Dennis & Judith Jones
Visitor & Education Center
At The Lindell Pavilion
The historic Lindell Pavilion has undergone a $4 million restoration. It is now the Dennis and Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center in Forest Park.
Operated by Forest Park Forever, which has its offices there, the facility includes a visitor's center, the Forest Perk Café, locker and shower rental, classrooms, meeting spaces, rotating exhibits and a large special event space, “The Trolley Room.”
The St. Louis Convention and Visitor’s Commission offers trained volunteers to work at the central information desk to provide both Forest Park and general St. Louis tourism information as well as maps and access to web sites. Park visitor's can pick up a map of the park as well as information on all the attractions in the park. The Visitor's Center is open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekends.
The Visitor's Center offers Internet access to visitors.
Through newly installed bike and walking trails, the Visitor and Education Center connects to the current recreational path system and serves as a major trailhead for runners,
walkers, roller bladers or bicyclists.
The lower level of the building features showers and locker rentals for park users.
A portion of the 22,000 square foot facility is available for special event rental. The 3,790 square foot Trolley Room can accommodate receptions for up to 400 guests or seated dinner arrangements for up to 250 people.
In addition to Forest Park Forever, a variety of partners share space in the building. The Missouri Department of Conservation has a field office and OASIS, (the Older Adults Services and Information Systems), offers a number of programs in the building.
The handball and racquetball courts just north of the building remain operational, and swing sets and outdoor gathering spots provide both educational and recreational opportunities for people of all ages.
Also located on the grounds of the Visitor’s Center is the Dennis and Judith Jones Variety Wonderland, the first inclusive public playground in the City of St. Louis. This half-acre, state-of-the-art playground was specifically designed for ALL children – able-bodied children and children with disabilities. Featuring 29 pieces of equipment, children will naturally learn about diversity, disabilities and acceptance through playtime in five areas: First Adventures for children ages 2-5, Big Adventures for children ages 6 to 12, the Secret Garden and an Observation Relaxation Deck and Living Shelter. Some of the features include a wheelchair-accessible tree house, Braille panel and 32’ musical pylon for the visually impaired, creative panels, 14 perennials known to attract, feed and house Monarch butterflies and talk phones. Customized equipment includes teeter-totter swings with high backs, disc swings, metal slides for children with cochlear implants, double slides and four-seat seesaws.
Completed in 1892 as a streetcar pavilion by the Lindell Railway Company, the original Lindell Pavilion was designed by the firm of Eames and Young in a Spanish style. The building ceased to be a streetcar shelter when the tracks were removed from the Park for the 1904 World’s Fair. The building was remodeled in 1914 as a locker room and golf pro shop. The recent construction of a new golf pro shop in Forest Park allowed for the conversion of the Lindell Pavilion into a Visitor and Education Center as called for in the Forest Park master plan.
The renovation included a number of amenities, including a restored and fully functioning clock tower, all new heating and cooling systems, a catering kitchen, classroom space, visitor services, a gift shop, food concession, indoor and north and south outdoor patio seating, public restrooms, and the large event space.
The architectural firm of Mackey Mitchell designed the renovation; ARCTURIS provided the interior design and graphic design services; Fleishman Hillard provided additional graphic design and public relations services; Lewisites designed the 4-acre landscape.
The lead gift for the privately funded renovation came from Dennis & Judith Jones. Additional donors include The May Department Stores Company and its Famous-Barr, Lord & Taylor, and David’s Bridal divisions, John & Alison Ferring, Mr. & Mrs. James S. McDonnell III/JSM Charitable Trust, Jay & Carolyn Henges, the Citigroup Foundation, the John Allan Love Foundation, Sam & Kathy Hayes, Waterway Gas & Wash, Great Rivers Greenway and Forest Park Forever.
 Official Web Site of the City of St. Louis
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