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St. Petersburg's Childs Park community take notice of decades of toxic-like smells throughout their neighborhood.

ChildsPark has had a prevailing and lingering odor for decades. Everyone knows it. They know the culprit likely resides in the industrial corridor smack in the middle of it. Nobody has done anything about it despite years of complaints.
Published April 28, 2022
A neighborhood cleanup, lead by Brother John Muhammad, near the Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center, 430113th Ave. S.
A neighborhood cleanup, lead by Brother John Muhammad, near the Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center, 430113th Ave. S.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
An aerial view of the Howco Environmental Services plant, on 43rd Street S between Eighth and Ninth avenues, with homes in the Childs Park neighborhood pictured in the background.
An aerial view of the Howco Environmental Services plant, on 43rd Street S between Eighth and Ninth avenues, with homes in the Childs Park neighborhood pictured in the background.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Jarvis Maynor, 4, left, looks out the front door as his mom Kayla Benning, 27, holds her daughter Khaliah Maynor, 2, in their front yard on the corner of 9th Avenue S and 43rd Street. Benning lives across the street from Howco Environmental Services, an oil recycling operation with tall black tanks that rise above the Childs Park neighborhood. A company representative said Howco is not the source of odors that plague the neighborhood.
Jarvis Maynor, 4, left, looks out the front door as his mom Kayla Benning, 27, holds her daughter Khaliah Maynor, 2, in their front yard on the corner of 9th Avenue S and 43rd Street. Benning lives across the street from Howco Environmental Services, an oil recycling operation with tall black tanks that rise above the Childs Park neighborhood. A company representative said Howco is not the source of odors that plague the neighborhood.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Kayla Benning, 27, gives a kiss to her son, Jarvis Maynor, 4, while stepping out from her front door along with her daughter, Khaliah Maynor.
Kayla Benning, 27, gives a kiss to her son, Jarvis Maynor, 4, while stepping out from her front door along with her daughter, Khaliah Maynor.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Kayla Benning looks after her son Jarvis Maynor while on the couch in the living room of her home in Childs Park last month in St. Petersburg.
Kayla Benning looks after her son Jarvis Maynor while on the couch in the living room of her home in Childs Park last month in St. Petersburg.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
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Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center, at 4301 13th Ave. S., where the Childs Park Neighborhood Association has met to discuss plans to address an odor residents say has lingered for decades.
Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center, at 4301 13th Ave. S., where the Childs Park Neighborhood Association has met to discuss plans to address an odor residents say has lingered for decades.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Brother John Muhammad addresses residents in March at the Childs Park Neighborhood Association about efforts to identify and combat the odor that lingers over the predominantly Black community.
Brother John Muhammad addresses residents in March at the Childs Park Neighborhood Association about efforts to identify and combat the odor that lingers over the predominantly Black community.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Brother John Muhammad, president of the Childs Park Neighborhood Association.
Brother John Muhammad, president of the Childs Park Neighborhood Association.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Residents Tara Hubbard, 29, left, and Deidre Williams, look on at a meeting of the Childs Park Neighborhood Association in March.
Residents Tara Hubbard, 29, left, and Deidre Williams, look on at a meeting of the Childs Park Neighborhood Association in March.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Beverly Chappell, 82, listens in at a meeting of the Child Park Neighborhood Association where community leaders have launched a campaign to identify the source of a foul smell that hangs over the community.
Beverly Chappell, 82, listens in at a meeting of the Child Park Neighborhood Association where community leaders have launched a campaign to identify the source of a foul smell that hangs over the community.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
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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 | Times 
Childs Park Neighborhood Association president Brother John Muhammad, left, and Caprice Edmond, a Pinellas County School Board member, discuss conditions in Childs Park in February. The association, in cooperation with the NAACP and the Sierra Club, would launch a "Smell Something? Say Something!" campaign in an effort to identify the source of a bad smell that lingered in the community for years.
Childs Park Neighborhood Association president Brother John Muhammad, left, and Caprice Edmond, a Pinellas County School Board member, discuss conditions in Childs Park in February. The association, in cooperation with the NAACP and the Sierra Club, would launch a "Smell Something? Say Something!" campaign in an effort to identify the source of a bad smell that lingered in the community for years.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Tresalynn Morris, left, and Latoya Reedy, walk together during a neighborhood clean up, lead by Brother John Muhammad, near the Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center in April.
Tresalynn Morris, left, and Latoya Reedy, walk together during a neighborhood clean up, lead by Brother John Muhammad, near the Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center in April.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Brother John Muhammad, left, talks with neighbor LaToya Reedy, as he leads a group in a neighborhood cleanup near the Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center.
Brother John Muhammad, left, talks with neighbor LaToya Reedy, as he leads a group in a neighborhood cleanup near the Childs Park Recreation and Fitness Center.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Brother John Muhammad hands out “Smell Something? Say Something!” fliers as he leads a group in a neighborhood cleanup.
Brother John Muhammad hands out “Smell Something? Say Something!” fliers as he leads a group in a neighborhood cleanup.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
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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 they believe is the source of odors that plague 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 they believe is the source of odors that plague the Childs Park neighborhood.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
Beverly Chappell, 82, left, and her daughter Deidre Williams, sitting in the carport of the home owned by Chappell.
Beverly Chappell, 82, left, and her daughter Deidre Williams, sitting in the carport of the home owned by Chappell.  DIRK SHADD | Times 
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 | Times 
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 | Times 
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