Riverside Park master plan unveiled

Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: June 27, 2008

The final draft of the Riverside Park master plan was unveiled Thursday during a public workshop.

The design, crafted by a team from John Milner Associates Inc., includes plans for a “sprayground,” new trail connections, and a community amphitheater.

These long-term goals will be submitted for City Council approval later this summer. Renovations will then be phased into the city’s budget over a period of years.

“This should carry us 10 to 15 years into the future,” Parks & Recreation Director Kay Frazier said.

The plans will be made available for review at the Parks & Recreation offices, 301 Grove St., and the city’s Web site, http://www.lynchburgva.gov.

The recommended improvements include:

- Preservation and historical commemoration of the park’s former all-white pool, which was filled in by the city when pressure to desegregate began to mount.

- Purchase of new, ADA-accessible playground equipment and installation of a “sprayground” that will shoot jets of water to cool off park visitors.

- Construction of a second overlook on the Alpine Trail and restoration of the lone existing overlook. Expansion of the path to connect to other nearby trails and to neighboring Randolph College.
Installation of safety measures, such as handrails and selective pruning, to provide better river views.

- Placement of an amphitheater where community events can be held.

- Creation of a type of plaza around the Dr. Walter Johnson memorial to better highlight the area. Possibilities include adding seating and chess tables.

About 30 people attended the public unveiling of the plans, which included a question and comment session afterward. It was the fourth and final feedback session in this master planning process.

Frazier, who called the level of public interest in the project “heartwarming,” announced that Parks & Recreation would move ahead to form a friends of the park group, whose members would volunteer their time and help raise funds to improve all city parks.

“This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time,” she said. “We have several parks’ master plans finished now, so it’s a very good time to form a group that can help us” implement improvements.

People interested in learning more about the new program can sign up for further information at the Parks & Recreation offices or by calling (434) 455-5858.