RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond’s Belle Isle is getting a new “nature exploration area” encouraging kids to interact with the outdoors instead of traditional playground equipment.
In ceremonial ribbon cutting on Thursday, May 14, Richmond’s Parks and Recreation team along with the Friends of James River Park introduced residents to the natural space. The project is the first visible step in a larger Belle Isle vision plan focused on improving access, preserving history and outdoor experiences throughout the park.
“What inspired us was, ‘How do we start creating, you know, some parks for the younger age group and some children?’ said Parks and Recreation Director Chris Frelke. “These are all natural elements and a lot from the park system, trees from the park system that came down. Everything here is sort of locally sourced.”…