Hangin' on a Lake Beach!
I'm by no means an aquatic ecologist or hydrologist, but I'm guessing its favorable to a project like this that the Taylor Kindle river is fed from treated water supplies, and the runoff basin is pretty much completely contained to the park's boundaries with major storm runoff from surrounding areas going into the underground River des Peres. With all of the waterways now connected there is the benefit of less stagnant pools now as well. Seems like these features would make it more straightforward to control water quality. Someone more qualified would have to make that claim though.pattimagee wrote: ↑3:12 PM - 11 days agoI know some of us feel kind of feel icky about the ai renderings (sorry), but this is something I feel like we're missing in STL with our hot summers getting even hotter and more humid every year. But I love Barton Springs and a version of that for us could work well on Picnic Island in Forest Park which already has a beach (though its a rock beach) on it too, so this wouldn't be too much of a stretch.But this is close enough to the boathouse that a concession stand could serviced by the boathouse AND you could also do this at the spot just below Hammock garden to be closer to the Boathouse also, though I think it would be harder since that ledge is pretty steep there I could be wrong...
Disclaimer, I realize that there is risk of bacteria, runoff, sewer overflow with "River Des Peres" but with an isolated swimming area you could reduce risk, though this is an environmental engineering question. And then maybe the beach is a wading / toe-in only with a barrier so you can't get below 1-2 ft. This is just a concept for the idea... but it would be so popular and a huge hit if something like this could be done.I also realize Forest Park is more of a "habitat restoration" park and this is a bit out of character, but I think this concept could work in other parks too... (finished disclaimers)
I could see the first concern with the Picnic Island site being "parking" (ick) as well as accessibility concerns, as well as being too close to the more ecologically designed Wildlife Island. Maybe the strip of shore to the northwest of the Boathouse would be a better location? Better accessibility to the Visitor Center Lots and more shared infrastructure opportunities with concessions, restrooms, etc. Consolidating more disruptive human activity to one area of the Lake would likely be better from an environmental standpoint. Any location would surely require plenty of terraforming.
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Yeah - agreed, I think there are probably 3-4 shorelines in that section that could realistically work... and I wouldn't be super concerned with parking, because my biggest worry would be that it could be too popular and overcrowded, in which case the island could be capped at a certain amount of people knowing there are entrances/exits and parking being an issue might help keep it from having those issues, lol. The good thing is you can access it from parking on Lagoon Drive, the Art Museum, or Gov't Drive with not too much walking. I guess if it was overcrowded anyone could easily just have a day in the park on the grass instead, which isn't a bad 2nd optionkg2024 wrote: ↑8:08 PM - 11 days agoI'm by no means an aquatic ecologist or hydrologist, but I'm guessing its favorable to a project like this that the Taylor Kindle river is fed from treated water supplies, and the runoff basin is pretty much completely contained to the park's boundaries with major storm runoff from surrounding areas going into the underground River des Peres. With all of the waterways now connected there is the benefit of less stagnant pools now as well. Seems like these features would make it more straightforward to control water quality. Someone more qualified would have to make that claim though.pattimagee wrote: ↑3:12 PM - 11 days agoI know some of us feel kind of feel icky about the ai renderings (sorry), but this is something I feel like we're missing in STL with our hot summers getting even hotter and more humid every year. But I love Barton Springs and a version of that for us could work well on Picnic Island in Forest Park which already has a beach (though its a rock beach) on it too, so this wouldn't be too much of a stretch.
Disclaimer, I realize that there is risk of bacteria, runoff, sewer overflow with "River Des Peres" but with an isolated swimming area you could reduce risk, though this is an environmental engineering question. And then maybe the beach is a wading / toe-in only with a barrier so you can't get below 1-2 ft. This is just a concept for the idea... but it would be so popular and a huge hit if something like this could be done.
I could see the first concern with the Picnic Island site being "parking" (ick) as well as accessibility concerns, as well as being too close to the more ecologically designed Wildlife Island. Maybe the strip of shore to the northwest of the Boathouse would be a better location? Better accessibility to the Visitor Center Lots and more shared infrastructure opportunities with concessions, restrooms, etc. Consolidating more disruptive human activity to one area of the Lake would likely be better from an environmental standpoint. Any location would surely require plenty of terraforming.