VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Level Green Park in Virginia Beach has reopened after more than a year of renovations, bringing long-awaited upgrades to a neighborhood park residents say had been overlooked for years.
The park, which closed in 2024 for redevelopment, now features relocated basketball courts, new amenities, and added security measures. City officials say the improvements are designed to better serve the surrounding community and create a safer, more inviting space for families.
“It is a good, large neighborhood on this side of the street, but it’s isolated from everyone else because you have to go across the interstate,” said Douglas Murr, who has lived in the Level Green neighborhood for more than 30 years.
Murr said the park, once limited to a basketball court and baseball field, has been completely transformed.
“They have come in and completely redone it. It looks fantastic from the street,” he said.
New features include a freshly paved walking path, restrooms, outdoor workout equipment, a new basketball court, and the city’s first splash pad.
Rob MacPherson with Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation said the splash pad is expected to be a major draw once it opens.
“It’s so hot and humid here in the summer. This is going to be great for the kids,” MacPherson said.
According to MacPherson, the city plans to staff the splash pad with an attendant when it opens later this year, once warmer weather arrives. The park will also play a role in the city’s Parks After Dark program, which provides supervised activities for children and teens during the summer months.
“The splash pad will be open, Parks After Dark will be here, and all the community organizations are interested and going to participate,” MacPherson said. “It should be a big celebration.”
The redevelopment, which has been planned for quite some time, came after a teen was killed near the park back in 2024. With new security cameras installed, neighbors say they are hopeful the upgrades will improve safety.
“If they bring Parks After Dark up there and try to get the kids out and give them more places to go, and with more cameras in the neighborhood, it helps,” Murr said. “We’ve had some crime, but that’s every neighborhood.”
While the park is now open to the public, the splash pad will remain closed for several more months. City officials say they will announce a grand opening date once it is ready.
