VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Some Virginia Beach City Council members on Tuesday questioned the amount of money set aside for the design and construction of Rudee Loop Park, before the park design has even been completed.
A group of consultants presented their proposed timeline for stakeholder input and the design process during the council’s meeting. However, council members referred to the $60 million allocated for the park in the approved budget, contrasting it with many competing priorities and lamenting budget overruns on other projects.
“I don’t see how we can move forward with a $60 million pet project when we have neighborhoods that don’t have sidewalks,” Council Member Chris Taylor said. “All we continue to see is overruns. Our job has to be based in reality.”
Rudee Loop, at the south end of the resort area adjacent to Rudee Inlet, is an “iconic” location, many at Tuesday’s meeting agreed. A 2022 survey in which nearly 4,300 people participated found they overwhelmingly wanted green and open space with amenities like restrooms, a playground, a shade structure, a stage, and public seating. They did not want hotels or resorts, residential lots, restaurants, or retail there.
Delceno Miles, principal of the Miles Agency and also a former Virginia Beach City Council member, said the team wants the project to be youth-oriented.
“We’re talking about a multi-generational asset here,” she said. They want to work with schools, faith-based organizations, underserved communities, and more to hear from everyone. The Miles Agency is one of many working on the project, which also includes Dills Architects, SCAPE Landscape Architecture, Edsa, and Sussex Construction.
RELATED: Virginia Beach City Council allocates $4M to begin process of turning Rudee Loop into public park
Council Member Rosemary Wilson said she wants several groups to be able to give input, including young people but also surfers and fishermen.
“This is very near and dear... they’ve been using this for years and years,” she said. They don’t want any development, she added, but they fear a future council may do something less palatable.
“This is the only way we can preserve it to be a park,” she said.
Council Member Barbara Henley said she’s a skeptic of the amount of money set aside.
“I envision open space,” she said. “What I’ve heard so many years is this is about the only place we can still see the ocean.”
Council Member Worth Remick noted that the $60 million came from the Tourism Investment Program Fund, which was used to balance the budget across the city, not just for resort-area projects.
The next steps include field investigation, surveys, and stakeholder meetings beginning this month, with community meetings continuing through March as design options are presented and refined.
