Answer Man: Tell me about the tiny park on Oak Grove

Answer Man: I live in Rogersville but grew up in Springfield. I've been down Oak Grove Avenue thousands of times but I just noticed the sign for Lurvey Park a few months ago. What can you tell me about this tiny park?  — Eric Nye, of Rogersville

Lurvey Park is one the smallest parks of the roughly 102 sites in the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, which includes parks in the city and Greene County.

Nearby Ooley Park takes the "smallest park" prize at .9 acres.

Lurvey is an oddity in that, first, it is surrounded by houses and can barely be seen from the street. The address is 950 S. Oak Grove Ave., which is just north of Grand Street.

"It is an unusual park in that there is no designated vehicular access," says Jenny Fillmer Edwards, park board spokeswoman.

You have to park on the street. I parked on nearby Belmont Street.

The 1 acre was donated in 1968, Edwards says.

The donation was made by Victor Lurvey, a homebuilder who in the 1950s constructed the homes that encircle the park. Victor Lurvey has since died.

He donated the land because he could not get the OK from the city to build on the property, says his nephew, Rob Lurvey, 65, who owns and operates Lurvey Properties in Springfield.

"His intention was for it to be a park for that neighborhood," he says. "I think it is one of the neatest things around in that part of the city."

Prior to donating the land, Lurvey says, his uncle mowed and maintained the one acre of green space.

"For years and years hardly anyone knew about the park," Lurvey tells me.

So Lurvey and a cousin lobbied for the sign, which was erected about three years ago. It's the one you only recently noticed, Eric.

Roy Tolbert, 75, has lived at 952 Oak Grove Ave. since 1964. His house was built in 1956 and is the closest one to the park sign.

I would assume his driveway is the place where most people initially think they should park.

But I would assume incorrectly. They don't, he says. It has never happened.

Instead, people often drive along the open space — sort of like a green alleyway —  that runs next to his house and leads to the hidden park.  They're not supposed to do that. The park sign says "authorized vehicles only."

But Tolbert doesn't mind.

"A lot of kids go back there and play," he says. "There was a young woman with a baby out there this morning."

Tolbert likes having the park so close. He can drive his 40-foot motor home down the entryway to the park and then into a covered storage spot in his backyard.

The park has two swing sets — each with two swings — and a short slide.

Approximately 16 houses back up to the park; most have gates in their fences that open to the park.

Kristi Elms, 39, likes living here. She has owned a home on Belmont 15 years.

"I love it," she says. "It is very convenient and they take very good care of it."

I ask if she has children and, if so, if they play in the park.

She does not have children, she says.

"I go out there and I read," she says.

Keep those questions coming. Send them to The Answer Man at 836-1253, spokin@gannett.com, on Twitter @stevepokinNL or by mail at 651 N. Boonville, Springfield, MO 65806.