Gerber Meadows: New 3.4-Acre Park Will Bring Trails, Green Space + Nature-Focused Features to Edwardsville

Construction is underway on a new 3.42-acre public park at the northeast corner of Gerber Road and Governors’ Parkway in Edwardsville.

Gerber Meadows is being developed as a passive, nature-focused park with native grasses, wildflowers, trees, an accessible paved walking path and a small parking area. Unlike a traditional neighborhood park centered around playground equipment or athletic courts, the plan for Gerber Meadows puts most of the property toward open green space and native landscaping.

Work was scheduled to begin August 31, 2026, with Gelly Excavating & Construction Inc. serving as the contractor. The City said the contractor is targeting completion of the primary construction work in early fall, weather permitting. Landscaping will continue afterward, with planting planned for both fall 2026 and spring 2027.

The project represents the next step for a property the City purchased in 2024 as part of a broader effort to preserve green space and add public recreational areas throughout Edwardsville.

What is planned for Gerber Meadows?

The centerpiece of Gerber Meadows will be an 8-foot-wide paved walking path that generally follows the perimeter of the property.

The path is being designed to be accessible so residents with different mobility needs can use the park and experience the landscaped areas. The City has described the overall design as a passive park focused on walking, green space and native plantings rather than organized recreation.

A paved parking area with approximately 10 spaces will be constructed near the park entrance. The parking lot was incorporated into the design because the surrounding roads do not provide a practical location for on-street parking.

Utility improvements are also part of the project, including service for a water fountain. City project documents additionally reference storm sewer, sanitary sewer and water service work associated with the development of the property.

The landscaping is what will make Gerber Meadows noticeably different from many other parks in the area.

The City plans for the property to include wildflowers, native grass meadows, trees and other plantings intended to create a more natural setting. Earlier project descriptions also identified meadow and pollinator plantings as central parts of the concept.

Edwardsville Parks and Recreation Director Nate Tingley told the Edwardsville Intelligencer earlier this year that the park was designed with public input in mind. According to Tingley, local residents expressed interest in a passive park centered on native flowers, grasses and trees.

The majority of the property is expected to remain in full sun, allowing the wildflower and native grass meadow areas to establish over time. Tingley also noted that the meadow will not reach its finished appearance immediately. Plants grown from the seed mix will take multiple years to fully establish.

That means Gerber Meadows could look noticeably different several years from now than it does when the initial construction is completed.

Construction is now underway

The City announced in late August that construction would begin Monday, August 31.

Work includes building the paved walking path and parking lot, completing utility improvements and preparing the property for the landscaping that will follow.

Typical construction hours are expected to run from approximately 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. A small number of existing trees near the entrance are being removed to accommodate the new access point, but the City says additional trees will be planted to create a buffer between the park and neighboring properties to the east.

The latest construction schedule calls for the main portion of the project to be completed in early fall, although the timeline remains dependent on weather.

Planting work is expected to continue beyond the initial construction period. Some landscaping is planned for this fall, followed by additional planting next spring.

How the park is being funded

The Gerber Meadows project has two important pieces to its funding history.

The City purchased the property in 2024 using money associated with the Edwardsville Enhancement Plan. The plan uses revenue from a quarter-percent local sales tax increase that took effect January 1, 2024.

The City Council approved that dedicated revenue source with several stated purposes, including acquiring and preserving green space, improving parks and public spaces, funding future capital projects and supporting public safety pensions.

Development of Gerber Meadows is receiving additional support through the Edwardsville Community Foundation.

In 2025, the Foundation announced a major gift from the David Kriege Family that was designated for projects related to recreation, preservation and beautification in Edwardsville.

Up to $540,000 was allocated specifically for improvements at the Gerber Road and Governors’ Parkway property. The original funding announcement identified a trail, trees, meadow and pollinator plantings, a small parking lot, bike racks and signage among the planned improvements.

The same Kriege Family funding also supported other Edwardsville projects, including Crocker Gardens Park and the City’s all-abilities playground project.

There is another construction figure associated with Gerber Meadows that requires some context.

In March 2026, the Edwardsville City Council approved a contract with Gelly Excavating & Construction Inc. for an amount not to exceed $792,869.23. That contract covers both Gerber Meadows and Crocker Gardens Park, not Gerber Meadows alone. The City previously said cost reductions were being discussed to keep the projects within their allocated funding awards.

Because of that, the $792,869 figure should not be described as the standalone cost of Gerber Meadows.

The City purchased the property in 2024

Gerber Meadows became possible after Edwardsville acquired the land in February 2024.

The City purchased 3.42 acres of undeveloped property at the northeast corner of Gerber Road and Governors’ Parkway along with a separate 0.34-acre parcel on South Benton Street that is now being developed as Crocker Gardens Park.

At the time, Mayor Art Risavy described the acquisitions as part of a larger effort to create a network of preserved green spaces throughout Edwardsville.

The City did not immediately decide what Gerber Meadows would look like.

Instead, residents were invited to a public open house later that month to provide input on possible uses and amenities for both properties. The nature-focused concept that eventually emerged for Gerber Meadows reflects that public feedback.

The property had previously been considered for housing

The corner also has a development history that predates the park project.

In 2022, a planned unit development known as Gerber Park was proposed at the intersection of Gerber Road and Governors’ Parkway.

City records show that the plan covered approximately 2.97 acres and proposed 20 attached single-family terrace homes spread across six residential buildings. Four of the buildings were planned around a centralized common courtyard, with a private street and homeowners association responsible for common areas and infrastructure.

The proposal went through the City's planning process and generated public discussion about issues including development density, stormwater management, landscaping and the overall use of the property.

In March 2022, the Edwardsville City Council voted 5-2 to approve the resolution authorizing the Gerber Park planned unit development. The residential project was ultimately never built.

By February 2024, the City had acquired the larger 3.42-acre property and announced that it would instead be preserved and developed as public green space.

That history makes Gerber Meadows a notable example of how plans for an undeveloped piece of Edwardsville property can change over time.

What happens next

For now, activity at Gerber Road and Governors’ Parkway will focus on completing the park infrastructure and preparing the site for landscaping.

Once finished, residents can expect an accessible paved walking route, native meadow areas, trees, a small parking lot and a water fountain within the 3.42-acre property.

The landscaping will continue developing well after construction crews leave. Because much of the park is being established through native grasses, wildflowers and meadow plantings, the appearance of Gerber Meadows is expected to mature gradually over several growing seasons.

The City’s current target is to complete major construction in early fall 2026, weather permitting, with additional planting continuing into spring 2027.

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