Chesterfield County says no swimming in its parks or riverfront
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Chesterfield County says no swimming in the river. Image: Courtesy of Chesterfield County
Police will begin patrolling Chesterfield County parks and riverfronts to enforce the county's longstanding no swimming policy, officials announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: It's hot AF, and Chesterfield is the only locality in metro Richmond that doesn't offer residents a public pool or splash pad.
State of play: The county posted a no swimming reminder and announced the patrols on its Facebook page this week in response to a sharp increase in folks swimming off the floating dock at Robious Landing, Chesterfield parks director Neil Luther tells Axios.
- "We've got folks using it like a beach, and that's not safe," he says.
- The floating dock was built for local crewing programs. While it makes an excellent launch pad for a quick dip, boat traffic from a nearby powerboat club, swift currents, an uneven river bottom and steep shorelines make the area unsafe for open swimming, Luther says.
Plus, there have been "a lot of complaints about inappropriate park behavior and people swimming."
Zoom in: Those complaints may have boiled over this weekend, if the Facebook comments are any indication. Those suggest a large crowd turned out for an afternoon of loud music, drinking and swimming, per the posts.
- The party contributed to the county's post reminding locals of the park rules, including that drinking or excessively loud music are also not allowed, but it wasn't the sole driver, Luther says.
What they're saying: "It is unfortunate. This has been a long-standing park rule for safety concerns."
Of note: There can be exceptions to the no swim rule. For example, a local triathlon training group has a permit to swim off Robious Landing and must adhere to an approved safety plan that includes having a certified lifeguard present, he added.
Yes, but: Chesterfield doesn't actually own the parts of the James River in the county, Luther says. The river itself belongs to Henrico because of how the county's charter was written back when all of the area, including Richmond and Chesterfield, belonged to Henrico.
What's we're watching: Luther said the officers patrolling the dock will ask swimmers to stop and only issue trespassing citations if folks refuse to comply.
- He also said more "no swimming signage," including ones in Spanish, will be added around the park.
What's next: Chesterfield residents only have to hold on for a few more hot months before they get some relief. The county has three public splash pads in the works at Bensley Park, Beulah Recreation Center and River City Sportsplex — and the first two will open next summer.
- In the meantime, Pocahontas State Park and its water park are open daily in Chesterfield. Adult swim passes start at $9.