by Jeremy Withnell

The long-awaited end to the second phase of the City Meadow project is nearly at hand.  According to Molly Ackerly, chair of the City Meadow committee, the finishing touches are being put in place and a ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled to coincide with Weekend in Norfolk on August 7 at 1 p.m.  

Robertson Plaza along Station Place has been expanded and the stairs down to the wet meadow are ready.  Honey locust trees are planted and a screen with vines to block the view of dumpsters behind Infinity Hall is being set up.  The return of the fountain is imminent. 

When asked about challenges presented by the second phase, Ackerly replied enthusiastically that “Bob Gilchrest and Millennium Builders did such a great job that the committee really didn’t have any big challenges that stood out.”  The completion is anticipated to happen within a month of the original goal of June 30.  Additionally, benches donated by the children of Charles and Nancy Eckel in memory of their parents will be installed at the lower platform in the meadow itself.

“The vision for this project was always multi-part” says Ackerly.  “Native wet meadows serve as excellent filters of groundwater that stream away from the town center and route 44 before it reaches the Blackberry River.  It will also connect Shepard Road, Route 44 and Station Place, knitting the downtown together and providing another link with the other trails cutting through Norfolk, such as the Rails to Trails project.”  According to Ackerly, the hope is that the meadow can serve as an educational opportunity for local schoolchildren, exposing them to the natural world right in the center of town.  

The committee foresees a cultural use for City Meadow as well.  The lower platform will be connected to electrical power outlets to facilitate musical performances and other events.  The bank surrounding the meadow will serve as a natural amphitheater for spectators.  

While the majority of the cost to construct both phases of this project was funded by grants and donations, there will be some ongoing maintenance costs associated with the continued control of invasive plant species.  However, the hope is that within a few years the meadow will be able to reach a “managed equilibrium” that requires only gentle nudging to remain a native wildflower haven.