City Says Chuck Berry Statue Not Being Placed on Park Grounds

Confusion over whether a statue of musician Chuck Berry was slated to be placed on park grounds in University City appears to have been resolved.

Joe Edwards, who owns Blueberry Hill and other establishments in the Loop, raised funds for the 9-foot bronze statute which will be installed in a plaza next to Fitz's restaurant sometime this summer. Some residents had raised concerns that the statue was being erected on the grounds of Ackert Park.

City Manager Lehman Walker told Daily Riverfront Times,"It's not on park property." Mayor Shelley Welsch echoed the same sentiment to the RFT, "The park commission serves in an advisory way to matters pertaining to the park, and it's not on park ground." 

Meantime, the Park Commission is trying to get more information on who green-lighted construction on Ackert Park/Walk - a park adjacent to the plaza where the Chuck Berry statue is slated to be installed.

On Tuesday, members of the Park Commission unanimously approved a motion calling for construction to be stopped on Ackert Park/Walk.

The park motion reads; "As per City Charter and ordinances, Park Commission moves to halt Ackert Park / Walk construction until design & development plans are brought before Parks for review & recommendation to council."

Park Commission members expressed frustration that they had not been consulted on construction going on at Ackert Park. The park used to house the Ackert Plaza Arch. It was torn down in the recent construction. However, no one on the park commission nor the city council knows who signed off on that action.