(Loved volunteering to go in person to cover this event after taking a dozen photos several days prior to that for a West Newsmagazine story with only my photos used!)
A double dose of celebratory dedication filled the eastern confines of Creve Coeur on the morning of Saturday, May 16.
At 11 a.m., relatives of Dr. H. Phillip Venable were met by members of the Creve Coeur Council, city staff and other visitors to dedicate the park’s new memorial in Venable’s name.
Relatives of Dr. H. Phillip Venable, city staff and officials and guests celebrate the grand reopening of Venable Park on May 16.
According to the Creve Coeur website, Venable was a Black ophthalmologist whose home had been taken via eminent domain between 1956-1960 out of racial animus to prevent Venable and his wife, Katie, from living in the area.
Beirne Park, named after a mayor at that time, arrived on a portion of that land in 1961. In late 2019, Creve Coeur passed a resolution to rename it Dr. H. Phillip Venable Memorial Park.
The park's new memorial is titled "Home in Sight," created by Oletha DeVane and Christopher Kojzar. According to the Creve Coeur website, the artwork honors Venable's life, legacy and lasting influence. It is constructed of interwoven steel and glass elements as reference to an ophthalmological tool known as the adaptive lens flipper.
Mayor Bob Hoffman began with a welcoming speech, acknowledging the donors who contributed to the memorial.
Venable’s great niece Erin Fletcher Slayton said the May 16 event was “a positive take on recreating history by telling the whole story.”
A new bridge constructed in Venable Park.
Victoria Venable Fletcher spoke of both truth and reconciliation efforts to address injustices.
“As soon as I walked into the park yesterday, I could feel the presence of my uncle,” Fletcher said. “But we gather today, not to dwell on the past, but the opportunity to look forward. The Black man just wanted some of the same options as the white man. With that attitude, he was referred to as a rabble-rouser, but it all led to the inclusion of Blacks in the medical field.”
HDR, based in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed a $400,000 grant for the Venable Park project. Jeff Fahs of HDR quoted Venable from a 1987 historical society interview: “Don’t be bitter because once you’re bitter, you lose everything.”
Also showcased May 16 were other updated park amenities, which include a new pavilion, a younger children’s playground, a lower-elevation walkway surrounding the park, major tennis court improvements, a wheelchair ramp, a new and larger parking lot layout and the new bridge that connects the park with a nearby neighborhood.
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