CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The Chesapeake community is celebrating a longtime leader this week as the city prepares to honor retired Judge Eileen Olds with a park dedication ceremony on Thursday.
Judge Eileen Olds Courtyard Park, located behind City Hall in the Great Bridge neighborhood, will be officially dedicated at 4 p.m. Thursday in recognition of Olds' decades of service to the city.
Born and raised in Chesapeake and a graduate of Indian River High School, Olds made history in 1995 as the first woman and African American judge in Virginia's First Judicial District. She also holds the distinction of being the longest-serving judge in Chesapeake.
"If you can imagine, in 1995, Chesapeake was a city that had no African American and no female judges in any level of court," Olds said.
The retired judge reflected on her groundbreaking career and the challenges she faced along the way.
"When I started practicing, there weren't many people that looked like me, and especially in Chesapeake. And that's another thing I'm proud of, that I stuck with it. There were some struggles," Olds said.
Beyond her judicial service, Olds served as president of the American Judges Association and held several leadership roles in other community organizations over the years.
Mike Barber, director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism for the City of Chesapeake, praised Olds' contributions to the community.
"Judge Olds has been a great public servant in the community service that she's brought to this community over the last 25 to 30 years, has been remarkable. Honoring her by naming this park in her name is just a wonderful day for the city of Chesapeake," Barber said.
For Olds, the park dedication represents more than personal recognition.
"It's an incredible honor for me. But I like to look at it as an incredible honor for our community," Olds said.
She hopes the park will inspire future generations, particularly young people who visit.
"I want countless little girls to come to this park and to know that it's named for a lady who grew up here, who came from circumstances that maybe would've predicted that I not be where I am. But that if I could do it, they can do it too," Olds said.
The dedication ceremony will be held Thursday, Sept. 4, at 4 p.m. at Judge Eileen Olds Courtyard Park behind Chesapeake City Hall. News 3 reporter Gabrielle Harmon will emcee the ceremony.
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