Greenway, the City of Maryland Heights and Saint Louis County Parks invite area residents to celebrate the newest segment of the Fee Fee Greenway at a ribbon cutting being held on Thursday, June 14, from 5-7 p.m. in Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park. The event will take place at the new trailhead, located near the disc golf course across from Sailboat Cove at 13725 Marine Ave., Maryland Heights, MO 63146.
The project extends the existing 0.8-mile paved greenway an additional 2.2 miles from McKelvey Woods, creating a continuous three-mile paved connection between the Maryland Heights Community Center (trailhead located near Dogport and Aquaport) and Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park. It also makes it possible for people to continue their walk or bike ride through the park to the Creve Coeur Connector trail and allow them to cross over the Missouri River to connect to the KATY Trail and Centennial Greenway in St. Charles County. These connections enable access to the St. Charles County Heritage Museum and the ability to cross over Highways 364 and 94 in St. Charles County. In total, the new Fee Fee Greenway segment helps to create nearly 16 continuous miles of paved routes for walking and biking.
On Thursday, June 14, from 5-7 p.m., project partners, contractors, area residents and elected officials will officially open the new greenway with a ribbon cutting at the new trailhead. The celebration will include light refreshments, yard games, music and a guided walking tour of the greenway. Guest speakers will begin addressing the crowd at approximately 5:15 pm, followed by a ribbon cutting at 5:45 pm. A one-hour walking tour of the new greenway will begin following the cutting of the ribbon.
“The expanded Fee Fee Greenway is an incredible asset, not only for the people who live and work in Maryland Heights, but also for our entire region,” says Tracey Anderson, City of Maryland Heights Director of Parks and Recreation. “We encourage the community to join us on June 14 to celebrate this new connection and discover all the things they can see and do along the way.”
The new segment includes a 78-foot-long pedestrian bridge over Fee Fee Creek and a nearly 1,000-foot-long “living wall.” The purpose of the living wall system is to help capture the storm water that drains off the paved surface, reducing the impact on nearby creeks and streams. It will also provide habitat for wildlife and insects. Several hundred new native trees, shrubs, sedges and flowers were also planted along the two-mile extension to restore and boost the native ecology of the greenway.
“This project is a powerful example of how greenways connect us to our rivers, parks, communities and each other,” says Susan Trautman, CEO of Great Rivers Greenway. “By extending the Fee Fee Greenway just two miles, we’ve created a vital link between existing trails and amenities so people can get exercise and fresh air while exploring a wonderful natural area.”
For more information about the expanded Fee Fee Greenway and other greenways throughout the St. Louis area, visit www.GreatRiversGreenway.org.
About Great Rivers Greenway:
Great Rivers Greenway makes the St. Louis region a more vibrant place to live, work and play by developing a regional network of greenways. Great Rivers Greenway is the public agency collaborating with partners and communities to build, care for and bring to life your network of greenways, creating healthy habitats and watersheds along the way. With 117 miles built and counting, visit www.GreatRiversGreenway.org for more information.
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For more information, contact:
Pamela Powell
(314) 436-9090