Project Updates: Constructing the Glade

March 2026: Prep work for the pedestrian bridge and the ADA-accessible serpentine path from Kingshighway continued. On the first floor of the renovated building, drywall and insulation work began, signaling exciting progress toward a finished space. West of the rink, several more cantilevered beams forming the roof of the shade structure were raised and spliced together on site. The concrete base of the pedestrian bridge over the Taylor Kindle River was poured.

February 2026: Work on the second story of the building continued with completion of the concrete roof deck and installation of the columns and beams that will form both shade structures. All vertical columns for the free-standing shade structure west of the rink were also in place with five cantilevered roof beams installed. Concrete girders forming the base of the pedestrian bridge over the Taylor Kindle River were placed.

January 2026: Decking and vertical steel beams for the second story were raised, providing shape for what will be the rooftop restaurant at the south end of the building and community living room at the north end. Construction of the parking lot subgrade for the award-wining geothermal field and excavation for the new pedestrian bridge over the Taylor Kindle River continued.

Fall saw exciting advances in construction that are more visible to passersby.

• Concrete poured for the new of the building extending into the hillside

• Steel beams installed as the new roof and second story began to take shape

• Soil excavation completed as part of preparation for pouring the foundation of the interactive water feature

• Demolition of the old recreational path west of the site to make room for the Community Lawn

• Site preparation and drilling for the new pedestrian bridge across the Taylor Kindle River

Summer was all about laying the foundations for the many amenities in this space.

• Demolition and removal of parking lot pavement followed by installation of the geothermal well field

• Demollition of old rink material and excavation of subgrade for new rink

• Installation of micro-piers for the building and footings for the rink-side shade structure

• Preparation of hillside for chiller unit concrete pad and installation of the chiller unit

• The site's geothermal system won a 2025 Technology Award from the St. Louis Chapter of ASHRAE. Our conservancy will rely on this new system to recapture heat and reduce environmental impact season after season.

• Coordinating with local furniture maker Mwanzi Co. to repurpose trees felled by the May tornado into tables and other furniture at the Glade.

• Excavation and forming for the vault that will power the splash pad and cascade

Last spring, we closed the site and began decommissioning of the facility in preparation for this major transformation in eastern Forest Park.

• Closing the site to the public and installing construction fencing

• Toppling the large masts that supported the stadium-style lights on the west side of the rink

• Demolition inside the building

• Removal of pavement and relocation and storage of the Zamboni ice resurfacing vehicle

• Pruning and/or removal of trees that are not part of the finished project. (Overall, 150 new trees will be added during the project.)

• Decommissioning of the building and rink, including removal of salvage items from the building and removing refrigerant from the existing ice refrigeration system

• Removal and preservation of Steinberg Rink lettering and limestone veneer from the building and site walls

• Excavation of the hillside to the east of the Steinberg building

• Continued removal and crating of the limestone veneer, which will be refurbished and reinstalled

• Beginning of demolition of the roof slab and demolition of the east wall and ceiling of the building