Reflections on James River Parks system<\/p>\n
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Before last Saturday, I had never been to Belle Isle or Brown\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Along the Canal Walk, we walked through the remnants of warehouses that are almost on top of the canal.\u00a0 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 \u201cstreet.\u201d The water is so integrated into the city, it\u2019s almost like it isn\u2019t there anymore.<\/p>\n
While parks are frequently in the middle of cities, I imagine Belle Isle as very natural. \u00a0This is in contrast to my idea of a park incorporated into a city. For this I picture Central Park, or a similar \u201cpark\u201d of planned out trees, and over-fertilized, perfectly-trimmed grass.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Reflections on James River Parks system Before last Saturday, I had never been to Belle Isle or Brown\u2019s Island. Though I never really even reached Belle Isle, only walking out halfway on the bridge, I was left with a … Continue reading