Park that was jewel of city's ritziest neighborhood now at center of turf battle between downtown's up-and-comers & Homeless

Sounds familiar, eh? St. Louis devises strategy to clear homeless from downtown park The Associated Press St. Louis — A park that was the jewel of the city's ritziest neighborhood in the 19th century is now at the center of a turf battle between downtown's up-and-comers and its homeless. Lucas Park was once a refuge for the rich from the grit of the city. Now, it offers refuge for the homeless who are accused of panhandling, littering and publicly urinating in the park, which is in the heart of a gentrified loft district. City Hall has a new strategy for dealing with the problem. It includes increased police enforcement and improved services that give the homeless a place to eat, bathe and go to the bathroom during daytime hours when they are locked out of some shelters. "Not only is it the most humane way to go, it's the most effective way to go," Jeff Rainford, Mayor Francis Slay's chief of staff, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The city also plans to crack down on what Rainford calls "drive-by feeders" — churches and charitable groups that visit Lucas Park to give out food. Past efforts by police to clear the homeless from the park drew criticism from civil liberties lawyers, and a lawsuit. The city's plan calls for enforcement of a 10 p.m. curfew at Lucas Park and ordinances against public urination, public drinking and littering. The city also will close the park at 2 p.m. daily to allow crews to throw away trash, makeshift beds and belongings that have been stored there. The city is opening a 24-hour center called New Horizons for the homeless where they can bathe, watch television or apply for jobs and social services.