The alley just north of Chimborazo Playground in Church Hill has flooded for years. But ever since Richmond's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities started expanding the pétanque courts at the park in May 2026, the situation seems to have gotten much worse.
"The alley just north of Chimborazo Playground has flooded for years. But ever since the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities started expanding the Patan Courts at the park in May 2026, the situation seems to have gotten much worse. That might be because DPR never obtained the permit required by the state for a project this size. Oops. Throughout June, the lookout has published videos documenting the deluges in this alley, which is just north of the Churchill Park between North 30th and North 31st streets. I've also requested comment on those videos from Richmond's Department of Public Utilities, which administers the state stormwater permitting for projects within the city. On July 9th, a spokesperson from DPU got back to the lookout, promising to provide a comment by noon today, July 10th, just hours before that extended deadline. A crew from DPU showed up at the alley in question and began doing some desperately overdue maintenance to address the built up silt and debris from the areas where it's been collected. Huh, what a coincidence. Whether this will actually reduce flooding in the alley remains to be seen, but all that dirt and debris built up over years of neglect and maintenance by the city and apparently exacerbated by a failed silt fence at the construction site, also a violation of the state's guidance, that was left unaddressed for a big chunk of June, probably wasn't helping. That said, the 4,400 newly impervious square feet of partially completed patente courts, which were constructed with no public community review and again, without a stormwater permit, may not be helping either. I'm the Churchill Lookouts founding editor, David Fonte. Find more neighborhood news and views from Richmond's East End at chlookout.com. You can also find the link in the bio. And if you'd like to support my independent neighborhood journalism, consider buying a subscription while you're there. Finally, let me know what you think of this video in the comments below."
💬 Discussion
The alley just north of Chimborazo Playground in Church Hill has flooded for years. But ever since Richmond's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities started expanding the pétanque courts at the park in May 2026, the situation seems to have gotten much worse.