Now that most of the construction crews have vacated the premises, we can take a stroll through Chapman Plaza, the newly created space at the northeast corner of Clayton’s Shaw Park. It’s impressive by any standard: fountains, waterfalls, elaborate gardens, pavilions, a pergola and dusk-todawn lighting. But it also has an interesting backstory.
The Clayton Century Foundation, a group dedicated to raising private funds for projects that enhance the community, approached Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry Wehmiller, the company whose building faces that corner of the park. Chapman offered to support the effort with a lead gift, which, added to other contributions from private citizens and businesses, raised the $4.5 million needed. Additional pledges also ensure that no public funds are needed to maintain the project for the next 20 years.
From the street, the new park ‘entrance’ is welcoming and attractive, with its curved pergola and recessed water features. But one pass through the area reveals some unusual features. For one thing, a saying carved into a boulder near the waterfall reads: “Tomatoes 10 cents a pound.” What can that mean? Turns out it’s attributed to Marge Estle, Chapman’s mother, who grew up on a farm in Iowa during the Depression. Those were words she uttered often to help supplement the family income—and get herself a store-bought dress her senior year of high school.
I subsequently learned that the entire plaza is a tribute to Chapman’s parents, who took up residence in Ferguson, Missouri, where Barry Wehmiller also got its start. Now a multinational company with 12,000 employees, the business, like its CEO, had modest roots. A company spokesperson explains that Chapman views the park project as a symbol of overcoming adversity on many levels. First, it’s a paean to his parents, who have walked that walk. And topographically, the Shaw Park hill where Chapman Plaza stands is a stark descent best known for providing hours of sledding joy to local kids. The idea of creating a formal park entrance there was not without its challenges; once you traverse the 72-step decline, you realize just how steep it is.
And finally, Chapman wanted this eponymous spot to provide inspiration, both with its breathtaking aesthetics and a series of thought-provoking quotes, taken directly from a Leadership Institute he founded. The inscriptions provide food for thought and set a tone that makes visitors realize it’s about more than just a walk in the park. It’s a place to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. There are real roses, too; they were Marge Estle’s favorites.
