Neighborhood Association

St. Petersburg’s Childs Park community notices decades of toxic odors throughout their neighborhood.

By Marvin Lankford
A neighborhood cleanup, led by Brother John Muhammad, near Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center, 430113th Ave. S. DIRK SHADD | Time
An aerial view of the Howco Environmental Services plant, on S 43rd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, with homes in the Childs Park <a class=neighborhood in the background.” class=”lazy” data-src=”data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 3247 2147"/%3E” style=”transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0″ title=”An aerial view of the Howco Environmental Services plant, on S 43rd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, with homes in the Childs Park neighborhood in the background.” itemprop=”image” width=”3247″ height=”auto”/>
An aerial view of the Howco Environmental Services plant, on S 43rd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, with homes in the Childs Park neighborhood in the background. DIRK SHADD | Time
Jarvis Maynor, 4, left, looks out the front door as his mother Kayla Benning, 27, holds her daughter Khaliah Maynor, 2, in their front yard at 9th Avenue S and 43rd Street. Benning lives across the street from Howco Environmental Services, an oil recycling operation with large black tanks towering above the Childs Park neighborhood. A company representative said Howco is not the source of the odors plaguing the neighborhood.
Jarvis Maynor, 4, left, looks out the front door as his mother Kayla Benning, 27, holds her daughter Khaliah Maynor, 2, in their front yard at the corner of 9th Avenue S and 43rd Street. Benning lives across the street from Howco Environmental Services, an oil recycling operation with large black tanks towering above the Childs Park neighborhood. A company representative said Howco is not the source of the odors plaguing the neighborhood. DIRK SHADD | Time
Kayla Benning, 27, gives her son, Jarvis Maynor, 4, a kiss as she walks out of her front door with her daughter, Khaliah Maynor.
Kayla Benning, 27, gives her son, Jarvis Maynor, 4, a kiss as she walks out of her front door with her daughter, Khaliah Maynor. DIRK SHADD | Time
Kayla Benning tends to her son Jarvis Maynor on the living room sofa of her home in Childs Park last month in St Petersburg.
Kayla Benning tends to her son Jarvis Maynor on the living room sofa of her home in Childs Park last month in St Petersburg. DIRK SHADD | Time

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Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center, at 4301 13th Ave. S., where the Childs Park <a class=Neighborhood Association met to discuss plans to tackle a smell that residents say has lingered for decades.” class=”lazy” data-src=”data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 5472 3648"/%3E” style=”transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0″ title=”Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center, at 4301 13th Ave. S., where the Childs Park Neighborhood Association met to discuss plans to tackle a smell that residents say has lingered for decades.” itemprop=”image” width=”5472″ height=”auto”/>
Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center, at 4301 13th Ave. S., where the Childs Park Neighborhood Association met to discuss plans to tackle a smell that residents say has lingered for decades. DIRK SHADD | Time
Brother John Muhammad speaks to residents in March from the Childs Park Neighborhood Association about efforts to identify and combat the lingering odor in the predominantly black <a class=community.” class=”lazy” data-src=”data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 5091 3415"/%3E” style=”transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0″ title=”Brother John Muhammad speaks to residents in March from the Childs Park Neighborhood Association about efforts to identify and combat the lingering odor in the predominantly black community.” itemprop=”image” width=”5091″ height=”auto”/>
Brother John Muhammad speaks to residents in March from the Childs Park Neighborhood Association about efforts to identify and combat the lingering odor in the predominantly black community. DIRK SHADD | Time
Brother John Muhammad, president of the Childs Park Neighborhood Association.
Brother John Muhammad, president of the Childs Park Neighborhood Association. DIRK SHADD | Time
Residents Tara Hubbard, 29, left, and Deidre Williams attend a Childs Park Neighborhood Association meeting in March.
Residents Tara Hubbard, 29, left, and Deidre Williams attend a Childs Park Neighborhood Association meeting in March. DIRK SHADD | Time
Beverly Chappell, 82, listens to a meeting of the Child Park Neighborhood Association where <a class=community leaders launched a campaign to identify the source of a foul odor hanging over the community.” class=”lazy” data-src=”data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 4811 3388"/%3E” style=”transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0″ title=”Beverly Chappell, 82, listens to a meeting of the Child Park Neighborhood Association where community leaders launched a campaign to identify the source of a foul odor hanging over the community.” itemprop=”image” width=”4811″ height=”auto”/>
Beverly Chappell, 82, listens to a meeting of the Child Park Neighborhood Association where community leaders launched a campaign to identify the source of a foul odor hanging over the community. DIRK SHADD | Time

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LaToya Reedy, 41, left, and Tashawn Malone, 47, at the Childs Park Neighborhood Association meeting in March.
LaToya Reedy, 41, left, and Tashawn Malone, 47, at the Childs Park Neighborhood Association meeting in March. DIRK SHADD | Time
Childs Park Neighborhood Association President Brother John Muhammad, left, and Pinellas County School Board member Caprice Edmond discuss conditions at Childs Park in February. The association, in cooperation with the NAACP and the Sierra Club, would launch a
Childs Park Neighborhood Association President Brother John Muhammad, left, and Pinellas County School Board member Caprice Edmond discuss conditions at Childs Park in February. The association, in cooperation with the NAACP and the Sierra Club, would launch a “Smell Something? Say Something!” campaign to identify the source of a bad smell that has persisted in the community for years. DIRK SHADD | Time
Tresalynn Morris, left, and Latoya Reedy walk together during a neighborhood cleanup, led by brother John Muhammad, near Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center in April.
Tresalynn Morris, left, and Latoya Reedy walk together during a neighborhood cleanup, led by brother John Muhammad, near Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center in April. DIRK SHADD | Time
Brother John Muhammad, left, talks to neighbor LaToya Reedy, as he leads a neighborhood cleanup group near Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center.
Brother John Muhammad, left, talks to neighbor LaToya Reedy, as he leads a neighborhood cleanup group near Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center. DIRK SHADD | Time
Brother John Muhammad distributes “Smell Something? To say something!
Brother John Muhammad distributes “Smell Something? Say something!” flyers as he leads a group in a neighborhood cleanup. DIRK SHADD | Time

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Beverly Chappell, 82, and her daughter Deidre Williams (not pictured) live at 4628 15th Ave. S, a few blocks from an industrial area which they claim is the source of the odors plaguing the Childs Park neighborhood.
Beverly Chappell, 82, and her daughter Deidre Williams (not pictured) live at 4628 15th Ave. S, a few blocks from an industrial area which they claim is the source of the odors plaguing the Childs Park neighborhood. DIRK SHADD | Time
Beverly Chappell, 82, left, and her daughter Deidre Williams, sit in the carport of the home owned by Chappell.
Beverly Chappell, 82, left, and her daughter Deidre Williams, sit in the carport of the home owned by Chappell. DIRK SHADD | Time
A crosswalk sign on the street with a view of the Howco Environmental Services plant on 43rd Street S.
A crosswalk sign on the street with a view of the Howco Environmental Services plant on 43rd Street S. DIRK SHADD | Time
Dismissal at the end of the school day at Fairmount Park Elementary School, 575 41st St S, in the Childs Park neighborhood on April 27.
Dismissal at the end of the school day at Fairmount Park Elementary School, 575 41st St S, in the Childs Park neighborhood on April 27. DIRK SHADD | Time

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Marvin Lankford
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