Dining? Shopping? Entertainment? A Sea of Cars? What kind of development would you like to see around the St. Louis region’s light rail system?
Yes, that is the question Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) will ask the public on May 8 when it hosts its first-ever Metro Market at the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station from 5 to 7 p.m. as part of CMT’s upcoming Great Race competition. The event is free and open to the public.
Over the past several years, CMT has worked to help the region understand the benefits of building livable, walkable communities near light rail. CMT’s efforts include a national lecture series, the creation of form-based overlay zoning, station area studies in partnership with the Urban Land Institute, and a policy brief on strategies for development in slow growth market around transit.
Additionally, the organization recently led a study to add a potential new station to the MetroLink alignment to spur even more development in the region. We thought the best next step would be to put our words into action and give the St. Louis community the opportunity to see some of this type of investment in action. When you board or deboard the train, what would you like to see, buy, or enjoy within walking distance of your transit ride? The Metro Market will serve as a live visioning session showcasing what could be in terms of shopping, eateries and entertainment at this, and other MetroLink stations, if the community invested in transit-oriented development.
The Metro Market will feature three food trucks, including Taco Truck STL, 2 girls 4 wheels and Destination Desserts; the retail truck Rack + Clutch; MySci Investigation Station; Fresh Harvest Gatherings Market; a bike tune-up station by Big Shark; free bike helmet fittings for kids through Safe Kids; an upcycling station hosted by Perennial; information about alternative commuting options; giveaways from 105.7 The Point; live music from The Rita Rosamond Band and more. This event will also coincide with the official ribbon cutting of Great Rivers Greenway’s River des Peres Greenway Trail.
Here is an opportunity to shop, dine, and enjoy the area around the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station. Bring your bike, try out Great River Greenways new trail directly across from the station. Let your kids experience the interactive fun of the MySci Investigation Station or go home with a new bike helmet to enjoy safe cycling.
The Great Race and Metro Market are made possible thanks to the support of Enterprise CarShare, Great Rivers Greenway, RideFinders, Metro, St. Clair County Transit District, the Missouri Foundation for Health, Fortels Pizza Den, STL Style and Central States Bus Sales.
These are part of a series of events hosted by Citizens for Modern Transit throughout the month of May to help promote St. Louis’ transit system and its benefits to the region.