Overview
The first newly constructed park in Henrico County since the 1980s, Taylor Farm Park is a showpiece for Henrico County. Using bond referendum funding from 2016, the County hires Timmons Group to oversee the Master Plan process, collaborating with Rhodeside & Harwell (RHI) to design a state-of-the-art regional and neighborhood park in the heart of the Sandston community.
With a construction budget of $16M, amenities include both active and passive recreation with a theme celebrating the diverse natural features on site. Of the 100 acres, 33 acres consist of wetlands, resource protection areas, and perennial streams, ideal for boardwalks, bridges, educational overlooks, and nature trails. The master plan focuses on the development of five main areas of the park, all connected by a network of internal roads and shared-use paths. Most significantly, the Nature-Based Play and Exploration Area includes a spray park and play stream, mist mounds, tree houses, and accessible and inclusive nature-themed playscapes. Across the street, the Active Sports Area features a large destination skate park, a pump track, and a bike skills course.
The Memorial Garden and Lawn Area provides a flexible open space and event area, along with a Public Safety and Service Memorial recognizing the long-standing prevalence of military and public-safety service members from the Sandston Community. Paying homage to the Taylor family farm, the Taylor Farm Interpretive Area includes community gardens, demonstration areas, a ghost structure of the former residence, and educational program opportunities. The Neighborhood Activity Area consists of a smaller-scale nature-based play area, an outdoor fitness area, an open lawn, and a community plaza space catering to residents within close walking and biking distance of the park.
