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Malcolm W. Martin
Memorial Park
On June 7th, 2005, Gateway Center of Metropolitan St.
Louis officially transferred title of the Gateway Geyser and the 34.1
acres of grounds leading from the fountain to the Mississippi River to
the Metro East Park and Recreation District. Gateway had worked
tirelessly for 40 years to protect the property from commercial
development and, with the transfer, was entrusting MEPRD with the task
of bringing to life the dream of their founder and benefactor, Malcolm
W. Martin, to transform the property into a true memorial park
complementing the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial grounds across
the river. On June 18th, 2005, the park was officially dedicated
as the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park, in honor of the man whose
passion, dedication and generosity made the project possible.
In
January 2006, the East St. Louis City Council passes a resolution
designating the property as a conservation area to help facilitate the
project's development and preserve it for years to come. The
park's development has been largely funded through donations provided by
the Gateway Center Board, valued at over $15 million for both the park's
creation and its ongoing maintenance, so it can be enjoyed by future
generations. Gateway's Board continues to support major
developments within the park, which today is home to the
Gateway Geyser and the
Mississippi River Overlook
and features an expansive lawn area, raised seating, and paved walkways
that mirror the Gateway Arch. The Malcolm. W. Martin Memorial Park
officially opened to the public in the spring of 2009.
Park Hours
April thru October
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Daily (Dawn to 10:00 PM)
November thru March
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Sunday thru Thursday (Dawn to Dusk),
Friday and Saturday (Dawn to 10:00 PM)
Gateway
Geyser Schedule
April thru October
-
Daily (12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 9:00 PM)
November thru March
- No eruptions are scheduled during these
months.
Address
185 W.
Trendley Ave.
East St.
Louis, Illinois 62201
Click here for driving directions
Phone number:
618-346-4905
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Click on the image below to view a collection of photos
from the park.
Greater East St. Louis Community Fund
scholarship recipients recently toured the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial
Park where they were greeted by Mike Buehlhorn, MEPRD Executive
Director.
Click here to
view photographs from their visit.
Learn
More...
Malcolm
W. Martin Memorial Park, located on the East St. Louis Riverfront, complements the renowned Jefferson
National Expansion Memorial, home of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, across the Mississippi River. Eero Saarinen, designer of the St. Louis Arch, originally included a park on
both sides of the Mississippi River; decades later his vision has become a reality.
Malcolm W. Martin Memorial
Park boasts two distinct features: the
Mississippi River Overlook
and a fountain known as the
Gateway Geyser. The
Gateway Geyser erupts four times a day during the spring and summer
months. The main fountain of the geyser was designed with the
capability to reach 630 feet, as tall as the Arch itself. The
geyser is surrounded by a small lake and four fountains,
representing the four rivers that meet at St. Louis.
The
geyser is powered by three 800 horsepower pumps, and can shoot 7,500
gallons of water per minute at the rate of 250 feet per second. The
four smaller fountains are powered by a 125 horsepower pump. The
lake surrounding the geyser is six acres, 600 feet in diameter,
and contains more than a million gallons of water (Source:
Hydro Dramatics). Nearby aircraft
are alerted by a beacon on the roof of the maintenance building when
the geyser will soon go off.
The
Mississippi River Overlook stands 40 ft tall on the opposite end of the park. Its tiered structure boasts stainless steel railings and
architectural concrete. The MRO offers visitors marvelous views of
the park, both sides of the Mississippi River, and the
St. Louis City Skyline. The new park also
provides passive open green space for visitors to enjoy.
The Metro East Park and Recreation
District owns and operates the park grounds. The park is the result of a partnership between
MEPRD and the Gateway Center of Metropolitan St. Louis.
Learn more about founder
Malcolm W. Martin by clicking on the links below.
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