Maymont Children’s Farm closing for improvements, not expected to reopen until fall
Guests can still access the estate through the Nature & Visitor Center and Historical Estate (Hampton Street) entrances.
The Maymont Children’s Farm which surprisingly doesn’t store, feed, and breed children is the destination for many a family desperate for a new activity. I personally spent countless hours there when my daughter was younger and I’m still slightly freaked out by those goats staring at me with those creepy eyes.
Although you’ll still be able to see the animals the loss of the parking will probably be the bigger issue for visitors coming into Maymont.
Press Release:
The Maymont Children’s Farm, including the adjacent parking lot, will close temporarily for renovation and improvements beginning next week. The re-opening date has not been scheduled, but work is expected to continue until this fall. Guests can still access the estate through the Nature & Visitor Center and Historical Estate (Hampton Street) entrances, and the majority of livestock will remain on-site, visible in the farm pastures during the day and spending nights in a temporary shelter.
The Children’s Farm site has not seen major improvements since its relocation from the current Raptor Valley area in 1983. This construction project, part of Maymont’s multi-year Spirit of Generosity capital and endowment campaign, includes renovation of the existing barn, new classrooms, new restrooms, expanded parking and an eco-friendly rain garden for bio-retention that was partly funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Since 1975, Maymont has been maintained and operated by the private nonprofit Maymont Foundation. Eighty-seven percent of Maymont’s funding comes from the generosity of private patrons and guests. For more information about the Spirit of Generosity campaign and projects, visit our website or call 804-358-7166, ext. 321.
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Richard Hayes
When Richard isn’t rounding up neighborhood news, he’s likely watching soccer or chasing down the latest and greatest craft beer.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
1. Anyone know why they’re doing this now? in other words, why not in the winter? seems they’re picking the one time (spring/summer) when a lot of families would like to visit that part of Maymont.
2. Kudos on the 1st line of the story. The mention about “urprisingly doesn’t store, feed, and breed children is the destination for many a family desperate for a new activity” was by far the funniest thing I’ve read this week.
From Maymont’s Facebook page:
There are many reasons we are doing the project now, and it will not affect the ability of schools, day care centers, etc to visit Maymont. They just won’t be able to park at the Farm and won’t be able to go into the barn – which is empty most days anyway since animals are in the pastures during the day. Some of our reasons for starting work now include: 1. Doing the project in the spring/summer allows us to house more animals onsite while we do work, allowing guests to see and interact with the animals in the pasture areas.
2. Doing the project now, rather than waiting until the winter, allows us to have our new classrooms available sooner so they can be used in conjunction with our educational mission this fall rather than waiting another year.
3. This project involves a fair amount of “digging in the dirt” which is easier to do in the spring/summer months.