On Saturday, January 22nd, over 40 volunteers braved the cold to help restore the tree canopy in William Byrd Park. Temperatures were stated to be in the 20′s but that didn’t stop anyone from planting a whopping 30 trees!?

True Timber, HandsOn Greater Richmond, Friends of William Byrd Park, City of Richmond Urban Forestry, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, and finally, Enrichmond, all came together for a fun morning of very rewarding work! Here are a few pictures from that day.

Help restore shade to the Byrd Park Vita Course.

Saturday, January 22nd, 2011, 9AM

This is a three-year project of the Friends of William Byrd Park (FOWBP), the City of Richmond Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities, and Dept. of Public Works, and Enrichmond Foundation.

Our goal is to replace the large number of trees that have been lost to old age and storms in the last decade. We will plan, mulch and water nearly 30 trees along the path and help remove invasive species and fallen tree limbs.

You can volunteer by calling Noel at 804-405-3366 or emailing nmckenzie@enrichmond.org. Volunteers should wear warm, protective clothing that they do not mind getting dirty!

Please also consider joining us on Monday, January 17th for a special Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service film screening. Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai tells the story of how one woman’s simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy. Wangari Maathai became the recipient of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her work. The film will begin at 7pm.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=110618572345291

Throughout the summer I’ve been interning for the Enrichmond Foundation. My goal this week was to discover and promote our smaller parks. So, I chose to visit Paradise Park and was in awe at first glimpse. It certainly made my day a little brighter and I’m pleased to share some of it’s history with you!

Paradise Park is one of Richmond’s smaller parks, also known as a “pocket park.” It is tucked away in one of the alleyways of the Fan District. The idea for Paradise Park came about in the 1970′s, and it was designed by an architect named Carlton Abbott. Soon after the park was finished, the space was coined “Geometry Park” by  kids who visited and played in it’s structures. Interestingly, this prized pocket park was also awarded by The Department of Recreation and Parks with a distinction for Urban Design. Yet, as popular as this design was in the 70′s, over the years the Fan neighborhood evolved and families moved away the park suffered neglect….until the “Friends of Paradise Park” formed. In this new age, the park has been adopted by the Friends group who care passionately for this neighborhood treasure. The all-volunteer group cleans the park to make it more inviting, celebrates it’s existence through park events, and recently organized a project where beautiful murals were painted by artists and residents of the city. Isn’t that cool? Their goal is to raise awareness and appreciation for this public space that can be utilized and enjoyed by anyone.

- Morgan Rabalais

Videos about Paradise Park:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2009/aug/06/para06_20090805-213404-ar-35000/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wou6a2etxOg

Paradise Park is located between Grove and Floyd Avenue and Vine and Allen Street. Hope you can visit it some day!

Looking to give your dog some social fun? Barker Field is the perfect place to do just that! The fenced- in park is full of play area for all dogs. When I took a visit to the park as a summer intern for Enrichmond, I was happy to see just how much the dogs were enjoying themselves. They were all playing together, just happy to be outside and to be a dog! There are water bowls conveniently set up for thirsty canines and benches set up for the owners to enjoy themselves as well. In such a comfortable environment for both the dog and their owner, Barker Field is definitely the best way you could make your dog’s day!

-Morgan Rabalais

Other dog parks in Richmond: http://www.dogparkusa.com/parks/VA/Richmond

As a summer intern for Enrichmond, I took a visit to Chimborazo Park. Known notoriously for it’s great view of the city, the park is both beautiful and inviting. Along with the aweing view, there’s the community garden established by Friends of Chimborazo Playground. A new playground, also built by the Friends Group, includes monkeybars, swings, a playhouse, and more for kids to enjoy. Skaters and kids playing basketball often inhabit the park, making it an enjoyable place for people of all ages. The skaters, along with the Friends Group, are working to raise money for an actual skate park in Richmond. If you’re looking for a neat place to visit in Richmond, I’d recommend taking a picnic and enjoying the very loved park.

-Morgan Rabalais

Many people struggle to keep motivated when it comes to exercising. I can strongly relate to these people who just don’t find going to the gym every morning appealing. So, as a summer intern for Enrichmond, I also took a visit to the Vita Course at Byrd Park. I was pleasantly surprised to see a decent amount of people, both young and old, getting a workout on the course. The 1 mile course consists of a variety of activity challenges including monkey bars, rope climbing, and more. Conveniently, much of the course is shaded by trees, and water stations are located throughout the course. And, even better, the friends group of Byrd Park is in the process of planting even more trees since some were lost in Hurricane Gaston. The Vita Course is  definitely a good spot for both serious athletes and families that are just looking for a place to enjoy the outdoors.

-Morgan Rabalais

Seven young golfers are preparing for a national tournament August 7-8 in Bloomington, Indiana. The golfers, ages 13-15, are participants in the City’s Challenge Golf League hosted at First Tee and organized by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities.

For half of the team, this will be their first experience traveling on a plane or competing in a tournament of this size. Through the leagues partnership with the Enrichmond Foundation over $7,000 was raised in donations and small grants to cover the cost of the travel and tournament play.

The Traditions of Golf Challenge is an annual two-day tournament that combines playing scores with rules, etiquette and history knowledge. Knowing what to do after a ball has splashed into a lateral water hazard and how to properly repair a ball mark are just as important as sinking birdie putts. This will be the 12th year that teams from around the country, Canada and Mexico have come together to test not only their golf skills but their knowledge of the game.

The players representing the City of Richmond include: William Redford, Aaron Green, Geoffrey Gill, Mary Ann Gill, Noah Barboza, Quantae Robinson, and Rodney Green. Coaches are Donald Coleman and Raiford Beasley. According to Mr. Coleman, the 7 youth were selected based on their overall skill, attendance, and attitude on the course.

As a summer intern for Enrichmond, I’m a nature lover to the extreme. So after hearing all the buzz about Byrd Park, I decided to check it out for myself. My first stop was Fountain Lake. The first thing I noticed was the relaxing yet fun atmosphere. While families and friends were tackling the lake with paddle boats, a son and father were reeling in fish after fish, and kids were enjoying throwing bread out to the geese. And conveniently enough, Sally Bell’s Concession Stand is around for all of your refreshment desires. From sandwiches and fruit salads to their legendary upside-down cupcakes, they have something for everyone. They even have wireless in their patio area for all of the facebook addicts out there! Whether you’re looking for a place to have a relaxing family outing or are in need of a new and refreshing place to walk your dog, Fountain Lake is definitely a thumbs up!

-Morgan Rabalais

The Festival of the Arts for 2010 is still underway. Don’t miss these upcoming shows:

• July 30-31: “Pippin” Musical, 8:30 p.m.
• August 1: “Pippin” Musical, 8:30 p.m.
• August 6-7: “Pippin” Musical, 8:30 p.m.
• August 8: Groove Stu, R&B, jazz and funk 8 p.m.
• August 9: “Twelfth Night,” Richmond Shakespeare, 8:30 p.m.
• August 14: Latin Jazz Festival, Latino jazz, dance, 1-7 p.m.

4th Annual Latin Jazz Festival
August 14: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Featuring a variety of live Latin entertainment and presentations.
Guest DJ’s will be Richmond’s own Eddy Mayorga, Steve Greene and Renee’ Lacey and her Cameo Models. Entertainment including…
“El Gran Meñique” • Eddie Ortiz and his La Ro-mana Orchestra
Jose Lorenzo • Timbason La Original • Gio & Clara Toro’s Salsa
4Life • Tanya Gonzalez’s (AHAR) La Mezcla Que Baila
A “live” conga line and more.

All events are free and open to the public. In case of storms or cancellations, call (804) 646-DELL.

Forest Hill Park – Sunday In The Park With Friends

On Sunday, July 18th, 2010, the Friends of Forest Hill Park and Richmond City Council President Kathy Graziano will present the 6th Annual Sunday In The Park With Friends.  This free, family-friendly event will be held from 12pm – 4pm at Forest Hill Park, 4001 Forest Hill Avenue, Richmond, Virginia.  There will be fun and games for adults and children of all ages!

Fun for the kids:

The park will explode with balloons, bubbles, bounces, bands and bikes. There will also be face painting, clowns, an inflated carousel bounce, sack races, carnival games and a corn pool.

For the first time, Richmond Police Officer Stacy Rogers is sponsoring a bike rodeo for kids.  There will also be free snowcones, ice cream, watermelon and water.

Fun for adults:

For adults there will be a number of displays with an environmental or conservation theme, and Richmond Police, fire and Sheriff’s Departments will be on display.

Tours of the historic Stone House built circa 1843 are scheduled, along with displays about the park’s history.

This year there will also be an opportunity to tour the newly renovated Forest Hill Lake and see a display of the nearly year-long project to return the lake to its historic boundaries and beauty. To make the lake more accessible to everyone, golf cart shuttles will run from the area of the Stone House to the gazebo at Forest Hill Lake.  This is a unique, one-time opportunity to ride down to the lake in a golf cart, visit the gazebo and see information about the restoration project. Riders can either stay aboard the golf cart for a circuit around the lake or get off at the gazebo and catch a later shuttle.

All activities, including the shuttle rides, are FREE and open to the public.

Dogs are welcome, but must be kept on a leash at all times.

Main entrances to the park are located at Forest Hill Ave and West 41st St, or at New Kent Ave and West 42nd St.