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The transformation of Brentwood Park
The fun is just getting started at Brentwood Park! What began as a part of a comprehensive solution to overcome flooding and public safety challenges, Brentwood Park has quickly launched itself into the spotlight as an up-and-coming St. Louis regional destination for free family fun. Located in the heart of Brentwood, Missouri, this 32-acre park is home to beautiful trails, open green spaces, indoor and outdoor pavilions, a food truck plaza, and a brand-new destination playground, which made its public debut on April 6. Brentwood Park’s destination playground spans across 2.7 acres of the park with boundless opportunities for fun and exploration. The park’s expansive green space makes it an ideal location for hosting large community events and gatherings.
Brentwood Bound
Brentwood has long dealt with flooding issues along Deer Creek that have at times crippled the community and caused significant challenges for its members. With nearly 30 flooding events in the past 60 years, it was clear to City of Brentwood that the current flood mitigation system could not handle the influx of water during heavy rain. Through public surveying and community engagement, the city developed and approved the Brentwood Bound Plan to overcome some of the community’s long-term challenges. Brentwood Park purposefully encompasses a large section of Deer Creek to help alleviate the frequent widespread flooding and additionally provide more opportunities in the area for local businesses.
Changing the Flow of History
Brentwood Park sits on land with a long history. What started as a quarry in the late 1800s developed into an industrial area in the 1970s. However, this area had one critical issue — its location directly on the Deer Creek Watershed. Flooding occurred almost annually, with the flood of 1903 bringing massive amounts of rain to the area. Since that time, the nearly 37-square-mile watershed area upstream has fully developed, increasing the number of impervious areas — primarily buildings and pavement — and the rate at which stormwater runoff reaches Deer Creek. The flood mitigation component of Brentwood Bound includes improvements to Deer Creek that help create more flow capacity along the creek to ease frequent flooding.
In July and August of 2022, historic rain and flooding hit the St. Louis region and put Brentwood Park to the test. Even with the park only partially constructed to date, this remarkable engineering feat prevented thousands of gallons of water from flooding the surrounding community. Today, the completed Brentwood Park has already withstood multiple heavy rainstorms and prevented several potential flooding incidents. Thanks to the Deer Creek flood mitigation efforts, about 30 more acres of land will now be protected from flooding.
A Fun Solution for All
The Brentwood Board of Aldermen approved the $5 million playground design on February 7, 2022, with additional updates and a $2.5 million increase in the project budget in July 2022. SWT Design, a local landscaping and architectural design firm, was contracted to take on the challenge of adding an enormous playground to Brentwood’s newest park. Not only is Brentwood Park a practical solution to help tackle local flooding problems, but Brentwood Park’s destination playground is also an expansive ADA-accessible play space designed to have something for everyone. The destination playground has roller slides designed to eliminate static electricity while sliding and allow children with cochlear implants to play without interference. Inclusive swings, with one harnessed swing, provide a safe and secure swinging experience. A merry-go-round with a secured fastening spot for wheelchair users adds another layer of inclusivity. Both playground climbing structures have low access points that make it possible to lift someone easily onto them.
SWT was intentional with its design choices for the destination playground, offering a variety of different sensory experiences for children to enjoy through light, color, touch and sound play. From the different textural play surfaces to the colorful glass panels in the pavilion, each element of this playground down to the smallest detail was designed to give each child a unique play experience.
Making a Big Splash
One of the most popular features of Brentwood Park is its new splash pad. Measuring in at 7,895 square feet, this splash pad has deep slip-resistant concrete channels mimicking the local creeks of Brentwood. Along the splash pad are a variety of colorful interactive poles that activate different water features. The water from the splash pad gathers into the concrete channel to create another element of water play. There are two adjustable dam-like pieces of play equipment situated along the water channels. This allows a person to control the flow of water through the splash pad channels.
Brentwood Park’s splash pad has caught the attention of many local journalists and social media content creators. Highlighted as an “STL Summer Bucket List” activity by several social media users, Brentwood Park provides a great free way for kids and families to cool off during hot summer days. All the water used at the Brentwood Park splash pad is repurposed by a water capture system. The water capture system catches an estimated 200,000 gallons of water per week, saving Brentwood 4 million gallons a year. This captured water is used to help irrigate and keep Brentwood Park green.
A Social Media Success Story
After many years of planning and preparation, City of Brentwood was getting ready to unveil its newest playground to the world in the spring of 2024. The Brentwood Parks and Recreation team was met with the unique challenge of promoting a new park and playground under construction to the public in the dead of winter. Brentwood Parks and Recreation’s marketing supervisor took to social media and began sharing daily construction video updates on Brentwood’s social media pages. With a push for a more active and involved presence online, Brentwood Park began to garner more attention online and sparked new conversations and connections.
Marketing staff found the most success partnering with different moms in the St. Louis area who each ran social media accounts inspired by finding free activities for families with children. The collaborative marketing effort from parks and recreation and these social media content creators led to Brentwood Park collectively gaining millions of views on promotional videos. Promotional content included regular drone-flight footage of construction updates, behind-the-scenes tours with social media partners, playground construction time-lapses, and short-form videos highlighting each different feature of the park. Social media collaborations played an essential role in the success of Brentwood Park’s grand opening, with promotional material making its way across Missouri and over state lines. Visitors made special trips to Brentwood to take their families to the new destination playground.
Community Impact
This park is so much more than just a solution to Brentwood’s historic flooding problems; it’s a place to create and foster community. Brentwood Park has quickly solidified its place as one of St. Louis’ newest local gems. Since its grand opening, Brentwood Park visitors have shared their positive experiences on social media. One visitor shared, “You know, it’s not every day you find a place where every child, regardless of their abilities, can dive into fun side by side. This park wasn’t just a playground; it was a vibrant community hub where laughter served as the universal language…. This park is truly a haven of happiness and inclusion, a place where every child can be a superhero on their own adventure. It’s heartwarming to see such spaces that embrace all, creating an environment of joy, respect and understanding.”
A Look Ahead
Brentwood Park embodies the mission, vision and values of Brentwood Parks and Recreation by offering exceptional spaces that promote health, environmental care, innovation and accessibility, helping make Brentwood a great place to live and play. This park, with its state-of-the-art playground, expansive green spaces and practical flood mitigation solutions, stands as a testament to the community’s resilience and commitment to creating a welcoming, safe and enjoyable environment for all. The lasting impact of Brentwood Park’s contributions to the community and its ability to bring people together are just beginning.
Sophie Spaid is Recreation Supervisor – Marketing at City of Brentwood, Missouri.