Developers Go Public With Sports Plans for Olivette's Warson Park

Jay Williamson & Joe Bannister want to bring ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer and field hockey to 25 acres of unused space.

Jay Williamson, graduate of John Burroughs and Ladue resident returned from the PGA golf tour a year ago for several reasons. He’s spent 24 years playing professional golf, some 15 on the PGA tour. Now, it was time to spend more time with the family with three young children; begin a business career and follow another dream he’d been working on for some time. Williamson, and business partner Joe Bannister of Webster Groves have designs on bringing indoor ice hockey; outdoor lacrosse, soccer and field hockey to Olivette. The duo eye the 25-acre piece of unused ground at Warson Park in Olivette. From this non-used property would rise a twin ice rink; outdoor artificial multi purpose use fields for the fastest growing sports in America (…

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Olivette Mayor Issues Statement Concerning Leadership Team

Mike McDowell moving on to Wentzville; Fire Chief John Bailot Going to Ladue.

In light of Olivette losing two of the key players on the management team, Mayor Arthur Merdinian has released an official statement on their behalf and on behalf of the City of Olivette. “As you may know two of our most esteemed city leaders, Fire Chief John Bailot and City Manager Mike McDowell have been chosen to serve in their respective positions with the cities of Ladue and Wentzville. Their ability to move along in their chosen profession is a tribute to the quality of staff serving Olivette. Although both gentlemen will be sorely missed by our staff, elected officials, and citizens of Olivette, I pledge to our community that we will select and hire two quality individuals to fill those positions. Interim decision making …

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City Officials Hold Informational Meeting About the Rebuild of Old Bonhomme Road

Federal grant money will provide for a new roadway; curbs and guttering and 5-foot sidewalks in both directions.

The City of Olivette and Volz Engineering held an informational meeting at the Community Center Wednesday night in order to lay out the particulars of the Old Bonhomme Road rebuild project commencing sometime next summer. The 2 mile arterial road, stretching from the city limits of University City to Olive Boulevard will be reconstructed for $2.4 million dollars. Two million comes in the form of a federal grant and Olivette will make up the difference. Some 100 homes and two schools (Logos and Old Bonhomme) front onto the roadway. The project is calling for 5-foot sidewalks to replace broken ones, two and three feet wide, or in some cases, where sidewalks don’t exist at all. Like us on the Olivette Facebook page today. City Engineer …

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Olivette 5K, Fun Run Held Sunday Morning

Racers wound through the beautiful tree-lined streets of Olivette on a picture perfect morning.

Dozens of runners competed for top prize money in the second annual "Olivette on the Go" 5K race Sunday morning. Robert Friedman, 29 of University City captured $150 for finishing as the first male runner in 17.17. Giselle Grench. 9, a student at Old Bonhomme School also earned a $150 check for crossing the finish line as the first female. This is all part of the three day festival "Olivette on the Go," celebrated in Stacy Park. The 5K run and Family Fun Run started and finished in Oak Estates subdivision  in the center of the community. Doug Cohen, Olivette resident was the organizer of this event. These are photos of the race. Look for more on the Ladue-Frontenac and Olivette Facebook pages.

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Olivette on the Go

Larry Gerstein: Meet the Driving Force Behind 'Olivette on the Go'

This volunteer has made big community events highly successful.

There are some 7,500 residents in the City of Olivette. There is likely just one person you can call upon to volunteer his time on a regular basis for the welfare of the community. That public servant is Larry Gerstein, owner of Championship Catering. Gerstein is always the first to raise his hand to run some kind of volunteer project. When the guard changed from the Olivette SummerFest to Olivette on the Go, Gerstein took charge a year ago. A dozen years ago, the community badly needed a political action committee to fight for progressive redevelopment. Again, Gerstein stepped to the plate to lead the Olivette Community Connection (OCC). Patch.com caught with Gerstein for a sit down interview. That's a rare occurrence because Gerstein is …

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James Baer

10:51 am on Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Nice big cash prize for the winner too!   more ›

The New Olivette Patch Goes Live Thursday

This progressive community of 7,500 will have its own source for local news, sports, business, government and all.

The Olivette Patch launches this Thursday. This is the first new stand-alone Patch to be added to he St. Louis lineup since 24 were launched almost two years ago. Why so you ask? We felt this would be a good service to the vibrant City of Olivette. We are always looking at new and different ways to bring this style of local hyper internet news to the many progressive St. Louis communities. Obviously, we cannot cover everyone everywhere. Olivette makes a lot of sense. This inner-urban community of some 7,500 residents is a very nice play to live, work and play. The motto of the city is “Olivette, in the Center of it All.” Olivette is located right smack in the middle of St. Louis County. It is a jumping off point to all the other …

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Drive Sober, Or Get Pulled Over in Olivette

Olivette Police Department cracking down on Impaired Drivers Aug. 17 to Sept. 3.

Information was provided by Rick Knox, chief of police for the City of Olivette. The sobering fact is that impaired driving contributes to nearly 30 percent of all Missouri traffic fatalities. In 2011, 220 people were killed and 902 seriously injured in crashes involving an impaired driver; that’s why the Olivette Police Department will join other Missouri law enforcement agencies to crack down on drunk driving Aug. 17 - Sept. 3. Olivette police will participate in statewide sobriety checkpoints and DWI saturation patrols enforcing Missouri’s DWI laws and keeping impaired drivers off the road. Consequences of drunk driving include jail time, loss of their driver licenses, or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Insurance rates go up…

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Need For a New Olivette Fire House: The Big Story of the Week

Chief John Bailot explains how the department outgrew its space years ago.

On Aug. 7, residents in the City of Olivette will vote on two propositions to authorize city bonds to acquire and build new public safety and parks and recreation facilities in the City.   Proposition “S” authorizes nearly $9.4 million of City of Olivette General Obligation bonds to relocate the City Hall and Police Station and to build a new fire station in the current City Hall location. The primary focus of this proposition is improving public safety facilities and capacity for Olivette residents and businesses.   Proposition “P” authorizes $3 million of City of Olivette General Obligation bonds to redevelop and rebuild Warson Park for a comprehensive outdoor athletic and recreation complex.   The two bond referendums are separate from …

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Chief: Failure to OK a Fire House in Olivette Could Be a Matter of Life or Death

Proposition S is on the ballot August 7 for new fire, police and administrative facilities for the city.

On Aug. 7, voters in the City of Olivette will vote on two propositions to authorize city bonds to acquire and build new public safety and parks and recreation facilities in the City.   Proposition “S” authorizes nearly $9.4 million of City of Olivette General Obligation bonds to relocate the City Hall and Police Station and to build a new fire station in the current City Hall location. The primary focus of this proposition is improving public safety facilities and capacity for Olivette residents and businesses.   Proposition “P” authorizes $3 million of City of Olivette General Obligation bonds to redevelop and rebuild Warson Park for a comprehensive outdoor athletic and recreation complex.   The two bond referendums are separate from …

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Leif Hauser

9:51 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012

I'm curious to hear your explanation of where a fire station should be located that would better be able to provide adequate response times to Olivette residents, even if part of a regional fire district, than 9473 Olive Blvd. Whose home would you suggest burn several minutes longer with a fire station located outside the city?   more ›

Walking Tour of the Proposed New Olivette City Hall

20,000 square feet will provide adequate space for police department, administrative offices, courts, council chamber and other needs of a modern city.

On August 7, voters will go to the polls in Olivette to decide the future of the city. They will be voting on two bond issues, totaling more than $12 million dollars for Public Safety and for Parks. They are known as propositions "S" and "P." Mike McDowell, city manager, and Rick Knox, police chief walked through the proposed facility at 1101 Executive Parkway (adjacent to Olive Street) to explain exactly how the space will be used should the voters approve these issues. The existing City Hall at 9473 Olive Street, just 12,000 square feet and purchased in the 1950s has long outlived its useful purpose. That building is far too small for the existing fire house, does not meet many ADA requirements and is not earth quake proof and sprinklers…

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