VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach city leaders are considering creating a new park ranger program as part of next year’s budget, a move officials say could help address increasing calls for service across the city’s parks.
The proposal would fund three positions in a pilot ranger program within the city’s Parks & Recreation Department. Officials say the initiative is intended to improve safety, assist visitors and reduce the number of park-related calls handled by the Virginia Beach Police Department.
According to a City Council staff report from last year, park usage has increased in recent years. Along with that growth, the city has seen more calls related to issues such as illegal parking, after-hours use of facilities, and dogs off leash.
The staff reports states in 2024 VBPD were called 220 times and in 2023 facilities like the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp produced 159 calls for service.
If approved, Virginia Beach would join neighboring cities such as Chesapeake and Norfolk that already operate park ranger programs.
City Councilman Joash Schulman said rangers would serve both a safety role and a customer service function for visitors.
“They would help provide a safe environment,” Schulman said. “They would also be a friendly face for someone who has a question, a safety-related concern or needs information about the place they’re visiting.”
Schulman has previously raised concerns about issues at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp, where the city currently funds overnight seasonal security. He said adding park rangers could provide more flexibility in responding to problems across the parks system.
“This is a way to take problems we know are citywide issues and apply a systems approach instead of a reactive one,” Schulman said.
Residents can weigh in on the proposed ranger program during upcoming public hearings on the city’s budget. The first hearing is scheduled for April 15 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
