Roanoke, Virginia – Roanoke city may soon witness the addition of a new park located within the Roanoke River, according to plans that have been unveiled for the public.
The proposed plan outlines an in-river park replete with attractive features such as whitewater elements, user-friendly boat launches, and wading spaces, all strategically situated at Wasena Park. This week, the Parks and Recreation Department of Roanoke City made available a series of renderings that illustrate their vision for the new development.
Under the current proposal, these features would be spread across a designated area that begins from Memorial Bridge Park, extends through Wasena Park, and reaches up to the northern limit of Smith Park. It is intended that these elements would be constructed from natural materials, anchored securely in place, and designed to resist any dislodgement due to pumps or gates.
Katie Slusher, the Planning and Development Coordinator with Parks and Recreation, revealed that the city has secured approximately $3 million for this project, the funding being sourced from the American Rescue Plan Act. To incorporate all the desired elements, an additional sum of around $1.5 million would be required from the city. The team, while continuing its work on designs, plans, and securing permits, aspires to see the project reach completion by 2026.
Slusher shared the team’s ambitions for the park, stating, “We’re hoping that people feel like this is a place that everyone can come and enjoy and it’s not just for one particular user group or for one particular time of year. We’re really trying to design it for multiple uses over all seasons.”
She further elaborated that the park, once realized, would be a pioneering initiative, being the first of its kind not only in Roanoke but also across the entire Commonwealth. There is a similar project underway in Danville, linked to the White Mill.
To provide more information about this project to the public, a community meeting has been scheduled by the Roanoke City Parks and Recreation team. The meeting is set to take place at the Wasena Park Shelter on Wednesday, August 2 at 5:30 p.m. This will provide an opportunity for attendees to gain insights about the project, review the designs in progress, and learn more about the future developments.
