Dear Friends,

It is a great pleasure to report that Ellen Jones has been recognized with the very first James Gurney Award. Those of you who know Ellen know how much she has meant to the Park over the years, and how much she deserves this award. We are all grateful for her support and friendship over many years, and hope that she will take well earned satisfaction in this enthusiastic salute from the whole Park family.

You will also note in this newsletter that we are going forward with some important projects this summer, including restoration of the West Meadow trail. This key facility will be named in honor of Phil Cotton, who for many years served as architect for the Park. Phil was highly respected in his field, specializing in historic structures. He made significant contributions to many St. Louis institutions, including Tower Grove Park. Phil relished solving architectural problems, and before he became too ill to continue, he was enjoying the research and investigation to properly and accurately reconstruct this historic path. It is highly appropriate, and a pleasure, to dedicate this feature in honor of Phil, and we hope that you will enjoy using it.

Tower Grove Park is bustling with summer activity, and I hope you find an opportunity to visit us soon to enjoy the warm weather. Whether for a movie night at the Pool Pavilion, the Summer Children’s Concert Series, the Farmer’s Market, one of our big festivals, or simply to enjoy a summer walk, this always a wonderful time of year to visit the Park.

John Karel