Lucas Gardens Park, St. Louis City

Location: Downtown St. Louis City (Downtown West Neighborhood)
Bounded by 13th Street, Locust Street, 14th Street, and St. Charles Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Amenities: playground, fitness trail, dog park

Website: http://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/parks/parks/view-park.cfm?parkID=57&parkName=Lucas%20Gardens%20Park

Playground ground cover: wood chips

The park is currently being maintained by of a group of downtown residents called Friends of Lucas Park.

The only way to enter the park is from the corner of 13th Street and St. Charles Street (they've blocked off access to the park to break the pattern of illegal behavior which used to take place in this park - panhandling, stealing, public drinking, public urination, and littering).

We ventured to the city to visit the Central Library located across the street from Lucas Park and brought a picnic lunch to eat in the park. The equipment is sized perfectly for preschool children - or young elementary children. There are 2 slides (one is a double slide), various ladders, and a tunnel on the play structure, as well as swings (2 baby swings, a sling swing, and a board swing), a couple bouncy toys, and a music area. The entire playground is shaded, which is a huge bonus!

At the other end of the block-long park is fitness equipment for ages 5 and above. This is in full sun, but given that most people will use it in the morning or evening, the sun will likely not pose much of a problem.