Last night, roughly 20 residents of the Fry’s Spring neighborhood and a few other local residents met with Charlottesville’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to review design drafts for a renovated Azalea Park.
After an hour of presentations and public comments, those in attendance voted overwhelmingly in favor of this design, which makes all parking areas visible, expands the popular dog park to half an acre, moves play areas closer to the park’s baseball diamond and includes a swale to assist in managing storm water runoff. (A second draft plan is visible here.) Both draft designs include a "pump track"—a sculpted course for bicyclists—and would allow for increased parking.
Rex Linville, a land conservation officer for Piedmont Environmental Council and member of the Rivanna Trails Foundation Board of Directors, commented that locals should think of the area around Azalea Park "as a transportation corridor in the long-term." Trails around Azalea Park should aim to connect to sidewalks planned for Old Lynchburg Road, Linville suggested.
The bulk of public comments had to do with concerns over leaving the park’s gate unlocked, and finding a way to keep sections like the dog park well-lit during nights. As one resident put it, "I’ll use a Porta-John if I can have lights in the dog park." Plans are scheduled to go before the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for approval sometime in March, then move on to the Planning Commission and City Council. A 30-day public comment period is open, and park users can send comments to the advisory board here.
Azalea Park at 5:45pm yesterday, prior to the public hearing.
Despite the temperature, seven dogs made use of the dog park.
