[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":241},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Fnews\u002Fabout-bojangles":3,"news-nav":63},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":51,"date":52,"description":53,"extension":54,"featured_image":55,"meta":56,"navigation":57,"path":58,"robots":59,"seo":60,"stem":61,"__hash__":62},"content\u002Fnews\u002Fabout-bojangles.md","Who Was Bill \"Bojangles\" Robinson?",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":44},"minimark",[9,13,16,21,24,27,31,34,37,41],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Our park carries a name worth knowing.",[10,14,15],{},"Bill \"Bojangles\" Robinson was born Luther Robinson on May 25, 1878, right here in Richmond, Virginia. He grew up in the Jackson Ward neighborhood - then known as the \"Harlem of the South\" - and began dancing in the streets as a child to earn pennies. That restless energy never left him.",[17,18,20],"h2",{"id":19},"from-richmond-to-the-worlds-stage","From Richmond to the world's stage.",[10,22,23],{},"Robinson went on to become one of the most celebrated tap dancers of the 20th century. He performed in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in Hollywood, earning the nickname \"The King of Tap.\" His signature stair dance - a routine he performed with a lightness and precision that seemed impossible - made him a legend.",[10,25,26],{},"In the 1930s, he starred alongside Shirley Temple in a string of popular films, becoming one of the first Black performers to share top billing with a white co-star in Hollywood. It was a milestone that didn't go unnoticed, even if the industry around him was far from equal.",[17,28,30],{"id":29},"he-gave-back","He gave back.",[10,32,33],{},"Robinson was as generous as he was gifted. He was known throughout New York and Richmond for acts of quiet community support - paying for street improvements in Richmond out of his own pocket, giving freely to neighbors in need, and using his platform to lift others where he could.",[10,35,36],{},"He died on November 25, 1949, in New York City. The city of New York shut down traffic on Broadway for his funeral procession. Tens of thousands of people lined the streets.",[17,38,40],{"id":39},"why-it-matters-here","Why it matters here.",[10,42,43],{},"This park bearing his name is a reminder that Church Hill has always produced people worth celebrating - and that community spirit, the kind Robinson embodied, is something worth tending to.",{"title":45,"searchDepth":46,"depth":46,"links":47},"",2,[48,49,50],{"id":19,"depth":46,"text":20},{"id":29,"depth":46,"text":30},{"id":39,"depth":46,"text":40},"History","2026-06-02","Our park is named after one of Richmond's most beloved sons - a trailblazing tap dancer, entertainer, and community figure who never forgot where he came from.","md","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbojangles.png",{},true,"\u002Fnews\u002Fabout-bojangles",null,{"title":5,"description":53},"news\u002Fabout-bojangles","8biaDkXRDjkgnl1zdl7mIHpp3o4YlvVA1H35OGcg-Yc",[64,147,177],{"id":65,"title":66,"body":67,"category":138,"date":139,"description":140,"extension":54,"featured_image":141,"meta":142,"navigation":57,"path":143,"robots":59,"seo":144,"stem":145,"__hash__":146},"content\u002Fnews\u002Fan-update-from-friends-of-brp.md","An Update from Friends of Bill Robinson Park",{"type":7,"value":68,"toc":133},[69,72,75,78,87,90,94,97,101,104,107,111,114,122,130],[10,70,71],{},"A few weeks ago, we introduced ourselves and asked for your help.",[10,73,74],{},"You showed up.",[10,76,77],{},"Since launching our community survey, we've heard from nearly 40 neighbors - parents, dog walkers, athletes, and longtime residents who care about this park and want to see it thrive. We're still collecting responses, and we'd love to reach even more people before we wrap up. If you haven't taken it yet, it only takes a few minutes.",[10,79,80],{},[81,82,86],"a",{"href":83,"rel":84},"https:\u002F\u002Fforms.gle\u002FBRPsurvey",[85],"nofollow","Take the Survey",[10,88,89],{},"Here's a quick look at where things stand.",[17,91,93],{"id":92},"we-met-with-the-city","We met with the city.",[10,95,96],{},"We were able to meeting with the Richmond Parks Department to start building a real working relationship. The conversation was honest and encouraging. The parks department is underfunded and stretched thin - but that's exactly why a community group like ours matters. There is genuine appetite at the city level to work with us, as we get organized.",[17,98,100],{"id":99},"we-took-a-hard-look-at-the-park","We took a hard look at the park.",[10,102,103],{},"We walked every corner of Bill Robinson Park and assessed what we have. The good news: the pickleball and tennis courts are in excellent shape. The futsal pitch and basketball court are well-used and well-kept. The baseball field is in need of a little love, but it's still a great space for games and practices. The open fields are beautiful, but fairly neglected.",[10,105,106],{},"There's also real work to do. The playground needs attention. The sidewalks are being pushed up by tree roots, and the horseshoe pits turned garden - a space full of potential - has sat unattended for years. We're already in conversations about what it would take to bring it back to life.",[17,108,110],{"id":109},"what-comes-next","What comes next.",[10,112,113],{},"Over the next few months, we'll be pulling everything we've heard into a Strategic Plan for the park - a community-backed document that names our priorities, guides our advocacy with the city, and helps us make the case for funding and improvements.",[10,115,116,117,121],{},"We're also planning our first ",[118,119,120],"strong",{},"Community Cleanup Day",". More details soon. It will be a chance to meet your neighbors, make a visible difference, and help set the tone for what this group is about.",[10,123,124,125,129],{},"If you want to be part of what comes next - whether that's showing up for a cleanup, joining the core team, or simply staying in the loop - sign up for updates on ",[81,126,128],{"href":127},"\u002F","our website",".",[10,131,132],{},"This park belongs to all of us. Let's take care of it together.",{"title":45,"searchDepth":46,"depth":46,"links":134},[135,136,137],{"id":92,"depth":46,"text":93},{"id":99,"depth":46,"text":100},{"id":109,"depth":46,"text":110},"Announcements","2026-06-09","A few weeks in, here's where things stand - what we've heard, who we've talked to, and what's coming next.","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbrp-panorama.png",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fan-update-from-friends-of-brp",{"title":66,"description":140},"news\u002Fan-update-from-friends-of-brp","io3qnI60B3EeAmVcR_xEk_30Jw2Kg5qpbnUyfkccDZY",{"id":4,"title":5,"body":148,"category":51,"date":52,"description":53,"extension":54,"featured_image":55,"meta":175,"navigation":57,"path":58,"robots":59,"seo":176,"stem":61,"__hash__":62},{"type":7,"value":149,"toc":170},[150,152,154,156,158,160,162,164,166,168],[10,151,12],{},[10,153,15],{},[17,155,20],{"id":19},[10,157,23],{},[10,159,26],{},[17,161,30],{"id":29},[10,163,33],{},[10,165,36],{},[17,167,40],{"id":39},[10,169,43],{},{"title":45,"searchDepth":46,"depth":46,"links":171},[172,173,174],{"id":19,"depth":46,"text":20},{"id":29,"depth":46,"text":30},{"id":39,"depth":46,"text":40},{},{"title":5,"description":53},{"id":178,"title":179,"body":180,"category":138,"date":233,"description":234,"extension":54,"featured_image":235,"meta":236,"navigation":57,"path":237,"robots":59,"seo":238,"stem":239,"__hash__":240},"content\u002Fnews\u002Fwhy-we-started-bill-robinson-park-friends.md","Why We Started Friends of Bill Robinson Park",{"type":7,"value":181,"toc":231},[182,185,188,191,194,197,200,219,222,225,228],[10,183,184],{},"Bill Robinson Park is one of the great public spaces on Richmond's East End.",[10,186,187],{},"It has playgrounds, courts, open fields, walking paths, and room for people of all ages to gather. But like many neighborhood parks, it works best when the surrounding community stays connected, involved, and invested in its future.",[10,189,190],{},"That's why a group of neighbors, parents, and park users have started the Friends of Bill Robinson Park.",[10,192,193],{},"This is not about complaining online or creating conflict. It's about building something constructive: a community group that can support the park, advocate for thoughtful improvements, encourage more positive use of the space, and help strengthen communication between residents and the city.",[10,195,196],{},"We believe parks matter because they create everyday community life. They are where kids make friends, neighbors meet each other, families gather, and people spend time outside instead of isolated indoors.",[10,198,199],{},"Over the coming months, we hope to:",[201,202,203,207,210,213,216],"ul",{},[204,205,206],"li",{},"Gather community feedback",[204,208,209],{},"Organize volunteer cleanups and events",[204,211,212],{},"Share updates about the park",[204,214,215],{},"Advocate for improvements and maintenance",[204,217,218],{},"Help connect neighbors who care about the space",[10,220,221],{},"Right now, we are in listening mode.",[10,223,224],{},"We recently launched a short community survey so we can better understand how residents use the park, what they value most, and where they think improvements are needed.",[10,226,227],{},"If you live nearby, use the courts, bring your kids to the playground, walk your dog here, or simply care about the future of neighborhood public spaces, we'd love to hear from you.",[10,229,230],{},"This park belongs to all of us.",{"title":45,"searchDepth":46,"depth":46,"links":232},[],"2026-05-14","Our first news post for the Friends of Bill Robinson Park. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting news about our park and community events.","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbrp-playground.jpg",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fwhy-we-started-bill-robinson-park-friends",{"title":179,"description":234},"news\u002Fwhy-we-started-bill-robinson-park-friends","JHHf8okOHbJ44syxxBng_yIhxqOzoO4iQW2sX8PBb2w",1781207970303]