Green Upgrades at Blackwell Park

Blackwell Park — an important gathering space in South Richmond — had long been underinvested and lacked the quality green infrastructure and amenities needed to support community health, recreation, and climate resilience. Southside ReLeaf partnered with city agencies, nonprofits, and technical experts to transform Blackwell Park through green infrastructure and community-driven design beginning in 2018 and concluding in 2025. We led extensive resident engagement — hosting meetings, collecting input, and incorporating community priorities into the final plans — while supporting the development of new amenities like walking trails, a nature-based playground, pollinator gardens, and a community garden with fruit trees.

This project was a collaboration among the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities, the Richmond Department of Public Utilities, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Timmons Group, and the Richmond Office of Sustainability, alongside Blackwell residents who helped shape the park's vision.

Together, we:

• Created a revitalized park with new recreational amenities and safer, more accessible green space.

• Improved water quality by capturing and filtering stormwater before it reaches the James River.

• Increased climate resilience through reduced flooding, lower urban heat, and expanded habitat.

• Delivered a community-informed design that reflects residents’ needs and priorities.

• Established a model for integrating green infrastructure with public recreation in Richmond.

We celebrated the grand reopening of Blackwell Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 8, 2025.