And this is a good thing, I think. Courtesy of Charlottesville Tomorrow:
Southern Development is donating an acre and a half of land to increase the size of Forest Hills Park in Charlottesville. The land, which is appraised at $90,000, is located between Forest Ridge Road and Antoinette Avenue. The donation, if approved at tonight’s City Council meeting, will increase the park’s size by 20%.
The 1.5 acres is adjacent to a new condominium complex currently under construction off of Rock Creek Road. The land is not visible from Forest Ridge Road, but it is adjacent to a trail which connects the park to the Johnson Village neighborhood.
When I heard Mayor Dave Norris say on the Corner radio station the other day that this is the largest increase in City park land since 1987, my ears perked up.
People want to live near “stuff” – and parks are part of this. One of the three homes for sale in Johnson Village has a Walk Score of 52 – pretty walkable (and much more bikeable).
Sure, Southern Development probably isn’t giving the land purely out of generosity, but why wouldn’t the City accept this donation of park land?
* Link to Johnson Village added by me
There are quite a few homes for sale around the Forest Hills Park: