McIntire Park

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McIntire Park is a Charlottesville park named in honor of its benefactor, Paul Goodloe McIntire, who donated the land.

It is home to the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial.

McIntire Park at Sunrise

Amenities

Chubby-softball.gif

McIntire park is home to

  • a golf course
  • a children's playground and wading pool,
  • walking trails,
  • softball fields,
  • a baseball field, and
  • picnic shelters.

Events

McIntire Park is traditionally home to the annual Dogwood Festival carnival and the July Fourth fireworks display[citation needed].

Proposed developments

Meadowcreek Parkway

The plans for the city portion of the Meadowcreek Parkway along the eastern edge of McIntire Park. The Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park pursued a series of lawsuits to stop construction, including one against the Federal Highway Administration which was heard on April 25, 2012.[1] On May 29, 2012, Judge Norman K. Moon dismissed the case against the FHWA, allowing the project to proceed.[2]

Golf

McIntire Park is home to a nine-hole golf course that would be disrupted or eliminated by Parkway construction. The group Save McIntire Golf is advocating for retention of the course in some form because it is home to the First Tee of Charlottesville, a program that seeks to educate children about golf and leadership.

Botanical Gardens

McIntire Botanical Garden, a non-profit group, is advocating creation of a botanical garden in the east end of the park in areas that have been home to the municipal golf course.

YMCA

The Piedmont Family YMCA plans construction of a fitness and aquatic center in the western half of the Park. A group called the McIntire Park Preservation Committee formed to try to prevent this construction, or at least to ensure that the construction does not eliminate two softball fields at the park.

The project is currently on hold pending the Virginia Supreme Court's resolution of a lawsuit filed against Charlottesville claiming that it broke Virginia's procurement laws by not allowing private companies to submit a request for proposals to operate an aquatic facility on city-owned land. [3] [4] The court is expected to hear the case in the spring of 2012.

Past development

The construction of the U.S. Route 250 bypass ran through the park, with one section of the old park becoming what is now Greenleaf Park. Another former section, at the southeast end of McIntire Road near the rescue squad, initially became tennis courts and is now the Charlottesville Skateboard Park.

Eastern side master plan

In September 2012, City Council adopted a master plan for eastern side of the park. [5] That process began in the fall of 2011 with three public meetings. More public meetings have been held in 2012[6]. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board held a public hearing in March 2012. [7]

The Final Master Plan Report outlines planned changes to the park to be adopted, including the development of a trail and bike system. In addition, the Charlottesville Skateboard Park will be relocated to the southwest side of the park, where currently there is parking for the golf course. The golf course itself will remain open, but will be reverted to passive use by the end of 2016. Upon its reversion to passive use, portions of the golf course may also be used for the expansion of the botanical gardens.

The wading pool will be closed permanently following the conclusion of the 2013 season.[8]


External links

McIntire Park on City website

References

  1. Web. Parkway interchange awaits result of federal lawsuit, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, February 26, 2012, retrieved February 28, 2012.
  2. Web. Judge Moon rules against Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park; Parkway Interchange to proceed, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, May 29, 2012, retrieved June 25, 2012.
  3. Web. Fitness group sues Albemarle and Charlottesville over YMCA, Charlottesville Tomorrow, May 13, 2010, retrieved January 12, 2011.
  4. Web. VA Supreme Court to hear YMCA case of fitness clubs vs. Albemarle, Brian Wheeler, Charlottesvillee Tomorrow, August 22, 2011, retrieved August 23, 2011.
  5. Web. Golf to leave McIntire sooner; Recreational fields still at issue, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, September 4, 2012, retrieved May 20, 2013.
  6. Web. McIntire Park Planning, official website, City of Charlottesville, retrieved 8 Dec 2011.
  7. Web. McIntire Park planning process continues, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, February 29, 2012, retrieved March 9, 2012.
  8. Web. A Community Guided Park Master Plan for McIntire Park East Side, Charlottesville Parks & Recreation, June 20, 2012, retrieved July 16, 2012.