Construction began this week on a $15 million Hermann Park renovation project that will require a year-long closure of an area known as Lake Plaza, surrounding the park's McGovern Lake. The lake itself will remain open, and popular activities such as the paddle boats and the park's mini-train will continue to operate, although people will access these features from new locations. The Lake Plaza area will be closed from the front edge of the central parking lot to the lake. When the work is completed, Lake Plaza will be almost twice its current size and will provide improved access to the zoo, a renovated paddle boat facility with a new boathouse, a new mini-train depot with satellite stations around the park, a new food pavilion and a new bridge across the lake. full article