The Friends of the James River Park coordinated the effort to develop a Park Master Plan in partnership with Falls of the James Scenic River Advisory Committee, James River Association (JRA), RVAMORE, James River Outdoor Coalition (JROC), James River Advisory Council (JRAC), the James River Work Group of the Capital Region Collaborative, and the City of Richmond. This plan was adopted by City Council in January 2020 as part of the Richmond 300 Master Plan.

With nearly 2 million visitors per year, the James River Park  is the most visited attraction in the region. With continued increases in visitation and extremely limited options for development due to Park easements, FOJRP  raised $250,000 to develop a 10-year Master Plan, committing $50,000 of membership funding to the project in 2018.

Generous support for the Park Master Plan was also provided by:

• Beirne Carter Foundation, who donated a generous matching grant of $75,000
• Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation
• NewMarket Corporation
• CoStar
• Richmond City Health District
• Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond
• Venture Richmond
• Mary Ann and Lou Wilson
• 4th District Council Member Kristen Larson

The Master Plan will help maintain the quality of the experience for Park users, protect the health of the river and wildlife, and preserve its natural beauty for generations to come. It prioritizes Park improvements for highest and best use for the City and region, focusing on neighborhood and community connections to JRPS. The Friends of James River Park and the City Of Richmond’s Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department will use this document as a road map to work with all vested individuals, public and private organizations to implement this long-term community vision.

The master planning process in 2019 was an inclusive one, resulting in a shared vision of what we all want our park to be.  Local firm VHB worked in partnership with Hargreaves, the firm that created the Riverfront Master plan, developed the plan. They incorporated existing plans and solicited feedback from users and area residents during 10 facilitated public and neighborhood meetings and nearly 3000 surveys.

The Friends of the James River Park Board has created a strategic plan that aligns the organization’s  goals around coordinating the implementation of the Master Plan with the City of Richmond and all who love the Park.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE FULL 10-YEAR PARK MASTER PLAN HERE.

• James River Park by the numbers: New master plan calls for more trails, Reedy Creek Welcome Center, renovated Pump House & no new parking lots — Richmond Times Dispatch, February 20, 2020
• Friends of James River Park raise $250,000 for park master plan — Richmond Times Dispatch, August 17, 2018
• James River Park System under threat as visitation traffic increases, supporters say —  Richmond Times Dispatch, February 16, 2018

See how JRP impacts our community: