Belhaven Park

Not Laurel Park, but Belhaven Park - located as Kenwood deadends into Poplar - will be getting some real attention and improvements soon.

This story in the Northside Sun: Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation Executive Director Virgi Lindsay envisions transforming the park between Poplar Street and Moody Creek into a large green space with park benches, sidewalks and places to meditate. Plans also call for adding a new fence. “It will be a great outdoor space for people to read and meditate,” she said.

In addition, she expects many professionals, like those working at Baptist Hospital just up the road, and college students from Belhaven and Millsaps to frequent the area. The park, although open to children as well, won’t feature any playground equipment, Lindsay said.

Once the city finishes its general cleanup, the foundation will begin the real work. Foundation Consultant Corrine Fox said crews will have to remove a concrete slab where a home once stood and grade the land in some places to level it. The foundation will also have to repair sidewalks and add benches.

Architect Overton Moore has provided artist renderings for the park free of charge to the group.

The foundation hasn’t received an estimate for the improvements. Last year, though, officials had collected more than $100,000 in pledges to make improvements.

The Belhaven Foundation began their efforts to restore the park and enlarge it last year. The foundation purchased a small piece of property opposite of Kenwood Place, a street that dead-ends halfway into the park. Then, they received approval from the Jackson City Council to close off the roadway, which doubled the size of the park, Lindsay said. Kenwood is now blocked off by wooden flower planters. (Read the Full Story Here)