DANVILLE, Va. – Danville’s new Riverfront Park opened this Friday. Complete with a playground, waterfront views and open space, the park officially opened its doors to the public, drawing families, students and community members eager to see what years of planning had produced.
The park includes community restrooms, green space, picnic areas, an otter slide, waterfront views, a modern playground and jungle gym, and an area for a stage for live events. The park is located along the Dan River near the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge on Memorial Drive.
“I’ve drove past it a million times and was like its taking forever to open, then I saw it was open and was like we got to go, we got to do something tonight” said Lauren Peters, a Danville High School student.
The excitement was immediate. For many residents, the park represents something the community has long asked for.
“For years people have been saying get something for the kids — this is something for the kids,” said a member of Kyara Wells’ family.
10 years in making
The park did not happen overnight. Bill Sgrinia, director of Danville Parks and Recreation, said the project has been nearly a decade in development.
“This project is about 10 years old, so it’s been a long time in the making,” Sgrinia said.
For Sgrinia, seeing the community turn out made the wait worthwhile.
“It’s really nice to see all these people out here enjoying it and having such a good time this evening,” he said.
Sgrinia explained they view the park as more than just a recreational space — it is seen as a catalyst for continued downtown investment.
“We look at this park as the public investment to support all the private investment that’s coming to our downtown,” Sgrinia said. “We hope to have events and programs on a regular basis here to keep crowds like this in our downtown.”
A celebration community-wide
The grand opening Friday night set the tone for what leaders hope the park will become. Live music, activities and food vendors filled the space as residents of all ages took it in for the first time.
“There’s a lot of diverse things happening — people playing with others, nobody knows each other, they’re just willing to play, so it’s good,” Wells said.
Local families said the park fills a need that has been missing in Danville for some time.
“I think it’s good — it’s gonna give the kids something else to do,” said a member of the Robinson family, who attended the opening together. “The kids have been excited. It’s something different.”
For younger residents, the possibilities already feel endless.
“This is gonna be the spot for the summer — we’ve already had a hundred ideas like we can do this this summer, picnic, concerts,” said Tracey McCall, a Danville High School student.