Photograph by Edward Crim
Racqueteering
Long before the Metropolitan Zoological Park & Museum District was established, Dwight Davis—the tennis pro and one-time director of parks—insisted on creating public recreation facilities in Forest Park. Today, it’s fitting that Dwight F. Davis Memorial Tennis Center draws amateurs and the St. Louis Aces alike to its lighted courts; it’s free on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. (Can’t get a court? Check the less-played Hudlin Tennis Courts east of Kingshighway or the clay courts at The Highlands.) Across Grand Drive, the Forest Park Handball Club, one of the nation’s oldest such groups, comprises teens to 80-year-olds. Next door are four diminutive racquetball courts, erected in 1978, where a small group of die-hards regularly pounds rubber racquetballs against cracked concrete.
Going It Alone
Forest Park’s two asphalt trails weave in and out of woods, beside trickling streams, and over footbridges. Some jog, some bike, and some rollerblade. The St. Louis Track Club suggests routes ranging from 3 kilometers to 13.1 miles. And if you’d rather bike it, World’s Fair Bike Rental (314-361-4477) offers rentals for $10 per hour or $35 per day. Those who prefer to relax can fish at Jefferson Lake; just remember to buy a fishing permit at the Visitor and Education Center. The Missouri Department of Conservation also hosts catch-and-release classes at the Forest Park Hatchery. (Call 636-441-4554 for reservations.) And there’s no shortage of impromptu fun to be had: sledding and kite-flying on Art Hill, throwing a Frisbee at Langenberg Field, renting a paddle boat at The Boathouse for $15 per hour…
Teamsters
Large enough to host the annual Great Forest Park Balloon Race, Central Field is the spot for soccer, Frisbee, and more. The St. Louis Ramblers Rugby Club plays here, though the largest gathering is the St. Louis Softball League (314-289-5307). “I think it’s the biggest softball league in the city,” says Roger Berry, who organizes the league, as well as the St. Louis Adult Kickball League and Forest Park Touch Football League. The softball league encompasses more than 400 teams; in fact, there are so many players that games spill over to Aviation Field. Nearby, the St. Louis Archery Club (billrmyers@aol.com) meets on the archery range every Sunday; nonmembers can shoot for just $3. And Steinberg Skating Rink (314-367-7465) offers a sand-and-sun alternative for summer: volleyball. Coed leagues play six matches per season on Steinberg’s pair of regulation courts.
Teed Off
Talk about pressure: When you’re playing the Norman K. Probstein Community Golf Course, the fear of a botched shot is magnified by all of those watchful eyes. Overhauled in 2004, the facility boasts a trio of smaller courses to choose from (each named after one of the park’s native trees)…and the options are only expanding. Highlands Golf & Tennis Center, formerly Triple A Golf and Tennis Club, opened in late April. The revamped club consists of nine holes with zoysia fairways, a 28-stall driving range, and clay tennis courts. Situated in Forest Park’s southeast corner, the par-34 course offers a low-profile alternative for golfers who want to get in a few swings before playing Probstein. “People think it’s a short little course, but it will eat them up,” warns golf pro Mark Lewis, adding that the view from the seventh tee is a sight to behold.
Playgrounds
Dennis and Judith Jones Variety Wonderland: This state-of-the-art half-acre next to the Visitor’s Center welcomes kids of all abilities. There’s a wheelchair-accessible treehouse, four-seat seesaws, a secret garden beyond the padded playground, and more.
Science Park: On the northeast side of the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, this colorful playland offers an alfresco alternative for kids to learn about science. And don’t miss the nearby T. rex and triceratops. (How could you?)
Turtle Playground: Designed by City Museum’s Bob Cassilly, the playground’s concrete turtles and snake have provided a setting for countless photo ops since 1996. Take Tamm Avenue north across Highway 40 to see the real deal at the Zoo.
