St. Charles County and St. Peters have formally agreed to develop a “blue way” canoe route connecting a new county park along the Mississippi River at the mouth of Dardenne Creek with St. Peters’ 370 Lakeside Park.

The St. Peters Board of Aldermen voted 8-0 at its July 26 meeting and the St. Charles County Council voted 6-0 at its July 30 meeting to approve a cooperative agreement that also will involve the Dardenne Creek Drainage District No. 3 for preparing a portion of the creek for the canoe route. Councilmember Joe Brazil [District 2] was absent.

370 Lakeside Park is about 3.5 miles upstream of the new county park, now known as Riverside Landing. Blockages from felled trees and other debris now present obstacles to canoes on the creek between the St. Peters park and a crossing of Hwy. B over the creek. The same stretch runs through land maintained by the Dardenne Prairie Drainage District.

The district will do much of the work of removing logs and debris, with the county and city contributing toward the cost. The city and county agreement states that the total amount to be spent on the work should not exceed $15,000.

The county is responsible for 83 percent of the cost, with St. Peters responsible for 17 percent. The agreement represents a one-time effort to see if the route can be established and expires on Dec. 31, 2018.

St. Peters Alderman Patrick Barclay [Ward 4] said during the board work session at the July 26 meeting that there has been phenomenal interest is trying to establish the blue way route.