NORFOLK, Va. — The nets from the old Lambert’s Point Golf Course are coming down, signaling another change for the property that closed about three years ago.
Much of the former 60-acre course was sold to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), which purchased about 40 acres for a new water treatment project. The city retained roughly 15 acres, now designated as a “public open space.”
The distinction means the area is not a traditional park — there are no bathrooms, shelters, or open flames allowed.
Some benches have been installed, but for many neighbors, the vision goes further.
Brian Neil Friedman, who leads the nonprofit Friends of Lambert’s Point City Park, has been advocating for more features.
He said the space “brings citizens who don't have access to water and as residents of the City of Norfolk onto the Elizabeth River.
"I think it offers a lot. It's a wonderful investment in the city's time and care and the public's interest," Friedman continued.
Friedman and his group would like to see water fountains, including pet-friendly options, as well as an art walk, pollinator gardens, and eventually a natural amphitheater overlooking the river. He described the land as “rewilding,” with meadows and wildlife reclaiming the former fairways since the course closed.
City officials say they support the space but caution that additional amenities may take time.
Councilman Carlos Clanton, who represents the area, said the land is partly tied to HRSD’s project, and any long-term development will have to wait until that work is complete.
“I don't think anybody is shying away that this is a unique spot, but it also is a spot that's owned by another entity right now, a big portion of it that's actually loan land back to us, and so we just have to go through the process,” Clanton said. “We will get to a point where we can move it to eventually a park. But right now, we've got to go through this process.”
He added that the city has already invested in benches and removing the golf nets, and park rangers are programming events there. Clanton also noted the potential for linking the open space to the Elizabeth River Trail.
“I'm an avid rider on the trail, and I can see the opportunity for people, bikers, to come there and say, ‘Hey, let’s do something in an excursion there and come back and get back on the trail,’” Clanton said.
For now, the open space offers sweeping views of the Elizabeth River, downtown Norfolk, and the Port of Virginia — with advocates and city leaders agreeing its best days are still ahead.
