PILLARS OF THE VALLEY

The land that the new soccer stadium is built on and much of the surrounding area was once a thriving community known as Mill Creek Valley. It was home to 20,000 Black people with many businesses and churches. The city started demolishing it in the late 1950s in the name of "urban renewal." By the time I arrived at St. Louis University, just to the west, in 1967 it was all gone.

The team and other donors built this monument to the people and community at the southwest corner of the stadium, Designed by sculptor Damon Davis, the pillars suggest black hour glasses with their sands frozen in time.              

THE KICKOFF

We have a brand-new professional soccer team with a brand-new, purpose-built stadium. Citypark is the home of St. Louis City (I know, not real creative), with 22,500 seats and specially built for what the world calls football. The team won its first game on the road with the home opener scheduled for Saturday. This plaza won't be empty then.

I don't know much about soccer. I've watched some Word Cup games on TV and was rooting for Argentina. Buenos Aires is the only place I've been to professional soccer matches and that's pretty exciting, even if you are not a connoisseur.