The West half of McIntire Park has traditionally been where people have gone to play softball and Little League baseball and to use the picnic shelters. It has also been the home for special events, most notably the Dogwood Festival carnival rides and the 4th of July fireworks.
More recently this half of the park has now undergone some major changes. While the traditional uses of McIntire West continue, some exciting new features have come into place that significantly benefit our neighborhood.
Brooks Family YMCA
After many years of planning, working on financing, and working through a lawsuit over the use of City park land, the Brooks Family YMCA is now a reality. It is located within walking distance of our neighborhood, just behind CHS (There is a paved trail running between the two groups of CHS tennis courts; this trail leads to the Park and the YMCA). It is a state-of-the-art facility with swimming pools, workout areas, a large gym, and rooms for classes such as yoga, Pilates, Zumba, dance. . . Click here to learn more at their website.
The Kindness Cafe at the YMCA
In 2020 the Charlottesville community and our neighborhood was blessed with the opening of the Kindness Café. It is a coffee shop in easy walking distance of the CHS side of our Greenbrier Neighborhood in that it is located right inside the YMCA. You do not need to be a of member YMCA to go inside, hang out, and enjoy and support this special café (Web site).
Overview of McIntire Park
Trail System Behind CHS In celebration of National Trails Day in 2006, the Rivanna Trails Foundation -- in conjunction with the City Parks and Rec Department -- created a series of interconnecting trails in the woods behind CHS. The main rustic "through trail" enters from Meadowbrook Heights and follows a little stream through a mature forest until it exits near the CHS baseball field up onto Melbourne Road. There is also entry to the trails directly from our neighborhood by going on foot or mountain bike in the back entrance to CHS off of Grove Road and then almost immediately turning right. Go down the grassy hill under the power lines next to the track to the trailhead. An additional connection point can be found off the paved path that runs between the CHS tennis courts and leads to McIntire Park.
The City has also put in a paved commuter path running closer to the 250 Bypass, and at some point in the future it will hopefully be completed in such a way that it will connect from Hydraulic Road through the CHS woods and then up to the YMCA. The paved path will then allow further easy connection to the East side of McIntire Park, across the new pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks. Once reaching the East side of the Park, pedestrians and bikers will be able to enjoy the trails planned for that park and can also connect to the John Warner Parkway and its multi-use path. The paved path will be an asset to our neighborhood and particularly those with close access off the Grove Rd and Meadowbrook Heights areas - if it can be completed.