I’M JOHN MAXWELL and I’m very honored to greet you as the newly elected president of our Water Tower and Park Preservation Society. For the past year I’ve been vice-president, and have been very closely involved with all of our Society’s operations, both those of the Water Tower and the splendid park that surrounds it.

First off, I want to salute mypredecessor, Barbara Absher, for the wonderful accomplishments she’s generated these past years. Under Barbara’s leadership, the long-neglected pond and fountain were completely rebuilt and dedicated, beautifying not only the immediate area but the entire neighborhood. She also launched the reforestation of Reservoir Park, beginning with obtaining 320 trees and recruiting volunteers to plant them

President’s Message Expanding Our Openings---And What It Means

along our very public north slope. This has been, without question, the biggest landscaping project we’ve done. For these and so many other successes, we all thank you very much, Barbara! THE BIG NEWS of this season is the Board’s decision to schedule Sunset / Moonrise Openings of the Water Tower. As you can read in the story above, we will open the Tower for visitors each month, April through November, on the evenings of a full moon. Check the calendar for times as they vary through the season. The actual dates will also vary month to month according to the lunar calendar, but we list them here in the Tower Tribune and they’ll be posted on our website: www.watertowerfoundation.org. We had Sunset / Moonrise openings last August, October and November, and got an enthusiastic response from visitors, so we decided to make them companion opportunities to our first Saturday openings.

WINTER/SPRING 2011

‘Moonrise’ Openings Double Schedule The number of days and hours for climbing to the top of the Compton Hill Water Tower is being doubled for the 2011 season. The board of the Water Tower and Park Preservation Society voted in January to expand the schedule of Water Tower openings to include eight monthly “Sunset / Moon-rise” openings. Three such evening openings were tried last year—in August, October and November—and got enthusi-astic responses from visitors. “Not only does this expansion make the Water Tower more accessible to visitors, it further defines it as a unique, signature visitor attraction in the entire region,” said John Maxwell, WTPPS President. The new “Sunset / Moonrise” openings will be April thru November. However, the opening date each month will vary, according to the occurrence of a full moon, which changes month to month. (See Box for specific dates).

Under Winter’s Blanket

The Romanesque-Revival Comfort Station in Reservoir Park was blanketed with snow on Christmas Eve, the first of the winter’s several snowfalls. This spring, however, it will come to life refurbished and updated. See story on Page 2. (Photo by Rob Rebman)

See President Page 4

See Night View Page 3

Final design details are being worked out and construction contracts will soon be sought for refurbishing the long-unused Comfort Station in Reservoir Park. If no obstacles arise, the refurbished set of women’s and men’s restrooms could be open for visitors by mid-summer. More than a year ago, the Water Tower and Park Preservation Society approached the City about restoring the facility, noted John Maxwell, WTPPS President. “Decent, usable restrooms are important for the convenience of Water Tower visitors,” he said. The Comfort Station would only be accessible during Water Tower openings, or other special Park events, he noted. Rob Wagstaff, member of the WTPPS board and an architect by profession, drew the plans for the Comfort Station refurbishing and has been working for more than six months with the City’s Board of Public Service—the public works construction division—to get the project moving. The restrooms in the southern half of the building (the north half houses mechanical and electrical controls

for the pond and fountain) will be updated to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Wagstaff said. Entry doorways will be widened. The two stalls in the women’s restroom, and single stall in the men’s, will be wider and feature grab bars. The men’s room will have one urinal; both will have ADA-compliant washstands and towel dispensers. New walls will cover plumbing equipment, there will be new electrical fixtures and fresh paint on walls and ceilings. The building’s exterior is in good condition, Wagstaff said, so no painting or tuckpointing is required. Cost of the project will be determined once bids are received from contractors. However, a total of $50,000 is available for the job. Alderwoman Kacie Starr Triplett has committed $13,500 in Ward improvement funds, and $37,500 is in reserve from the Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Tax Fund. Once the work begins, it should only take about three or four weeks to complete, Maxwell said, meaning that it could be in full use by mid-summer.

OFFICERS

John Maxwell. . . . . . . . . . PresidentDavid Seifert. . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer

BOARDBob Byrne Fran Fanara Karen Goering Bob Herleth Steven Kidwell

Judy Miniace Joel Pesapane Rob Rebman Alderman Lewis Reed (ex officio)Christian Saller Curtis Skouby (ex officio)George Thornburgh (emeritus)Alderman Kacie Starr Triplett (ex officio) Rob Wagstaff

C O N T A C T I N F O R M A T I O N

Water Tower and ParkPreservation SocietyP.O. Box 2156St. Louis, MO 63158314.552.9000

info@watertowerfoundation.orgwww.watertowerfoundation.org

Rehabbed Comfort Station Could Open by Mid-Summer

Historic Fragment PreservedThis cast bronze medallion was one of three historical features on the granite platform displaying the ‘Naked Truth’ sculpture in Reservoir Park, a monument to the German cultural heritage of St. Louis. At 24 in. dia., it depicts a cherub astride a winged steed. It is, however, the only medallion remaining; the other two were stolen sometime in the mid-20th century by thieves. All three medallions, plus the bronze statue itself, will be re-stored in a project soon to be started by the WTPPS, anticipat-ing the centennial of the statue’s unveiling in 2014.

John Maxwell was elected President of the Water Tower and Park Preservation Society by the organization’s board of directors at its January meeting. Maxwell, who had been vice-president for the past three years, succeeds Barbara Absher, who had been president for the past five years. Maxwell, 58, is a native Californian who earned a BS degree in plant science at the Univ. of Missouri-Columbia and moved with his wife, Kit Jenkins, to St. Louis in 1980 when she accepted a position with Wagner Electric and he joined the landscaping department at Tower Grove Park. He became head groundskeeper for Tower Grove Park and then Head grounds maintenance manger for the properties of the McCormack-Baron

John Maxwell Elected WTPPS PresidentReal Estate Enterprises. Now semi-retired, he still serves as volunteer for several groups and consultant to the Kennedy Woods segment of Forest Park. He contributed to the 1999 event, produced by his wife, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the building of the Water Tower and, later, the formation of the WTPPS. He has subsequently overseen the plantings and landscape improvements in Reservoir Park, and on occasion has donned chest-high wading coveralls to walk into the center of the Pond to clear debris clogging the fountain intake. He has also managed the monthly visitor openings for the Tower for the past four years.

Benefactors of Reservoir Park

Botanicals Design StudioClassical Heritage, Inc

R. L. Blanke, Jr.Bob Bousman & Ernie RohayJoan Briccetti & Kathy Greminger E. Wardwell BucknerRobert & Sue ButlerBob ByrnePamela CoffinAnn CorriganShelley DonahoFran & Norma FanaraChris Finley & Daron SmithArthur A. Foiles

Dorothy J. HeagneyMs. Ann HubelGeorge Hubel

Robert & Jane KeelJeanne T. Keirle

Keith & Cheryl KowalczykChristopher Matthews

John & Constance McPheetersRichard & Rosemarie Nelson

Jane & Jim OrlingRichard & Mina Overton

Lew & Elisabeth Perry

Katrina PfeifferDavid & Nancy Poeling

Jon Ritter & Hannah KrigmanDavid Royce

Christian SallerCatherine Schumann

Robert, Jane & Elizabeth SharpJames & Michele Sherman

Margaret ThompsonGeorge & Maryjo Thornburgh

Alexander Young

Tower Guardian

Barbara & Frank Absher Janice ForsythBob & Joyce HerlethJohn Maxwell & Kit JenkinsPatrick & Kathleen O’LearyJoel & Teri Pesapane

Rob Rebman & Richard Poeling

Paul Richter David & Janice Seifert

Keith & Elizabeth Wolkoff

Sponsors of Reservoir ParkCompton Heights Neighborhood Betterment Association

Corporate Sponsors

James Berges Karen & Lawrence GoeringJudith MiniaceBurch & Ruth Neel Jr.

Foundation of the TowerBarbara Oelke

Mary Anne & Joe SedeyKeith & Bonnie Taylor

Marian Herr Patricia Taillon-Miller & Sara Miller

Leo Brown Jesuit CommunityPowerhouse Sales

S.F. Shannon Real Estate Management LLC

Strassberger Court Apts.

Our Membership Roster as of January 1, 2011

Friends of Reservoir ParkCafé Natasha’s Kabob International Failoni Consultants Real Estate Shaw Place Association

Daniel & Ronda AndrewsRick & Fran ArmstrongMary Frances BalmerAnn & Tony BalsamoKarl BeckmannDonald BergmannJ. Russell Bley, Jr.Dorothy A. BrockhoffRuth Waeltermann BrooksMs. Kell BrownRobert M. & Sue BruceWilliam Brush Jr.Diann BurkeMarianne BurnesPeter & Linda CareyJohn & Marjorie CassidyBruce & Mindy ChulkaMary Diane CummingsJudith CunninghamMichael DaviesMartha DeslogeRonald E. Diederichs, PhDLouise DrescherDr. Harry T. & Virginia DuffyJ. Thomas DunnMarjorie EddySam & Venida FanaraM.W. & Jessica FriedlanderRichard & Patricia GatzGertken Family Betty Ann GilbertChris & Georgiana GrantSusie Gudermuth & Tim HaysValerie & Andy HahnKen Harris & Annie Karayiannis

Rick & Kathleen HeagneyNick HeisnerMark Herbers

Jim & Mari HeslopPhilip & Theresa Mayhew-Hess

Charles & Jo Ann HoehnWarren & Sharon Hoffmann

Nellie HohnsenBernard & Sheila Hoover

Al & Marilyn HorstDavid Hutchinson

John KelleyTerence & Dawn Kelly

George KerwinMark Kessinger

Rosemarie KirchhoeferMary Jane Kirtz

Joanne & Alan KohnBarbara LarsonWilliam LarsonMelinda Ligon

Daniel Link D.C.Lynette Logsdon & Earl Meyers

John & Geraldine MayMatthew & Brigid McCauley

B.J. McCullenJohn P. McGuire

Dan & Jill McGuireArthur L McWilliamsBazel & Sandra Meek

Marlowe J MeyersJim Miles

Karen MillerHoward & Penny MillerJoyce & Wallace Munden

Ben MurrayJames Nicholson

Wayne & Kathy NolandGen Obata & Rebecca Stith

Kay O’ConnellKathy Paulsen

Sue & Kip RappCraig & Betsy Rebholz

Jay Reiter John & Joan Rice

Royal & David RobbinsMary Ross

Tim SchoemehlBill & Kate Schoenhard

Kenneth Schowengerdt & Joyce Koenig

Erich & Melissa SchraerConstance Schwarze

Mrs. J.F. SchwierMargaret Sheppard

Sheri ShermanMary Etta Skinner

Kris & Jeff SmithIlissa Staadeker

Janet & Don StanfordRobert Stupp

Carol & Mark SwansonBetty & W.G. Taylor

Tyrone ThompsonJoan Thale

Thomas & Julia Oberheu Tritschler

David VisintainerDavid & Corinne Walentik

Robert Wheeler

Patrons of Reservoir ParkBoard of Commissioners of Tower Grove Park

Susan AhlRobert & Sharon AndersohnDavid & Elizabeth AndersonArthur E. AnsehlRobert & Linda BallardDhaval & Surabhi BarbhayaHugh & Ann BergmanAlysha Black & Nick Moore Karen Bode BaxterWilliam & Patricia Brush, Sr.Chris Buckel & Andrew Weil Aaron & Jennifer ButlerLinda CampbellKen & Jan ChapmanSue CobbEdward K CookDavid & Agnes GarinoLen Green & Ana Coelho Hannele Haapala & David Juedemann Esley Hamilton

Adele Heagney & Mike WoolardThomas R. & Mary L. HesdraRick Kacenski & Gerry Rauch

Daniel L LayneJoseph P. Logan

Dr. Maurice & Ernesta LonswayMiss Ruth Maichel

Gayle & Jim MaloneJoy Martin

Patrick & Anne MooreJeff & Julie Mudd

Alan Newman & Wendy SaulDavid & Jill Nissen

Phyllis & Gerald NolanMary O’Brien

Patricia W. O’NealDrs. Edith & Robert Owen

Kevin Palubiak & Walter Edwards Glenn Patterson

Rachel Presley & Mickey SmithLewis ReedGarry Reed & Sandra Christie

Joyce ReeseThomas W. Rich

Norah Ryan & Arthur Graves Richard Santos & Tracy Jo Pasieka

Anita SiegmundRobert & Jeanette St. Vrain

Gregory StevensonNancy Suelflow

Rob WagstaffMichael A. West

Paul H WunderlichAaron Young

Suzanne & Ted Zorn

Eleven Eleven MississippiJesuit Community Corp at SLU

Stray Dog Theatre

You and up to 25 friends can have a private party this July 4th weekend, watching miles and miles of continuous fireworks from the best viewing site in the City. The WTTPS “Fireworks Party Raffle” will open the Compton Hill Water Tower for three nights---Saturday, Sun-day and Monday, July 2, 3 and 4—giving three separate win-ners a private viewing platform for watching area fireworks displays. Raffle tickets, at $10 each, will provide three chances to win. WTPPS President John Maxwell noted that the Fair

Best Place for July 4th Fireworks Party!

’10 Visitors Up 26% A total of 1,646 persons visited the Compton Hill Water Tower during 2010, an increase of 341, or 26 %, over last year. The 2009 tally was 1,305. Board member Rob Rebman reported that last year there were 1,307 visitors during the regu-larly scheduled Saturday afternoon openings. Sep-tember’s 204 visitors was the highest monthly tally, followed by 199 in August. November’s 150 was fewest. The July 4th weekend produced 70 visi-tors, and the three “Sunset / Moonrise” openings of August, October and November added another 269 visitors. Treasurer Dave Seifert reported that admis-sion fees from all the regular and special openings generated $8,767. for Water Tower and Park im-provements.

Tower Openings for 2011 DAYTIME EVENINGApril Sat., 2nd Sun., 17th 12 – 4 p.m. 7 – 11 p.m.May Sat, 7th Tues., 17th 12 – 4 p.m. 7 – 11 p.m.June Sat., 4th Wed., 16th 12 – 4 p.m. 7 – 11 p.m.

July Sat., 2nd Fri., 15th 12 – 4 p.m. 7 – 11 p.m.

August Sat., 6th Sat., 13th 12 – 4 p.m. 7 – 11 p.m.

September Sat., 3rd Mon., 12th 12 – 4 p.m. 7 – 11 p.m.

October Sat., 1st Tues., 11th 12 – 4 p.m. 6 – 10 p.m.

November Sat., 5th Thurs., 10th 12 – 4 p.m. 5 – 9 p.m.

Opening times will be 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. April thru September, and earlier in October and November, due to earlier sunsets. The eight full-moon openings will add 32 hours to the schedule, doubling the 32 hours of first Saturday afternoon openings, which will continue as usual, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. While the sunset in the western sky and the full moon rising in the east are the major attractions, cloudy or overcast skies won’t hinder the evening’s experience, Maxwell noted. “Regardless of the weather, visitors will see the twilight creep across the Cityscape, the lights will blink on---down-town, midtown and 25 miles around. It’s a magical, unbeat-able experience!” Admission prices for all openings remain the same: $5 for adults; $3 for children 6 – 12, and free for under 6. For the evening openings, a security guard will be present, and 3rd District Police will patrol the parking area along Russell Blvd.

St. Louis display on the Riverfront is just one part of the display. “You see the entire horizon—City neighborhoods, inner-ring and distant suburbs—each filling the sky with their own individual displays. It’s a non-stop fireworks spec-tacular,” he said. Tickets can be purchased at the WTPPS website www.watertowerfoundation.org by using Pay Pal. They will also be sold at Water Tower openings and from any WTPPS board member. Drawing of raffle winners will take place June 15.

Northern Treeline Thickens

Another 60 witch hazel trees were planted on the northern slope of Reservoir Park last Nov. 10, bringing to more than 160 the total of witch hazel and red-bud trees beautifying that highly visible park border. Digging into the task were, foreground, Kathy Grem-inger and (In yellow cap) Lou Perry. Also getting their hands dirty that day were Kay Harris, Paul Richter, Greg Batson and John Maxwell.

Night View ‘Magical’

Mission

The central purpose and role of the Water Tower & Park Preservation Society is defined as:

TO RESTORE, PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE COMPTON HILL WATER TOWER

AND ITS IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS AND TO FACILITATE COLLABORATIVE

RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEIGHBOURHOODS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.

The Water Tower & Park Preservation Society Inc.Post Office Box 2156St. Louis, MO 63158

Presort STD-AUTOU.S. Postage

PAIDSt. Louis, MO

Permit No. 5555

Expanding the number and total hours of our Tower openings has two significant consequences. First, we’ll need more volunteers to staff the eight evening openings, in addition to the eight Saturday afternoon openings, which will continue as they have been. If you’d like to be on the team for either opening, please get word to me (314-398-2519).Second, this doubling of our visitor opportunities will double the possibilities for reaching and educating the St. Louis area to the wonderful historic facility we have. And, of course, we have the chance to double the Society’s revenue (some $8,700 in 2010) that we dedicate to Tower and Park improvements.

I’M EXCITED, TOO, that the Sunset / Moonrise experience will further underscore the uniqueness of the Compton Hill Water Tower as a visitor experience. Seeing the sun sink in the western sky, then turning around to see the full moon rise behind the Gateway Arch, is simply unmatched by any other attraction in the St. Louis region. And even if the skies are overcast, you’ll witness the spectacle of the cityscape turning from twilight to electric brilliance. Just unbeatable! As you’ll read in this issue, there’s a lot more on our agenda for 2011. I’m very pleased that through your membership in the WTPPS, you’re sharing in the work—and the fun—of making them successful

President’s Message