⚡️ Welcoming Change, Celebrating Talent, and Deals

Author

Jared Michel
March 22, 2024

🌞 Good morning West County!

In today’s ⚡️ West County Pulse newsletter:

  • 🎓 Parkway's New CFO

  • 🌟 A Lafayette Soccer Star

  • 💰 Ballwin Shopping Center Sold

Let’s jump into today’s newsletter!

— Jared Michel

THE DIGEST

🌟 Chesterfield Elem. Earns Top Honors in 2023!

Missouri First Lady Teresa Parson visited Chesterfield Elementary last Thursday to celebrate the school's impressive achievements. Chesterfield earned the prestigious Missouri Gold Star and National Blue Ribbon school status for 2023, making it one of only 353 schools nationwide and just eight in Missouri to receive this honor. The First Lady presented proclamations to school administrators, Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain, and Board members Izzy Imig and Tamara Jo Rhomberg, recognizing Chesterfield's success on behalf of Governor Mike Parson. Rockwood’s full write up is available here.

🎓 Parkway Selects New CFO

This week Parkway School District announced Carrie Nunn as their new Chief Financial Officer, set to start on July 1. Nunn brings an impressive 18 years of accounting experience, including roles at Boeing, Scottrade, and most recently, Mehlville School District. In the district’s announcement, Superintendent Keith Marty praised Nunn's diverse background and expressed confidence in her ability to maintain Parkway's financial stability following the retirement of longtime CFO Patty Bedborough.

🏗️ McBride Homes Breaks Ground on New Chesterfield Neighborhood

McBride Homes is making progress on their Tara Ridge development, transforming the former Barat Academy site into a luxurious 35-home neighborhood. The neighborhood will feature top-notch amenities like a pickleball court and butterfly garden. With homes starting in the $710's, Tara Ridge promises to be a sought-after addition to the Wild Horse Creek Road area. Read a full summary here.

🌟 Lafayette's Kinner Makes Post-Dispatch Top 5

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch this week featured Lafayette senior Allie Kinner as one of the top 5 girls soccer players to watch this season. Kinner's impressive performance, including 18 goals and 17 assists, helped lead Lafayette to a third-place finish in the Missouri Class 4 state tournament last year.

LOCAL BUSINESS

🏋️ Chesterfield YMCA Unveils $8.5M Renovation

Yesterday the Chesterfield Family YMCA formerly announced their $8.5 million expansion and renovation project. The upgrades will include a spacious 11,000 sq ft fitness center, speciality studios for mind and body classes, cycling, and group exercise, as well as a community cafe and intergenerational lobby. The project, set to begin on April 1, promises to bring enhanced facilities and inclusive programming to the community while keeping disruptions to members and programs minimal during the construction phase. View more details about the project here.

💪 Chamber Welcomes Alloy with Ribbon Cutting

Wednesday the West County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of Alloy Personal Training in Ballwin with a festive ribbon cutting ceremony. Alloy is located at 15491 Clayton Road.

💰 Ballwin Retail Hub Part of $180M Acquisition

Central Plaza, the Ballwin shopping center anchored by Ross Dress for Less, Old Navy, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Five Below, and Dollar Tree, was recently acquired by a New York investment group as part of a $180 million deal. The new owners plan to implement an aggressive marketing and leasing program to fill vacancies and maximize the potential of the property. Shoppers can expect to see some exciting changes and upgrades at this popular retail destination in the near future. Read the St. Louis Business Journal’s full write-up here.

CITY HIGHLIGHTS

Ballwin

🍃 Explore Ballwin Parks with Little Explorers

Ballwin's Little Explorers program, which sold out last year, is returning for another exciting season. The program, designed for 2-5 year-olds, will take place on the first and third Wednesdays of each month starting in April, offering a chance to explore Ballwin's beautiful parks. Learn more / register here.

Chesterfield

🎵 Chesterfield Amphitheater Season to Kickoff Soon

The wait is almost over! The Chesterfield Amphitheater will kick off its 2024 concert season on April 20 with an electrifying performance by JJ Grey & Mofro, accompanied by the talented Cedric Burnside. Tickets are available here.

The schedule for this year’s free concert series dubbed Sounds of Summer has also been made available:

Ellisville

🗑️ City Considers Changes to Waste Collection

During this week’s Board of Aldermen meeting, the city's solid waste contract with Republic Services was discussed. With the current contract expiring in December, the aldermen discussed potential changes, such as shifting to a subscription-based yard waste program and reassessing who pays for trash service at certain condo complexes. The board expressed openness to negotiating an extension but wants to review a detailed proposal with financial information before making any decisions. The conversation will continue as the expiration date draws nearer.

🌠 Ellisville Invites You to a Night Under the Stars

Ellisville announced an exciting stargazing night event for families to enjoy together. St. Louis Astronomical Society volunteers will be on hand to guide participants through the wonders of the night sky.

Wildwood

🏠 11 Total Lots Planned at Pond Road & Route 100

At Wildwood's Development and Zoning Committee meeting this week, a proposal was presented to develop an 8-lot single family subdivision on a 38.76 acre parcel at the northwest corner of Pond Road and Route 100. The property has been subdivided multiple times in recent years, going from the original 5 lots to a potential 11 lots total including the 8 new ones proposed. The developer intends to preserve about 10 of the 30 acres as natural area while clearing only what is necessary for homes, roads, and utilities. Access would be via a private road with a 12% grade leading to an oversized cul-de-sac.

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • Tomorrow: Manchester’s PJ 5k & 1 Mile Sleepwalk @ Schroeder Park. Learn more / register here.

  • Monday March 25: Wildwood Mayor & City Council Candidate Forum @ City Hall from 6pm to 8pm. Submit questions here.

  • Wednesday March 27: Parkway board candidate forum @ the Parkway Welcome Center from 7pm to 9pm. Learn more here.

  • Friday March 29: Parkway South’s 3rd Annual Community Color Run @ Parkway South starting at 9am. Learn more here.

🥚 Egg-citing Easter Events in West County

Today:

  • Manchester’s Adult Egg Hunt + Bonfire @ Schroeder Park (Ages 21+, 7:30pm-9:30pm, Preregistration required + limited). Register here.

Tomorrow:

  • Ballwin's Egg Hunt @ Park (Ages 2-10, 11:30am)

  • Chesterfield's Eggstravaganza @ Chesterfield Central Park (Ages 1-12, 10am, Preregistration required). Register / learn more here.

  • Ellisville's Hip Hop Hurray Hunt! @ Bluebird Park (Ages 9 & Under, 10am, Preregistration required). Learn more here and register here.

  • Eureka's Easter Egg Hunt + Pancake Breakfast @ Kircher Park (Ages 2-10, 10am-12pm). Learn more here.

  • Wildwood’s Egg Hunt + Inflatables @ Fairway Elementary (Ages 3-12, 10am-12pm). Learn more here.

  • Parkway-Rockwood Community Ed’s WiLD Family Fun: GPS Egg Hunt @ Babler State Park (9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm, Preregistration required). Learn more / register here.

  • Winchester’s Egg Hunt @ Reber Park (11am)

Sunday:

  • The River at Eureka’s Egg Hunt @ Berry Park (1pm-3pm). Learn more here.

Wednesday March 27:

  • Manchester’s Middle School Flashlight Egg Hunt, Pizza & Games @ Schroeder Park (Ages 10-14, 7:30pm-9pm, Preregistration required) Learn more / register here.

Friday March 29:

  • Farmers & Merchants Bank (Eureka)’s Meet the Easter Bunny + Petting Zoo @ Eureka Bank Location (10am-12pm). Announcement here.

Saturday March 30:

  • Ballwin's Underwater Egg Hunt in the Pointe’s Indoor Pool (Ages 8-10, 12pm-2pm, Preregistration required). Register / learn more here.

  • Brookdale Farms' Easter Egg Hunt & Pancake Breakfast (Ages 0-12, 9:30am-4pm). Learn more / buy tickets here.

  • Twin Oaks’ Easter Egg Hunt @ Twin Oaks Park (Ages 1-12, 10am). Learn more here.

THANKS!

Thanks for reading this edition of the ⚡️ West County Pulse newsletter. If you found something useful, please share it with a friend!

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