The public agency celebrates the November 7 anniversary throughout the rest of 2025 with new projects, community celebrations, and plans to connect even more of the St. Louis region
Great Rivers Greenway, (GRG) the public agency behind the St. Louis region’s extensive greenway trail network, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025. Created by a public vote on November 7, 2000, GRG has spent the past quarter-century bringing the community’s vision to life by connecting people to nature, to one another, and to places that matter, one mile at a time.
Great Rivers Greenway is one of the only greenway projects in the United States that spans three counties and 120 municipalities, demonstrating a rare and sustained level of regional cooperation. This milestone reflects 25 years of strong public support and collaboration that has helped reshape the region. It all began with the passage of Proposition C in November 2000, which came from the community engagement surrounding the St. Louis 2004 civic effort, to both create a dedicated funding stream and establish the agency’s mandate. That vote sparked a movement to build accessible, vibrant outdoor spaces that improve daily life in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County. The vote also created a similar agency and subsequent trail network in Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois.
Today, thanks to the 25 years of turning community input into collective impact, the greenway system features more than 135 miles of paved pathways, bringing neighborhoods together and giving more people safe places to walk, bike, run, and roll. Highlights include the 22 continuous miles that link the River des Peres Greenway to Gravois Greenway: Grant’s Trail, as well as other popular greenways like Fee Fee Greenway into Creve Coeur Park or Dardenne Greenway in St. Charles County. Many of the greenways have become favorite routes for exercise, commuting, and family outings. In 2013, voters reaffirmed their support by passing Proposition P, which both extended funding for the greenways and supported the CityArchRiver Project. The creation of the Great Rivers Greenway Foundation in 2016 added a new source of philanthropic support to help expand the network. In 2020, greenway visits increased by 50% and remain high, with over 3 million trips in 2024, showing just how deeply these spaces have become part of daily life.
GRG has planned anniversary celebrations big and small throughout the summer and fall, including partnerships with other St. Louis agencies and non-profits. Highlights are:
Bingo Cards
Greenways fans can pick up special 25th anniversary bingo cards at GRG events, programs, office or play online at www.GreatRiversGreenway.org/bingo. Players will hunt for special sights along the greenways and ways to plug in from home to mark off their cards, turning them in for special limited-edition greenway stickers (each bingo), tote bags (full card) and a few grand prize packs!
Community Dinner – The Great Gather Round
To celebrate 25 years of greenway impact with the residents of the region, Great Rivers Greenway will shut down the circle drive around the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park (at the St. Vincent Greenway) from 4:30-7pm on Monday, September 15th to make room for a 1,500-foot community dinner table and chairs! The Great Gather Round will feature local DJs, free mini cupcakes from SweetArt for everyone, local food trucks or bring your own feast, and fun for all ages. More info at www.GreatRiversGreenway.org/gather.
Collaborative Art Initiative with Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis
St. Louis’ Regional Arts Commission (RAC), the leading catalyst for arts and culture in St. Louis, is also marking an anniversary this year, their 40th. To celebrate, these two organizations have worked with the RAC’s Community Arts Training Cohort program to develop two events celebrating and supporting the arts in St. Louis. Mark your calendars for an arts and wellness festival along the St. Vincent Greenway in St. Vincent Park on September 13 and an arts and community resources festival along the Mississippi Greenway on September 27.
Civic Panel with FOCUS St. Louis
Stay tuned for more details on this joint program in early November, where a panel of both national and local experts will discuss “The Civic Power of Greenways: 25 Years of Trust, Trails & Transformation”.
Additional anniversary efforts include selfie stations on the greenways, family-friendly activities, and both in-person exhibits and social media campaigns that celebrate the people and partnerships behind the greenways.
“When we look back on 25 years, what stands out most is how people came together around a shared vision and stuck with it,” said Dr. Bernard J. DuBray, current Board President, who has served since 2009. “These greenways are not just trails. They are places where neighbors meet, kids learn to ride bikes, and communities reconnect. What started as an idea has become a way of life, and we are proud of what we’ve built together.”
Great Rivers Greenway plays a much bigger role than recreation alone. The agency has helped lead regional efforts such as the $380 million CityArchRiver Project, which reconnected Gateway Arch National Park to the riverfront, and the creation of Trojan Park in Wellston, Missouri on the St. Vincent Greenway, which earned the 2020 Urban Open Space Award for its impact and design. Greenways also support property values, attract development, improve air and water quality, and bring more green space to areas that need it most. Great Rivers Greenway actively restores habitats, implements effective stormwater management, and creates places where people can slow down, gather, and feel deeply connected to their community, such as the new destination park at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.
Looking ahead, Great Rivers Greenway continues to build the next chapter. Mark Perkins begins August 4th as the 3rd CEO of the organization, following Susan Trautman’s long-planned retirement. 2026 will bring an update to the strategic plan (done every five years with public engagement), and seven projects in the next few years will feature bridges to further connect communities. Brickline Greenway, the 10-mile project in the City of St. Louis connecting four anchor parks and 14 neighborhoods, is well underway and on track to finish in 2030. Designed to support inclusive economic development, it reflects the agency’s growing role in shaping a more connected and resilient region. With a long-term plan to build an overall 600 miles of greenways, Great Rivers Greenway remains committed to making the St. Louis region a healthier, more vibrant place to live for generations to come.
“This anniversary is a reminder of how much we can accomplish when we work together across our region and listen to our community,” said Mark Perkins, incoming CEO at Great Rivers Greenway. “The greenways we’ve built are only the beginning of what’s possible. We’re excited for what the next 25 years will bring.”
To learn more about the anniversary events, explore greenways near you, or get involved, visit www.GreatRiversGreenway.org or follow @GreatRiversSTL on social media.