Owen Weiss (OW):

Do you ever wonder where those police sirens were going yesterday?

 

Brody Mitchell (BM):

What new hotspots are getting attraction?

 

OW:

Or what about “when is the old Starbucks on Hanley and Wydown going to be replaced by something?”

BM:

Well, then you’re in the right place. Welcome to the Clayton news network.

 

OW:

Welcome to Clayton News Network. I’m Owen Weiss

 

BM:

And I’m Brody Mitchell. Before we begin, leave us your honest rating and follow us for more interesting episodes like this one. 

 

OW:

Now I’m sure you’re all asking, what is the Clayton News Network? 

 

BM:

As if the title wasn’t enough.

 

OW:

Well, to answer your question, it’s a news network that focuses on news specifically relevant to Clayton citizens.

 

BM:

Exactly. We make new episodes every two weeks,

 

OW:

Which means that the news we cover will be from the past two weeks.

 

BM:

We will also have a weather forecast for the weeks to come, starting next episode.

 

OW:  

We decided to make this news network because there aren’t any for just the city of Clayton, meaning that what we talk about will always be relevant to you. 

 

BM:

Now, let’s dive into the episode, because we have a very special guest running for us.

 

OW:

So this is our season one main topic, a brand new petition. We’ll talk more about that in a second, but first it’s interview time. We have a few questions for our guest about Clayton, as well as our petition.

 

BM:

I feel like now’s a good time to actually tell the listeners about the petition.

 

OW:

Okay, so basically, you know how we used to have the ice rink at Shaw Park.

 

BM:

Of course I do, but then they tore it down. We had so much fun there!

 

OW:

Exactly, well, that’s what we aim to fix. So the plan would be to have an ice rink when it’s cold and a pickleball court when it’s warm. This way, the space is always being used, and we still get our beloved ice rink back. It would be made so that when it gets warm, there’ll be panels that can be placed over the ice rink base with pickleball markings on them. I’m not going to paint a picture for everyone, because that would take way too long, so I’ll put a link in the description of this episode that has all the info you need to sign our petition.

 

BM:

Now we at Clayton News Network are very excited to introduce you to our very own Clayton mayor, Bridget McAndrew.

 

Mayor Bridget McAndrew (MBM):

How’s it going? 

 

OW:

It’s going good. 

 

BM

How are you?

 

MBM:

Good! 

 

OW:

This is Brody. 

 

MBM:

Hi, Brody. Oh, and I know you’re a freshman. Brody, are you a freshman too?

 

BM:

I’m a junior. 

 

MBM:

Oh, sorry, sorry, I probably should know that, but yeah.

 

OW:

So today are gonna, like, ask you a few questions about Clayton and about the ice rink petition. So start us off. What kind of things bring communities together?

 

MBM:

Just in general, what kind of things bring Well, I think events bring communities together. I think that’s a big thing. I think places like the center of Clayton, you know, certainly events like yard fair brought a very big community together, certainly community outside of Clayton, trying to think, what else, you know, I think just parks, you know, which, I guess, is a place. But I guess when I said play, I think of like the center of Clayton, which, you know, lots of people gather there to work out, or they come to watch somebody play a sport. That would be another thing. I mean, I guess that’s an event, but sporting events certainly bring people together as well. So, I mean, I don’t know, those are some of the things I think about.

 

OW:

Yeah, um, from my experience, my first year of high school, during lunchtime, a lot of people get together and do things during lunchtime, like, they’ll go around Clayton, like a lot of people go to Starbucks, and they’ll, like, study together and, like, have lunch or something there. That’s always like a fun thing to do. Sometimes people like, work out at the center together. Yeah, Brody, what about you? What kind of things have you noticed?

 

BM:

Certainly, a lot of connection. Like, you know, like at lunchtime, like you said, you know, but also through, I mean, kind of like Miss McAndrew said, like, just a lot of events and stuff you know, like even events, you know, not even necessarily sporting events, but you know, like for choir or for band, or, you know, stuff like that, things that get students out of the classroom. I think you know, because the expectation is sort of that, you know, when you’re in the class, you’re, in the class, you’re, you know, focused on learning, right? So when we can have a chance to connect and be around each other outside of that environment, it’s a big, it’s a really, you know, that’s a really helpful, like, community building thing, right? You know that those are the kinds of things that make us feel like we have people around us that we, you know, that we can connect with.

 

MBM:

Yeah, I’m sure the homecoming parade will bring the community out. It would help if we could, kids like to come out and get out of the community. 

 

OW:

It would help if we could win the homecoming game, too. 

 

MBM:

Yes, yeah. But you know, like saying people are still, you know, they still gather regardless, yeah, it’s yeah.

 

OW:

Yeah, it’s the journey, not the destination

 

MBM:

Exactly.

 

OW:

So I know that you know about our petition, but what are your thoughts about the ice rink petition?

 

MBM:

So you and I have talked about the fact that the city of the city, and by you know the city, I guess I mean the Board of Aldermen, and really, our staff, has decided that we can’t rebuild the ice rink the way it looked. So, you know, back before COVID, the ice rink as it existed, then couldn’t be rebuilt because the parts for it no longer existed. So we either, you know, we made a determination. And you know, I think if COVID had happened a year or two later, we might actually have an ice rink in the ground, but during COVID, you know, the bond market dropped out, so there was no way to finance anything. So financially, Clayton was hit pretty significantly during COVID. So we made a decision that we just can’t spend 10, 15, 20 million even on a new municipal facility, which, you know, would have been the ice rink. So as it stands right now, we have engaged a designer to basically create some plans for the ice rink site. We actually had our first meeting with them, like last week, and I think as it stands right now. I mean, they’ll come back to us with plans, but we’ve kind of given them some direction that it will, you know, take the whole current ice rink site, you know. So the slab potentially incorporates the century garden, which is the area between the pool and the ice rink. So there’s, there’s a sculpture there, if you guys know, so that area, which is called the century garden, the ice rink slab. And then, potentially, there’s that single tennis court that people use to the west of the ice rink, that people will use sometimes to, you know, hit a ball if you’re by yourself. So there’s, you know, it’s going to be a pretty big site, not a huge site, but I think the idea is that we’ll have some pickleball courts, because I don’t think Pickleball is going away, you know, and I think people like playing. I mean, my kids like playing pickleball too, but people across generations seem to really like pickleball, so pickleball probably has some flexible event space, and potentially some sort of, I don’t know, maybe concession area or something where we have somebody who’s working and who’s making food. Or have you guys been to Francis Park at all with your parents or by yourselves at all? There’s kind of a place in Francis Park, which is in South City, a little bit where there’s a purveyor who has like he sells beers, makes pizza, does stuff like that. But the idea with this flexible event space, potentially, is, during the winter we would, we plan to look at ways to put an ice sheet down, so temporary ice in the winter, there wouldn’t be a cover on it or anything, which you know, you guys both know what our Saint Louis winters look like. It’s, you know, it could be like, you know, the next Monday and 55 the next day, you know. So it’ll probably only be, you know. Again, we haven’t; it’s not like we’ve contacted anybody about this, because we’re just in the very beginning stages of this. But maybe you have temporary ice in like, mid-December to mid-February, or something, something like when you really looked at what the coldest months of the year are. So that’s kind of where we’re at right now. So we’re in the very beginning stages of designing that site out, but we have told the consultants that putting that temporary ice in the winter is a goal of ours right now, and then, how do we do that? And, you know, once we look at, you know, how much something like that would cost, is something that we would determine down the line. So, did I answer your question? 

 

OW:

Yeah. So, how would the space, if, in the future, an ice rink, or whatever it’s going to be, how would it like benefit the community? 

 

MBM:

Well, I think, you know, we heard throughout our comprehensive plan, which we finished, gosh, about a year and a half ago now, which is, you know, where we looked at land use throughout the city, we kept hearing from people that they wanted not only a little a more vibrancy downtown so in downtown Clayton, just more things for people to do, but I think people also just are craving a little bit more social infrastructure, like places for people to gather. This is really a prime piece of our park. It’s very visible to the community. It’s visible to Brentwood, so I’m just really hoping that it will be a great place for people to gather, to get together, whether it’s people from our like people from Clayton, whether it’s kids from the high school, whether it’s, you know, middle school students, it doesn’t matter, or people that are working. I mean, we have a huge corporate community, you know, that comes to Clayton every day. We would like them to stick around and do stuff in Clayton after work, not just go into their cars in the parking garage and leave. So I’m hoping this will become a good destination, a place for them after work, but also just for our residents to gather. In addition to to in front of this, we’re hoping to have a place where, you know, food trucks can park. So it could really be a good place for us to host events. People want to see that was another thing. People want to see more events in the city. But it’s hard to put, you know, it’s, it’s fun to close streets in downtown, but it’s hard on our public work staff. It’s a lot of time and energy, and we don’t have a huge staff, despite what people might think. So having a place to put these events rather than close streets, which, again, are time-intensive, they’re just, they’re hard on our staff, would be great as well.

 

OW:

So, in literacy, actually, or English. So we learned about thirds, uh, third places, which is like a place between, like, work and home that people can go to to socialize, because now everything is like, you have to pay to do something. And then I immediately thought about this. I was like, Shaw Park is a good one, because it’s free to go there. And, like, there’s a lot to do. And Clayton too, because it’s, it’s really compact, right? And I feel like there’s more to come.

 

MBM:

Yeah, I think that that’s, you know, like you said, I mean, it’s not like, you know, if we had some sort of concession person there to sell food, potentially sell like microbrews or something like that, you know. I think that you know that just that brings people in, you know, people you know, and food trucks, obviously, food trucks, I don’t think would be stationed there all the time, but if you had somebody there pretty consistently in the evenings, I think people could jack if your parents didn’t want to, you know, feed you guys at night, you and your brother come down and have a pizza or something like that. But it would be, you know, I think it is. It’s just a way, like you said, you don’t have to pay to go to the park. I don’t think they’ll be giving pizza away for free, but I mean, it in the weather is mostly really nice in St Louis, you know. So I think for many months of the year, people can be outside and, you know, enjoying the park, and it’ll be sandwiched between the tennis center sandwich between the pool and the summer the playgrounds are not far away, so it’s great for people with younger kids who still want to be able to use treetop or the other playground that’s, you know, closer to Forest Park Parkway on the south side of the park. 

 

BM:

Yeah, when you say, when you’re talking about the flexible event space, do you think that’s the kind of place that, like, local musicians, you know, like, for example, like student musicians at Clayton high school, or at other, you know, local high schools. Like, is that the kind of place that we could set up like our own, you know, like music events if we wanted to?

 

MBM:

Yeah. I mean, I think that’s certainly something worth talking about. You know, if you guys wanted to do something where you had bands from other high schools, or, you know, for one night, I think that’d be great, yeah. I mean, I think that’s a neat idea, you know, because in addition to, like, an ice drink in the winter, you know, in the summer, or maybe, like, around the holidays, we’d have a winter market outside, or during the summer, yeah, you might have people enjoy Shakespeare in the streets. You know, you could have like, a theater group come in, or you could have singing groups or bands come in, you know, like, on a temporary basis. But, yeah, I think that’s a great idea. So anything to bring people out. 

 

OW:

So what do you think that like listeners could do, like help out their community, but also help the petition, like, actually get through and do something.

 

MBM:

I mean, you know, I don’t know, you know. I think, kind of as I described it, you know, I think, like, we are not going to be able to build, like a free-standing ice rink, but this is, I hope, to be at least, pretty close, at least for two months of the year. Also, I would hope that it would be exciting for me. I know there’s not a lot for high school students to do. I mean, there’s you guys are kind of in this difficult time period where you’re at, you know, you’re obviously too old to play on playgrounds, and there’s not always a basketball game to go to our football game or, you know, I don’t think people really let you guys in much to, like, clubs and stuff, you know. So I would hope that a place like this would have maybe been a gathering place, or Brody like you, you talked about some place where, you know, you could host student bands for an evening, or something like that. So I would just hope that it would be a good place where people could gather, you know, because I don’t think you’re necessarily saying, your friends, let’s go meet at Shaw Park. But if there’s a place to sit or a place to get something to eat in the evenings, that might be a little bit more appealing, so even when there’s not an ice rink there. So, so I think you already answered this, but like, what are the designers planning on filling in those spaces with, because, you know, you said pickleball and, like, food trucks, but, like, yeah, what stuff that’s, like, relevant to, like, teens, kind of, yeah. I mean, I think, like, I said, you know, potentially the temporary ice in the winter, um, you know, it will be, I don’t know, maybe, you guys don’t like to play pickleball. I mean, sometimes I hear people playing pickleball who are your age. I mean, I know Jack will sometimes go play, my son does, not your brother, Owen. My son will go play pickleball. I know Anna. Brody, I don’t know if you knew Anna, my older daughter. I knew she went and played pickleball sometimes with friends. So, you know, I would hope that would be appealing, you know, in a space where people can go and sit. I mean, I hope that, you know, some of the area, the flexible event space, will be programmed to do stuff, you know. I mean, it’ll probably be built around food and drink, and I don’t mean necessarily alcohol, but things to you know, like whether it’s like soda or some, you know, I don’t know, someplace where people can go and gather. I mean, ultimately, you guys just want to be with your friends and be somewhere probably other than, and your parents probably want you to be somewhere other than, maybe their basement all the time. So I think it’s just, you know, a place for people to go. And if Pickleball is not your thing, it’s a gathering place. And I hope that at times, it will be an event space for people to go and do stuff, whether that’s ice skating, whether that’s a winter market, whether that’s to go listen to music, whether that’s to listen to like choir groups or Shakespeare, if that’s your thing, you know, a theater group or something.

 

OW:

All right, well, I think it’s all of our questions. 

 

MBM:

Yeah, I mean, so always feel free to reach out. I’m, you know, I want you guys to be more involved in what’s going on in the city, at least interested in it, you know. I, you know. I think you guys know, or Owen, maybe you don’t, but there’s a Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council. I’m sure Brody does, and the idea is to get people interested in local government, so that as you guys get older, you get involved and participate in local government, even if that’s just to make sure that you guys vote. So you don’t have to, like, be on your board of aldermen or city council. But, you know, I think a lot of what happens where you live happens at the local government level. So I like to think that, you know, if you guys are exposed to it early on, that you’ll, you know, participate and get involved in your local government as you get older. So, always feel free to reach out.

 

OW:

All right. Well, thank you so much for joining us today.

 

MBM:

You are very welcome.

 

OW:

All right.

 

MBM

All right. Thank you. Have a good night, guys.

 

OW:

All right. You too

 

MBM:

Bye, 

 

BM:

Thank you. You too.

 

OW:

Bye. 

 

BM:

Before we wrap this up, we have a challenge for all of you: find a way to make a difference in your community and actually do it.

 

OW:

Also, drop a comment and tell us what you did, and maybe you’ll even get a shout-out next time.

 

BM:

Thanks for tuning in today to Clayton News Network.

 

OW:

Do us a solid, give us your lovely rating, and follow us so that you know when we drop another episode. 

 

OW/BM:

Bye, everyone!