Get Involved In Forest Park Southeast & Kings Oak
Glad you’re here and looking to get involved in the neighborhood! Whether you’re looking for a committee to join or a committee to start, here’s how you can get involved:
Public Safety Committee & Block Captain Program
The Public Safety Committee is designed in tandem with the Block Captain Program to create the best blocks in St. Louis. Working together, the Public Safety Committee and the Block Captain Program:
- Strengthen communication between block neighbors and neighborhood officials
- Reduce crime by encouraging residents to come up with safety solutions specifically to their block
- Increase trust and sense of community block-by-block through block-hosted events
Board members of the Public Safety Committee report to the Board, taking feedback from residents on the issues their blocks are dealing with and what solutions they’re proposing. The Association Board and the Committee then work with the City and local organizations on implementing resident-driven solutions.
Block Captains are the neighbors who represent the residents on their block. These folks welcome new residents on their block, communicate info and resources with their neighbors and the Public Safety Committee, and help plan block events.
Help us create the best blocks in St. Louis. Check out the Block Captain Program page if you’re interested in becoming a Block Captain!
Neighborhood Beautification Committee
Help plan, promote and complete projects that help keep our neighborhood clean and blooming!
The volunteers on this committee is responsible for our monthly neighborhood clean-ups, flower plantings, tree planting, pruning and watering, and other initiatives to beautify our streets and parks.
We’re currently looking for volunteers to help us prune trees in the neighborhood through April. Sign up to help here.
If you’re interested in joining the committee or have an idea for beautification, shoot an email to forestparksoutheast@gmail.com.
Event Planning Committee
Love neighborhood events? Do your friends go to you for event planning advice? Is there an event you’d like to see happen in our neighborhood? Or maybe you know how to build sponsorship packages or fundraise? If you said yes to any of those questions, then we have a committee for you!
The Association plans many neighborhood events to get the community together. From happy hours and Popsicles in the Park , to our annual Great Gathering event, and the events we haven’t thought of yet, we’re always seeking volunteers to plan and coordinate neighborhood events.
If you’re interested in joining the committee or have an idea for an event, shoot an email to forestparksoutheast@gmail.com.
Chouteau’s Garden
Chouteau’s Garden, at 4332-34 Chouteau Avenue, is a community garden for gardeners who live in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood. Half and/or full size garden beds are typically available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The garden features secured plots (with a fence and gate), an all organic site (no pesticides), and a drip irrigation system.
There is a subscription fee of $25 for a full bed, and $15 for a half bed. This fee includes organically fertilized soil for the garden bed, on-site water and some gardening tools. If this fee poses a significant barrier for you, please let us know, and we’ll work out an arrangement.
We ask for a commitment to assist with general maintenance of the site. Gardeners can help with general garden maintenance (grass cutting and trimming, trash pickup, etc.), and we ask everyone to commit one person from their household to one workday in December.
Want to join? Contact Julie at Julie.Birkenmaier@slu.edu.
Neighborhood Association Board
The Forest Park Neighborhood Association is the volunteer governing body of the Forest Park Southeast and Kings Oak neighborhoods. Its Board members assist in all of this coming to life. We provide the forum for the neighborhoods to voice concerns; we communicate concerns to elected officials and other organizations active in the neighborhoods; we provide tools for residents to play an active role in their neighborhood; and we use our volunteer body to create and foster community among all stakeholders.
Board member terms are yearly, with nominations due by our October meeting, and elections in November. If you’re interested in becoming a board member, shoot us an email at forestparksoutheast@gmail.com.
You can also join us at our next meeting! We meet every third Tuesday of the month via Zoom at 6:45pm.
Infrastructure Committee
Committee will review the neighborhood infrastructure needs (street paving, sidewalks, trash cans, crosswalks, Chouteau Park, etc.) It will make recommendations on spending Capital Ward funds to the Alderman. Park Central will be again providing support for the committee. Residents interested in working on these issues should consider applying to be a committee member. Applications will be accepted via the Park Central website in the near future. More details coming.
Development Review Committee
The Development Review Committee is the neighborhood body responsible for communicating projects, and working with residents throughout the engagement process, and reviewing development projects to make recommendations of support to the Alderman.
For project updates or interest in getting involved on the committee, click here.
Other Projects
If you see other opportunities for projects to improve your neighborhood, reach out the Board – we’d be happy to help how we can.