Citizen Information

Northwest River Park - YMCA Summer Camp

Fact Sheet • June 2009

The City of Chesapeake Parks and Recreation Department has formed a public/private partnership lease agreement with the YMCA to develop summer camp facilities at Northwest River Park.

• The YMCA will use five acres of land at the Northwest River Park to build recreational facilities to be used by both the YMCA and the City of Chesapeake.

  • City Council approved the request to rezone 30 acres, because 5 acres represents the footprint of the facilities. The additional space was needed to relocate the horse ring and improve the parking lot and connecter trail.

• The YMCA camp will accommodate a maximum of 400 children, ages 6-14, per day, Monday through Friday, during the summer months.

• 85-95% of the children will be from Chesapeake.

• There will be no overnight camping.

• The new facilities include: an outdoor swimming pool, a pump house, a bath house, an office and assembly hall, an outdoor assembly area with 350 seats, a crafts building, an outdoor sports pavilion, 12-16 picnic shelters, a ropes and initiative course and boat storage facilities.

• Impervious areas created will include the pool with bath house and deck, assembly hall, crafts building, sports pavilion, 12-16 picnic shelters along with pole and posts for the amphitheater and ropes & initiatives course.  This totals an approximate 36,000 square feet and the current project design, performed by engineering firm Kimley-Horn & Associates (paid by YMCA), will meet or exceed all storm water management requirements.

• The on site well and septic systems will be designed by the engineering firm Apex (paid by YMCA), and will meet or exceed all Virginia Health Department requirements. The water system for the existing overnight campground will not be affected by the YMCA camp, as it will continue to use the park’s main water system. The septic system would be upgraded to adequately serve the YMCA camp and the park overnight campground.

• The YMCA will construct a new, larger horse ring, as well as improved trails, parking, picnic shelter and restrooms. Water will continue to be available for the horses.

• The YMCA will also improve the entrance, interior roads, parking facilities, well water and sewage disposal facilities, and all other improvements and infrastructure needed to operate a day summer camp for children.

• The pool will be a play type with spray area, approximately 5,000 sq. ft. with a 3-1/2 foot depth. The capacity is approximately 300 users, which includes the deck area.

• Pool Usage Schedule:

• YMCA Usage (Memorial Day - Labor Day)
  Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
  Monday - Friday, YMCA swim lessons, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• City Usage (Memorial Day - Labor Day)
  Monday - Friday, 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
  Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

While we intend to initially extend the City’s usage of the pool to campers to assess the demand, the pool will open to the public. The details of the public usage are currently being developed by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

• Other Facilities Usage Schedule:

• YMCA Usage (Memorial Day - Labor Day)
  Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

• City Usage (Memorial Day - Labor Day)
  Monday - Friday, after 6:00 p.m.




• YMCA Usage (Labor Day - Memorial Day)
  Monday - Thursday 

• City Usage (Memorial Day - Labor Day)
  Friday - Sunday

• Equestrian arena:

• City Usage
  Priority use at all times

• YMCA Usage
  As approved by the City

• Each party will have the right to request use of the other project facilities and related recreation facilities when not being used by the other party.

• The YMCA will be responsible for all maintenance and repair of the recreational facilities other than the equestrian arena.

• The YMCA states their desire that no trees will be removed. However, if trees must be removed, for every tree removed, it will be replaced by two within the park.

• In order to minimize noise, the landscape buffer along the roadside will be made double the City’s landscape ordinance requirement to 20 feet. The west, south and east sides of the summer camp already have a considerable amount of wooded area to buffer sound.

• A minimum number of exterior security lights will be installed and can be turned off to ensure total darkness for astronomy programs.

• Indian Creek Road will see an increase in traffic from 8% to 12% capacity. The project will require the YMCA to relocate an existing roadside ditch and add a 10-foot shoulder across the frontage of the property.

• According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Fish and Wildlife Information Service, one State Endangered species considers portions of the 763-acre park as their habitat. The leased site is currently an active equestrian use area and open grass pasture, therefore habitat for the species does not exist and no adverse impacts to the species are anticipated from the project.

• The City’s share of operational, pool supplies and pool staff cost will be paid for by Northwest River Park fee-based revenues.

• The YMCA will lease this section of the Northwest River Park for 30 years, or until December 10, 2038. There will be an option for the YMCA to extend the lease an additional 10 years, if both the City and YMCA agree.

For more information, contact:

Parks and Recreation Department
at (757) 382-6411.