Redskins Training Center Brings Beauty & Fitness to the Neighborhood
by Jonah Holland, PR & Marketing Coordinator, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center park & amphitheater.
Richmond is all abuzz about Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center opening behind the Science Museum of Virginia next month. Can you blame us?! This is big news. Here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden we’re excited too. We’ve been thinking alot about how beautiful Richmond is, how it is such a wonderful destination to visit, and how by adding more green spaces we can make Richmond a healthier, more beautiful place to live. Not only is Richmond getting to play host to the Redskins sports celebrities but we’re also going to get an influx of visitors — some of whom have never been here before. What an opportunity this is to make a great impression!
Bon Secours Health System, the City of Richmond, and 3 North architects know this too, which is why when they planned the Training Center, they made sure to incorporate an urban green space where people can walk, run, enjoy plantings, grab some shade, or throw a Frisbee. The park is a multi-use area, and even features an amphitheater, which you can see in the illustration. Scott Ukrop, Principal and Director of Communications at 3North, says the park can accommodate Bon Secours Movin’ Mania program, which is designed to improve health and well-being of Virginia kids. The park will include a walking/running path with Vita Course stations, an amphitheater with seat walls for fan viewing and seasonal community music/theater events, large landscape chimes for children’s play, a shaded park area planted with native species of plants, and in the future they will add a small water feature (similar to McGuffey park in Charlottesville) for kids’ play, and for dogs and birds to get a sip of water. You know what else is really cool about this park? It’s going to feature a selection of native plants, plants that are self-sustaining and won’t need to be irrigated. Virginia has so many beautiful native plants, so you all are in for a treat! Although the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Camp runs from July 25 to August 16, Richmond gets to enjoy the new $800,000 park long after Redskins camp is over. You can be sure Redskins Park will attract visitors all year long. This is an urban green space that can be enjoyed by all.
Here’s more about the training center and park:
The Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center sets a new standard in the NFL for summer training camp facilities. The project provides state of the art facilities designed especially for the Redskins during the three-week training period. It is also available for a variety of sporting events throughout the remainder of the year. The facilities include a locker room, drill field and two side-by-side professional grade playing fields.
The facility includes a 2.5 acre park which will be accessible to the public. Amenities within the park include a 1/4 mile vita course and walking/running trail, a 500-seat amphitheater, a children’s music garden, and a water wall. The amphitheater will offer programming throughout the year for outdoor concerts, performances, and festivals.
Click the image to see a larger version of this drawing