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robzilla71173 t1_je9sgds wrote

George Washington Carver Park. I live like half a mile away and it took me over a decade to realize it exists. It's 25 acres donated to the city in the middle of the Oak Grove neighborhood with the stipulation that it never be developed. (full of sinkholes anyway). It's just a big chunk of woods with no sign, no real parking, but open to the public.

Lurvey Park is just down the road and is one of our smallest parks. Similarly overlooked. The driveway to it goes between some houses.

This one gets used a lot I think by people in that neighborhood, but few people know about it citywide. There's a privately owned 1 acre garden off of Walnut that the owner maintains for the public. They have a small gate to let people walk in from the street and enjoy it.

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Gen_Chaos t1_jeb4k02 wrote

Duuude! I've lived in Oak Grove for 3 years and never figured out how to get to Lurvey Park.

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robzilla71173 t1_jeb5d6r wrote

I'm looking at it on google maps right now and helicopter is all I can think of. There really is no way unless you go straight through someone else's yard. It's got swingsets, I never knew that.

Edit: I just spotted a little gravel drive off of Oak Grove Rd. that goes into the park. Also, I am super burned out at work today.

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Objective_Chard1497 t1_jeb9uwj wrote

Yeah there is a little gravel road that looks like a driveway, it goes right next to someone garage. Off of oak grove road! It’s got a little sign by the road but it’s easily missed!

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MaxYuckers t1_jea7kvs wrote

The small park sounds nice! I wish everyone had a small patch of green within a few blocks.

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robzilla71173 t1_jea8agj wrote

I was reading about that one (Walnut St) in 417 magazine. Apparently the homeowner came from Seattle and one of the things they missed was random little gardens like that in neighborhoods.

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MaxYuckers t1_jea8eqq wrote

Aww, gives me that warm fuzzy feeling.

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robzilla71173 t1_jeabanx wrote

There are actually a lot of little places like that around here. They don't get advertised much, which keeps them a little more special I think. https://www.springfieldcommunitygardens.org/gardens

edit: the Midtown garden at Division and Benton has a free plant exchange where they invite people to take or leave plants, I like that one.

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