Saving Bandy Field
|
 Saving Bandy Field: The story of how the "unofficial" park became Bandy Field Nature Park.
The spur to action.
During the 1980s and early 1990s
there were numerous rumored overtures and several firm offers to purchase
Bandy Field as a site for a variety of private development ventures that
included an office park, a shopping center, apartments, and high-end single
family homes. These real and perceived threats to Bandy Field’s role as a
“de facto” public park for nearly 50 years were repeatedly resisted and
thwarted by West End neighborhood groups and city residents who lived near
the Field.
In 1997, St. Catherine’s School and the University of Richmond each made
separate, behind-closed-doors overtures to purchase Bandy Field for
expansion of their respective campuses. When word got out of these concrete
offers to buy the property, it alarmed and spurred to action both nearby
city and county residents who strongly desired to retain Bandy Field as an
open public green space and quiet “community commons” for the passive
recreation and enjoyment of West End residents, and to prevent further
incursion of institutional or commercial development into their residential
neighborhoods.
Formation of the Friends of Bandy Field.
During the Spring of 1998, the
Friends of Bandy Field was organized to prevent the sale or development of
the cherished, 18-acre, partially-wooded open green space known as Bandy
Field. From its formation, leaders and membership consisted of nearly equal
numbers of city and county residents who lived in the neighborhoods that
surrounded the unofficial community park. The fledgling grass-roots
organization rallied around the cry of “Save Bandy Field,” and, in short
order, recruited a membership of nearly 300 families and individuals. The
group met weekly for the first six months. Officers and chairs for working
committees were selected. The Friends recruited allies from among other
grass-roots and civic organizations throughout the Richmond area, and sought
broad-based community support for its cause.
 Our initial goal.
The organization's goal was to preserve Bandy Field as an
open natural green space and quiet “community commons” for the passive
recreation and enjoyment of children and adults who live in the city and
county residential neighborhoods of West End Richmond.
Our campaign to save Bandy Field.
During the months that followed its
initial formation, the Friends of Bandy Field engaged in efforts to gain
broad community support to “Save Bandy Field” and prevent its sale. Our
efforts included collecting 2,200 petition signatures, writing letters to
the editor, holding a community consensus building session to decide on the
park’s acceptable uses and future status, and sending hundreds of letters
and “green” cards to members of the Richmond City Council and city
administration. The support of West End civic associations and community
groups was solicited and enthusiastically received. These organizations
included the Three Chopt Road Civic Association, Westview Civic Association,
Westhampton Citizens’ Association, College Hills Civic Association, Tuckahoe
Garden Club of Westhampton, Boxwood Garden Club, and the Far West
Neighborhood Team. In addition, park support organizations and environmental
groups throughout the Richmond area joined in the effort by expressing their
strong support for the cause of “Saving Bandy Field” and making it an
official city park.
Support by then City Councilmember John Conrad.
As a part of the effort to
prevent the sale of Bandy Field and petition the city to have the property
designated an official city park, it was determined that a “friend at court”
would be needed and essential to negotiation with the city administration
and to lobby the City Council for the desired outcome. The logical choice
for that role was then 1st District City Councilman and Vice-Mayor John
Conrad. Councilman Conrad had ties and friendships with many West End Richmonders and had received broad support from civic groups and residents
in the 1st District to serve as their City Council representative.
Councilman Conrad agreed to represent the Friends of Bandy Field in their
cause to prevent the sale of the Field and to lobby his colleagues on
Council to enact the enabling ordinance that made Bandy Field and official
city park.
The "unofficial" park becomes official.
Finally, after hundreds of
supporters had come to two consecutive City Council meetings, on May 10,
1999 City Council passed Ordinance No. 99-103-134:
"THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
1. That the City of Richmond hereby re-affirms its commitment to retain
Bandy Field as a public, open space available to the entire community.
2. That Bandy Field is hereby established as a City Park and placed into the
City's park system to be maintained in its natural, undisturbed condition in
perpetuity by the City's Department of Recreation, Parks, and Community
Facilities.
3. That the City Manager is directed to negotiate with the Friends of Bandy
Field, Inc. organization toward a Cooperative Maintenance and Improvement
Agreement that provides for the following terms and conditions:
• That the Friends of Bandy Field, Inc. agree to contribute to the City 50%
of the annual costs to maintain Bandy Field up to and not to exceed $1,800
per year;
• That the Friends of Bandy Field, Inc. shall supervise the maintenance and
improvement of Bandy Field;
• That during the term of the Agreement, the Friends of Bandy Field, Inc.
shall ensure that a majority of the members of its Board of Directors shall
be residents of the City of Richmond; and
• That during the term of the Agreement, the Friends of Bandy Field, Inc.
shall ensure that at least one member of its Board of Directors shall be a
member of the Three Chopt Civic Association.
4. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption."
The ordinance also established a specific obligation for Friends of Bandy
Field.
Councilman Conrad suggested that the Friends group make an offer to
pay one-half of the annual maintenance cost of the property, not to exceed
$1,800. To meet this obligation and to raise additional funds to enhance the
nature park,
Friends of Bandy Field established the Trust for Bandy Field.
|
|
