MAYMONT FOUNDATION

American Planning Association Designates Maymont A Top 10 Great Public Space for 2011

Recognized for Historic Significance, Public-Private Management, Landscapes

Richmond, VA – The American Planning Association (APA) announced the designation of Maymont as one of 10 Great Public Spaces for 2011 under the organization’s Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners play in creating communities of lasting value.

APA singled out Maymont, a 100-acre estate that serves as a public park, as a place where art and architecture harmoniously blend with the surrounding plants, animals, and water elements. A cooperative venture between the City of Richmond and the nonprofit Maymont Foundation, the estate is a model of public-private management and remains free and open to all. Its gardens and amenities provide opportunities for reflection, relaxation and edification.

“Maymont is a great place. Any conversation regarding the future of parks, interpreting history, habitats or horticulture in our greater central Virginia area must consider and study Maymont’s impact,” said Richmond City Council Member Charles Samuels. He continued, “Maymont serves as a leader in the areas of public-private partnerships, as a non-profit foundation manages and maintains a Richmond City public park through a thoughtfully-crafted agreement.”

Through Great Places in America, APA recognizes unique and exemplary streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces – three essential components of all communities. These authentic places have been shaped by forward thinking planning that showcases diverse architectural styles, promotes community involvement and accessibility, and fosters economic opportunity.

APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live every day. Since APA began Great Places in America in 2007, 50 neighborhoods, 50 streets and 40 public spaces have been designated in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“Maymont’s beauty lies partly in its ability to be different things to different people,” said APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP. “It is referred to as 'everybody's backyard.' For some it’s a refuge, a place of contemplation. For others it’s a place of enchantment, and for still others, it’s a place of discovery and exploration,” he added.

With its striking Gilded Age mansion, 100 acres of undulating lawns, thoughtfully designed and well manicured gardens and an arboretum featuring 200 species of trees from six continents, Maymont is an urban sanctuary, just minutes from downtown Richmond. More than half a million people visit the estate free of charge each year.

A gift from its original owners – Major James and Sallie May Dooley – Maymont was bequeathed to the City of Richmond with the stipulation that it be available for the enjoyment of all. Its ease of accessibility – by bus, car, foot or bike – and lack of admission charge allow Maymont to meet that proviso.

In a state replete with antebellum plantations and Colonial and Civil War sites, Maymont is unparalleled as a remarkably intact and well-preserved ornamental estate of the Gilded Age. The Dooleys created it as a showplace on the historic James River. After the residence was completed in 1893, they spent the next 30 years filling its opulent interior with treasures from around the globe and transforming the landscape into one of great drama, elegance, and natural beauty.

A variety of features have been added over the years including a children’s farm, nature center and aquarium, carriage museum, and arboretum. The gardens surprise and delight while the expansive lawns provide areas for field games, picnics, outdoor concerts and special events. Wildlife exhibits feature animals, native to Virginia, most of which were injured or orphaned and could not survive in the wild.

The city took possession of Maymont, which is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register, following Mrs. Dooley’s death in 1925. The gift lacked an endowment, which eventually led to the nonprofit Maymont Foundation being established in 1975. In partnership with the city, the foundation has raised almost $60 million for operations and a similar amount for capital improvements.

The nine other APA 2011 Great Public Spaces are: Fairmount Park, Riverside, CA; Garden of the Gods Park, Colorado Springs, CO; Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN; Gray's Lake Park, Des Moines, IA; Rice Park, St. Paul, MN; Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, Nashville, TN; Fair Park, Dallas, TX; Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, WA; and Milwaukee RiverWalk, Milwaukee, WI.

For more information about these public spaces, as well as lists of the 2011 APA 10 Great Neighborhoods and 10 Great Streets, and designations between 2007 and 20010, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces. This year's Great Places in America will be celebrated as part of APA's National Community Planning Month in October 2011; for more about the special month, visit www.planning.org/ncpm.

The American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the art, science and profession of good planning -- physical, economic and social -- so as to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and live. Members of APA help create communities of lasting value and encourage civic leaders, business interests and citizens to play a meaningful role in creating communities that enrich people's lives. APA has offices in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, Ill. For more information, visit www.planning.org.

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