Historical Marker Unveiled for Monroe Park

By Michael Ford
University News Service

Virginia Commonwealth University President Eugene P. Trani, along with city and state officials, unveiled a new historical marker for Monroe Park and pledged that future improvements were in the works for Richmond’s oldest park.

Trani and Richmond Councilman Bill Pantele on April 28 led members of the Monroe Park Advisory Council, the Friends of Monroe Park and representatives from the Virginia Historical Highway Marker Program in unveiling the silver and black marker, located near Laurel Street and Floyd Avenue.

Originally known as Western Square, the 7-acre park was purchased by the city in 1851 and has served the community as an agricultural fair ground, a Civil War military training ground, and as the site of Richmond’s first organized baseball games. Located at the eastern end of Richmond’s Fan District, Monroe Park is bounded by Laurel, West Franklin, Belvidere and Main streets.

“Monroe Park is important to VCU and important to the community,” Trani said. “This is our front door, and we are pleased to see Monroe Park on the way back.” This fall 640 students will move into a new dorm across from the park on West Franklin Street. 

After years of disregard, efforts to revitalize the park began a year ago with the Richmond City Council’s allocation of $350,000 to fund repairs. The council also appointed a 10-member board – the Monroe Park Advisory Council – to oversee the restoration. VCU also has provided for the park’s recovery, contributing new park benches, new trash cans and hours of groundskeeping work. VCU also is installing a new irrigation system for the park.

“Monroe Park, a few years ago had fallen into disrepair and was increasingly used for parking, until we got calls from concerned city residents,” Pantele said. “We started the MPAC.

“We have a wonderful partner in VCU,” Pantele said. “Much of what we have done so far we could not have done without VCU.”

The advisory council also plans to consider reworking the pedestrian walkways in the park, including removing some and changing the width of others.