James River Park System

[2] JRPS was formed by the City of Richmond in 1972 from a number of private properties that had been donated.

Schaefer had tried in vain to seek permission for his scouts to camp on a James River Island in 1965, and in the process, he and his former VMI roommate sought to find and secure a two-mile tract of river property to donate to the city as a public park.

[6] At the time the river was not in very good condition, owing to littering and years of industrial use of the river[7] White eventually became the manager of JRPS and spent a 32-year career with the city of Richmond, transforming JRPS through advocacy and engaging community groups in volunteer cleanups.

This open space and conservation easement, in general, restricts all future development in each parcel, although it does allow for regular maintenance and replacement in kind by the City of Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities[10] The number of sections of the park have expanded over time.

The fish ladder in Z Dam is a perfect place for kayaking and for paddle board surfing when the river is high.