Note: In 2010 I found myself working with an ad hoc group of residents who lived adjacent to Byrd Park to stiff-arm what I saw as a fishy attempt to privatize/monetize a section of that public park. A Maryland-based company called "Go Ape," wanted to install a zip line ropes course and accompanying folderol using the only remaining natural (undeveloped) section of the park.
Their plan and their arrogant statements rubbed me the wrong way. Those neighbors I mentioned felt pretty much the same way. And, yes, at the time I was one of a Frisbee-golf group that regularly played on five unmarked "object" courses in Byrd Park. We've been throwing at the park's trees, poles, etc., since 1976.
So I wrote about it to help the cause. Among the pieces I penned about the battle against that scheme were these two commentaries: "Going Ape, or Not..." and "Anywhere But Byrd Park." that ran on Richmond.com.
By the way, when push came to shove our ad hoc group was successful in fending off that bad, bad idea. (To know more about why it was wrong for Byrd Park read the two pieces linked to above.) The director of the city's parks and recreation department who had OKed Go Ape's plan got fired, too.
In that same year, during research, I used the websites of the City of Richmond and the Friends of William Byrd Park, among other online sources, to compile background information about Byrd Park's history to publish on the Fan District Hub. That 2010 piece is presented below:
In the late-1800s Byrd Park was carved out of the hilly landscape just north of the James River and set aside as public land. Following a plan the City of Richmond gradually bought up the wooded land. In this time the City’s trolley system was expanding and the Fan District was considered to be Richmond’s West End. Most of the Fan’s distinctive houses were yet to be built.
Much of the credit for the ambitious vision that eventually became Byrd Park is given to Wilfred Cutshaw, Richmond’s City Engineer from 1873 until 1907. The City constructed a new reservoir in 1874 to provide water to serve the growing population’s needs. Nine years later a new pump house was built near the river to pump water up to the reservoir (located just south of the park's tennis courts). The rather unusual building was also used as a dance hall.
Originally known as New Reservoir Park, by 1904 the name William Byrd Park was in use and what became known as Boat Lake was open. Byrd Park now consists of 274 acres of publicly-owned land, according the Friends of William Byrd Park. The City says it’s 287 acres. My money is on the Friends being right, but I could be wrong.
The last parcels of the land for the park were acquired by 1910. By 1920 Swan Lake and Shields Lake had been created by damming up a stream. Swan Lake had an island in its center. Shields Lake was a public swimming hole with a bathhouse; there were even diving boards.
In 1932 the Carillon, with a 200 foot bell tower, was dedicated as Virginia’s first memorial to the veterans of World War I.
In 1955 Dogwood Dell was constructed. Since 1956 The City has presented its summertime “Festival of Arts” at that 2,400-seat amphitheater.
In the mid-‘70s the Downtown Expressway gobbled up approximately 12.6 of the park’s most northern acres. The baseball field took a hit. The lake with the fountain, Boat Lake, was reduced in size to allow for the new highway. The ghost of Wilfred Cutshaw may have done a rotation, but at least the expressway was designed to be a boon to the entire community.
The story of how Byrd Park came to be what it is today is interesting. The land was acquired in a time when visionary public officials could resist hopping aboard every blue-sky development scheme’s bandwagon. And, when significant changes have been made, sometimes there was much public discussion over it before ground was broken. That was true for the Carillon. Apparently, it took 10 years to get it done.
After watching Ken Burns’ documentary about the creation of America’s national parks, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” it became clear to me that if those natural wonders hadn’t been set aside as public property when it was done, most of those splendid acres would not be open-to-the-public parks today.
The same goes for Byrd Park. Now we are the stewards of that publicly-owned land the good Mr. Cutshaw saved for us ... and our children ... and our grandchildren.
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-- Words and photo by F.T. Rea
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