Henrico’s Tuckahoe Creek Park to expand, thanks to land donations

The next phase of Henrico County’s Tuckahoe Creek Park is beginning to take shape, buoyed by the donation of about 30 acres of land by two Henrico companies.

The contribution of about 21 acres by The Wilton Companies and nine acres by the nearby Lakewood retirement community will allow the county to construct a nearly two-mile boardwalk along the creek (which serves as the border between Henrico and Goochland counties) beginning near Patterson Avenue at 1128 Westbriar Drive and continuing to the west. A private trail will connect the new boardwalk, roughly at its midpoint, to the Lakewood property just to its north.

Construction of the new boardwalk section could begin in about a year and be complete about two years from now, according to county officials, if there are no unforeseen delays. 

“With the expansion of this park, we’re not just adding more space for people to enjoy, we’re creating a space where history and nature will come together in a way that will tell the story of this land, its past and its future,” Tuckahoe District Supervisor Jody Rogish said during an April 14 press conference at the site of the former Tuckahoe Village Recreation Center, a structure destroyed by fire in 2021.

Wilton bought the site the following year but deemed it too challenging for new construction and instead decided to donate it to the county, adding to more than 230 acres along the same creek that it previously had donated to Henrico in the 1980s.

The entrance to the new boardwalk on its southern end will be called Wilton Landing, in recognition of the company’s contribution.

The new boardwalk will not connect to the existing half-mile boardwalk along the creek at Old Coach Lane and Ridgefield Parkway. County officials once had envisioned a continuous boardwalk or trail running along the creek from Patterson Avenue north to West Broad Street but have concluded that it wouldn’t be feasible. Instead, officials are planning for several separate sections of boardwalk, including another at the northern end of the creek near West Broad Street, thanks to a previous donation of 21 acres from Markel | Eagle.

The new section of the park planned on the southern end will include parking at the Wilton Trailhead site, an overlook, kayak/paddleboard launch area and fishing pier along the boardwalk just beyond the trailhead, a second overlook at the site of the private Lakewood trail connection, and a third overlook at the boardwalk’s western terminus.

The new boardwalk also will include a series of educational landmark signs, Rogish said, explaining the land’s former significance as the site of coal mining and railway operations.

“We are committed to preserving these pieces of history so that visitors of all ages can learn about the industrial heritage of this area,” he said.

The new sections of boardwalk and park amenities will be funded with $10 million approved by voters as part of the 2016 and 2022 bond referendums.

Wilton CEO Rich Johnson told those assembled for Monday’s press conference that the company was thrilled to play a part in the park’s expansion. 

“It’s a great honor for us to be a part of this process and to be putting together what will probably be the most active and busiest spot along Tuckahoe Creek. Our company has a huge commitment to the outdoors, to sustainability, and this is just one more piece of this,” Johnson said, pausing to note that the flight of several geese just overhead as he was giving his remarks seemed particularly fitting; the Wilton Companies’ logo includes a goose in flight.

The county will host a community input meeting to display maps of the planned expansion and receive feedback from citizens at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, at Lakewood retirement community.

Additional details about the plans for Tuckahoe Creek Park are available online here.

“Our mission at Recreation and Parks is enriching lives and connecting communities, and that’s exactly what this trailhead and this property will do,” Henrico Recreation and Parks Director John Zannino said. “It connects communities to nature. We’re super excited about this.”

Said Rogish: “These collaborations exemplify what can happen when business. . . can come together with government and residents to make our county a better place to live, work and play. As the Tuckahoe supervisor, I’m excited to see this project come to life.”