Pinkley Park: Remembering One of Our Own On La Haye Street in the quiet residential neighborhood just north of downtown, five acres of open space bear the name of a man who spent decades serving Ste. Genevieve without fanfare—Dave Pinkley, “Big Guy” to those who knew him, a city employee whose quiet dedication to work and community translated into infrastructure that others built upon, into problems solved without self-promotion, into the kind of presence that becomes irreplaceable only after sudden absence makes clear what was always there. When Dave died suddenly on January 13, 2017—a heart attack claimed him after a shift during harsh winter weather, at fifty-six—the city recognized that some people deserve more than memory contained within individual hearts. They deserve a place. A space where neighbors gather, where children play, where the community continues what Dave embodied: showing up, contributing, caring for shared spaces. The Park: Simple Dignity, Genuine Welcome Pinkley Park covers roughly five acres with a straightforward philosophy: amenities serving actual neighborhood needs. Gravel parking allows easy access. A basketball court invites athletic engagement. A picnic area welcomes gathering. Playground equipment—distinctive tropical tiki-hut design featuring paired slides, a bridge, climbing ropes, and sliding tubes—came from
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