Springfield Parks, Greenways, and Outdoor Spaces

4/17/16

Tonight we stopped by two elementary school parks on the east side of Springfield. We had visited both schools before but this was the first time we had really walked around the grounds.

#58 Sequiota School-Park  3414 S. Mentor
Several of  the Springfield Public Schools have a separate park adjacent to the school grounds and have a large concrete sign with the name of the park and school and stating there is a partnership between Springfield Public Schools and Springfield-Greene County Park Board but not all of the Springfield Public elementary/middle schools are listed as being a park facility. We have been to several of  these school parks and Sequiota is the first one we have visited that is listed as a park facility that does not have a clearly separate park area. The park sign is right in front of the school and the green park area is shown on the parks facility map as being behind the school along Sulgrove Ave. which is essentially the school playground. The park is listed as being 8 acres. The only parking is off Mentor Ave. at the school but you can also enter the grounds from Sulgrove Ave. There is a Mo. Conservation Department sign indicating a natural area on the north side of the school. The playground has a track, soccer and ball fields, basketball courts and several play structures and swings. We have been to the school before but this was the first time we had walked around the grounds. We walked around the school and the playground spending about 20 minutes and walking 6/10 mile.

#59 Eugene Field Park 2120 Barataria
This 5 acre park is behind Eugene Field Elementary. There wasn't any sign identifying the park and I didn't see any access from Barataria St. We parked in the school parking lot on Luster Ave and walked through the school grounds back to the park. There is also access to the park from Cambridge but no specific parking. There were several play structures and swings on the park grounds and a track, soccer and ball fields, basketball courts and additional play structures on the adjacent school grounds. There is also extensive storm water control with a retention basin and ditches. Our youngest child went to school at Field so we have been here multiple times but I don't specifically remember walking back to the park before. We spent 20 minutes and walked 6/10 mile.

We spent about 45 minutes to visit the two east side school parks this evening which leaves us 43 facilities still to visit.