The City of Roanoke’s Department of Parks and Recreation is set to invest an additional $2 million in the park system with an emphasis on deferred maintenance items. As part of the development of the department’s master plan in 2019, a comprehensive facility assessment was conducted and a prioritized list of maintenance needs was created.
Throughout fiscal year 2022, an initial $2.3 million was dedicated to addressing these priorities. Projects included six playground replacements, repaving parking lots, resurfacing and/or repurposing athletic courts, adding benches along greenways, and other work. With this additional $2 million, Roanoke Parks and Recreation will continue to address the deferred maintenance needs in the park system.
“Parks are a critical and essential public service. From promoting community wellness and quality family time to improving environmental quality and connecting with nature, parks help build a better, more livable community for all city residents,” says Michael Clark, Director of Parks and Recreation.
While plans are to have deferred maintenance projects completed or underway within the fiscal year, please remember that due to the nature of maintenance and construction projects, timelines change frequently and are dependent on many factors (supply chain delays, outside contractor availability, inflation, weather, etc.). Please keep this in mind as we tackle this list and many other projects.
Garden City Park Playground before (left) and after (right) replacement as part of deferred maintenance work done in early 2022.
The full list of planned improvements is as follows:
Belmont Park
Playground
Accessible Path to Playground
Stair/Retaining Wall Repair
Eastgate Park
Playground
Accessible Path to Playground
Fallon Park
Athletic Field Fencing
Athletic Field Turf
Athletic Field Bleachers
Repave/Stripe Roadway
Fishburn Park
Playground
Freedom Plaza
Landscaping Replacement
Garden City Greenway
Painted Trail
Utility Pole Removal
Historic Fishburn Mansion
Repave/Stripe Parking Lot
Garden Accessibility & Landscape Improvements
Huff Lane Park
In-Line Skate Rink
Basketball Court
Tennis Court
Kennedy Park
Picnic Shelter Lighting
Lick Run Greenway
Signage and Paint
Mill Mountain Park
Timber Guardrail along road
Accessible Bench Pads
Invasive Species Removal
Morningside Park
New Parking Lot & Guardrail
Accessible Path to Community Garden
River’s Edge Park
Athletic Field Scoreboards
Roanoke River Greenway
Landscaping Improvements
Strauss Park
Playground
Sunrise Park
Spring Box Replacement
Wasena Park
Parking Lot Guardrail
Washington Park
Basketball Court Guardrail
