We’ve begun a membership drive to invite picnic shelter users into our group. After two years of saying they will move or replace the shelters, the Preliminary YMCA Site Plan that City Council approved recently calls for demolition of shelters with no replacement facilities!
If you use the picnic shelters, please “register” with us so that we may email you when events that threaten the park occur. Registration is free.
Thank you for your interest and support.
McIntire Park, a state historical site, was recently named a most threatened historical site. What is threatening it….. a roadway and a YMCA. The roadway, a joint city, county, state effort, is being built despite the city’s own consultant’s warning that the road will be outdated in five years. The YMCA is an effort to provide facilities due to the deteriorating condition of Crowe Pool located a quarter of a mile west. The failure of the city to maintain its infrastructure is a primary reason to usurp the park for the YMCA. Though YMCA officials say the city came to them, this is not the case. The YMCA approached council and after looking at several sites in town, all on public land, decided to put their private club in the middle of one of the last open spaces in the park. It is interesting that their ground lease says, “In no event shall the Leased Property include the existing picnic shelters…….”, yet this is exactly where it will be located. YMCA officials sold the city council on the location by telling them it would serve the Charlottesville High School swim team and also provide facilities for the underprivileged, but closer inspections shows this site and the agreement with the city does little to promote use by Charlottesville’s underprivileged citizens.
Please feel free to check in on our blog as we discuss the flaws in the thinking of the city and the YMCA and why this ground lease will seriously compromise our park.
This large group of citizens is enjoying a day in the park. Soon these days may be gone forever unless you play softball or join the YMCA. Of course, since the YMCA is destroying the shelters they will be in capable of hostings such gatherings and you'll need your membership card.