Help Us Advocate for Park Funding!

From Josh Stutz, Executive Director

Hello, Friends of the James River Park!

I hope you are all finding some time to enjoy the unique beauty of the Park this time of year. For a lot of us, January is a month when we are spending a little less time in the Park. The water is cold, the air is colder, and the trails are often too wet to hike/ride on without damaging the Park. In Richmond, January also marks the start of the Virginia General Assembly, and that is what I want to provide some information about today.

There are a few important pieces of legislation that Friends of the James River Park would like to update our stakeholders about. Most important to us are the proposed budget amendments to fund our JRPS Master Plan implementation to the tune of $15 million each year for two years. This would mark the most significant investment to date in the implementation of the plan and will allow the City of Richmond to complete many big-ticket improvements to the Park System that we love so much. These budget amendments were proposed by Senator Jennifer McClellan and Delegate Dawn Adams. We are grateful for their work in support of making the James River Park System the world-class attraction this city deserves.

The JRPS Master Plan was adopted by City Council in 2020 and is a flagship project of Friends of the James River Park. It is an extensive plan that outlines park expansion, improvement, and protection projects to be completed over a roughly 10-year period. The plan includes important items like the construction of outdoor education sites, trail infrastructure improvements, and the addition of new greenways so that Richmonders will have even more options to access our urban wilderness. You can view the JRPS Master Plan by clicking here.

Eagle Scout candidate Bennan OsbourneThe other relevant piece of this process is the proposed Outdoor Recreation Budget. Before leaving office Governor Northam proposed a budget that included $245 million for outdoor recreation in Virginia, $233 million of which would go towards improving and expanding recreational trails across the Commonwealth. There is still a long road ahead for this funding and we are asking for your support! You can support the recreational trails budget by clicking here to sign the petition.

The budget amendment process requires a little bit more work to support, and we promise it will be worth it. We are asking that you reach out to your legislators to let them know that you support items 375 #3s and 375 #16h to dedicate $30 million from the General Fund over the next two years for JRPS Master Plan implementation.

You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them by clicking here and inputting your address information.

Here is a sample of some language you could use to let your representatives at the General Assembly know that you support the James River Park System and the funding for JRPS Master Plan implementation.

“Dear (Senator, Delegate Name)

            My name is (your name) and I support the implementation of the James River Park System Master Plan. I am asking you to support item 375 #3s (State Senate) and 375 #16h (House of Delegates), a budget amendment to fund JRPS Master Plan implementation.

Sitting at approximately 600 acres that stretch the length of the James River in Richmond, the James River Park System is one of the greatest examples of urban wilderness in the country. The park is home to a vast array of outdoor activities that were enjoyed by almost 2 million people in 2021. We want to see the park continue to thrive, and these funds would pay for permanent improvements that increase park access and usability.

           Please join us in our efforts to protect, expand, and enhance the James River Park System by supporting the proposed budget amendment during this General Assembly Session

Sincerely, (your name)”

It’s that easy to help us accomplish our goal of attaining these funds! Thank you for your continued support, and we’ll see you in the Park!

Enjoying Sunset

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