Parks and Recreation Receive Award for Lake Work
Portion of the Press Release;
The city of Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities was recognized with four awards at the 56th Annual Conference of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society held at the Hampton Roads Convention Center earlier this month. The society’s statewide awards program honors individuals, agencies and organizations throughout Virginia that have demonstrated excellence in 17 different categories during the previous year.
The city department was recognized with a Best New Renovation/Addition Award for its restoration of the lake in Forest Hill Park. Through the years the lake had been neglected and become so overgrown that many people did not know it existed. The department restored it to its original historic appearance while working closely with the neighborhood to preserve the wetland environment. The project came in under budget and was finished ahead of schedule.
We are very lucky to have so many great parks in our area and doubly lucky that the folks in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities do such an impressive job everyday. Thanks from H&H.
Five and a half years ago, I participated in a trash pickup day at FHP. I got a lot of hyperdermics and condoms. Then Councilwoman Graziano, the new parks director, and the three adjoining neighborhood associations decided to take back the park from the creeps and criminals. Fast forward: The South of the James Market, the new lake and bridge, Music in the Park, Sunday in the Park, the new bike trails, the Friends of Forest Hill Park master planting plan, Patrick Henry and Good Shepherd programs, weddings at the gazebo. There have been some good things in the past five years in the city, but I think what has happened at FHP, for the impact on the lives of our neighbors, may be the best thing.
Congratulations to JR Pope and park staff for a great restoration of this historic lake. Great job everybody!