| Darden Towe Memorial Park (formerly known as Rivanna
Park) is located off Route 20 in Albemarle County and is just outside the
eastern edge of the city of Charlottesville. It is approximately one mile
north of "Free Bridge" (where Route 250 East crosses the Rivanna River
into Charlottesville). Darden Towe is funded by both the City and the County
and provides tennis courts, four softball or baseball fields, and four
multipurpose soccer/lacrosse/football fields. The park borders the
eastern side of the Rivanna and offers a lovely view across the river of
Meadowcreek
Golf Course/Pen Park. There are walking trails into the woods
at the north end of the park which are maintained by the
Rivanna Trails
Foundation. Darden Towe closes at dark year round. |
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The County's leash law is in effect for this park. But in November,
2001, a fenced area was built to provide off-leash dog recreation (see
the Second Annual Dog Daze Festival/Grand Opening). This
area is located about 200 feet east of the stone picnic shelter at the
north end of the upper parking lot. A faucet provides drinking water.
Please note that the fence is only about 3 feet high and ambitious, energetic
dogs can escape with sufficient effort. Please keep your dogs under
control so as not to interfere with other visitors to the park! The
success of off-leash areas such as this one depends on your dog and you. |
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| When you walk along the river bank with your dog (on leash,
of course), look out for the same "critter hazards" found in greater or
lesser quantities at all the other area parks (e.g. snakes, snapping turtles,
beavers, etc.). Another thing to watch out for down along the riverbank
is broken glass & other debris: The bank of the Rivanna River
at Darden Towe is a natural flood-plain and its banks are much lower than
those found at Riverview Park/Rivanna Greenbelt
or even at Pen Park which is almost directly opposite Darden Towe.
Consequently, almost any significant rain storm will cause the river to
overflow its banks along this particular stretch and, of course, the rising
waters carry all sorts of lovely things with them -- shards of broken glass
from long-ago consumed beer bottles and sharp pieces of rusted metal can
be found along the bank in extraordinary abundance after the water has
receded. |
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One last thing about the river bank at Darden Towe: COCKLEBURRS.
These nasty weeds are, of course, found in just about any park in the area,
BUT we've never seen them in such abundance as they are here. Once they
turn brown late in the late fall (see picture), they're only a serious
nuisance for longer-haired dogs; when they're green (from mid or late spring
through early fall), they're extremely sharp and hard and they pose a serious
problem for ALL dogs, short-haired or not, because they will get caught
up in your dog's toe-pads and they're extremely difficult -- and painful
-- to remove. |
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