Reflections on James River Parks system
Before last Saturday, I had never been to Belle Isle or Brown’s Island. Though I never really even reached Belle Isle, only walking out halfway on the bridge, I was left with a few thoughts to reflect on about the trip.
What caught me by surprise most when the bus stopped and we reached our destination was that this island was in the middle of downtown Richmond. We were surrounded by skyscrapers, restaurants, residences, and many, many people.
Along the Canal Walk, we walked through the remnants of warehouses that are almost on top of the canal. Once we left the pop-up shop, I remember being surprised to learn we had crossed to the other side of the canal. Frequently, the canal was accidentally referred to as the “street.” The water is so integrated into the city, it’s almost like it isn’t there anymore.
While parks are frequently in the middle of cities, I imagine Belle Isle as very natural. This is in contrast to my idea of a park incorporated into a city. For this I picture Central Park, or a similar “park” of planned out trees, and over-fertilized, perfectly-trimmed grass.
Toward the end of the tour we saw the bay garden. I found this to be a perfect example of how these two elements can join in a meaningful way for the city. We can integrate nature without ignoring it.
There are some great morsels in here Kerry. Keep working on your essay structure to tell a persuasive story with clearly defined theme/thesis statement early on that is supported in the body of the text and a powerful concluding wrap-up. You are on to something with your integration of nature idea. Dive into that concept right away or find some way of grabbing the reader’s attention immediately in the first paragraph. The actual trip observations can then be a launching point to dive into this concept in some depth. For example, the Central Park reference is well placed and could be extended with maybe even some other articles or references. How do our class readings shed light on this issue?
Keep embedding those pictures and hyperlinks. I loved the photo from last week.
Thank you for noticing my water “streets” slip of the tongue and putting it into some interesting context.