Riverview Park

Address

Riverview Park, Chesapeake Street, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Best Nature Play Themes

• Collecting & Trading
• Creating Imaginary Worlds
• Digging/Sand/Mud Play
• Home Base
• Picknicking
• Water Play

Park Narrative Summary & Directions

The park is accessible from the parking lot or overflow street parking at the end of Chesapeake street or via the Rivanna trail which runs through the park. Adjacent to the playground area, there is a small, grassy meadow that is well suited as a home base or picnic area. The Rivanna River corridor at the edge of the park has a steep but navigable embankment with lots of fallen logs to play on, as well as a shallow area for play along the river’s edge. A wooded trail runs the length of the park, though the undergrowth is thick on one side with the river immediately on the other side. The trail is best for running or collecting sticks and acorns.

All Nature Play Themes

• Balancing & Scrambling
• Collecting & Trading
• Digging/Sand/Mud Play
• Exploration & Discovery
• Hiding
• Home Base
• Picknicking
• Running
• Surveying
• Tool Play/Making
• Water Play
• Wildlife Watching

Risk Play Opportunities

The river provides plenty of risk play opportunities, namely wading in the stream and descending the steep embankment.

Transportation Infrastructure

Walking, Biking, Street Parking, Rivanna Trail

Accessibility Considerations

The park is flat with well paved paths and trails throughout, though descending down to the river itself is impractical.

Safety Factors

The park is usually very crowded with families, and the grassy area near the playground is easily surveyed by parents. The trail and river corridors are more wooded and the river bank could be dangerous, especially when the water level is up.

Ecological Educational Opportunities

The riverbank is severely eroding in places, which is of ecological interest.