Not far from the bustle of downtown St. Charles and Route 364 is a new St. Charles County park, tucked into a quiet prairie just off the highway and across the street from subdivisions.

Spring Bend Park is scheduled to open to the public this summer at 2380 Upper Bottom Road in St. Charles, with initial construction wrapping up and additional phases in the works over the coming years. From the start, Spring Bend will offer a peaceful retreat for the modern park-goer.

“Spring Bend will have some unique offerings from our other parks, somewhat because of where it’s located in a suburban area, but also because of our commitment to maintaining most of the parkland for conservation,” says Ryan Graham, Parks & Recreation Director. 

The park’s focal point is a large open-air pavilion. Though it won’t be reservable, the pavilion will offer a unique seating environment for social gatherings, small group meetups, work meetings or simply a place to work while enjoying nature, with free Wi-Fi available for visitors.

“It’d be a nice place to come for a lunch meeting or to catch up on work, but still enjoy the outdoors and fresh air,” Graham says.

Also included in the first phase are a few smaller, covered picnic areas, adjacent to a rain garden and open prairie.

Out of the park’s 126 acres, about 100 of them are protected in a conservation easement.

“Spring Bend Park is going to be a great place to come and experience nature—to meet people, to relax and to work outdoors,” Graham says. “It’s a valuable greenspace located in a heavily developed section of St. Charles County.”

In the future, park visitors will be able to enjoy views of the prairie through natural hiking trails, and an elevated boardwalk and bridge that will wind through some of the forested areas and over the creek. Plans for development in the distant future include an education center, and exploring the possibility of connectivity to the Katy Trail and Great Rivers Greenway.

“We’re excited to see how the community enjoys the park and hope it becomes a peaceful space to encounter nature amid all the busyness,” Graham says.

Photo: St. Charles County Parks Project Manager Jake McDermott and Assistant Director Peter VanLinn discuss construction plans at the Spring Bend Park pavilion.