TONSLER PARK - LAND DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

Benjamin Tonsler Park is one of the oldest parks in Charlottesville and was one of two parks (Washington Park was the other) dedicated for use by the African American population when the City was segregated. The park is named in honor of Benjamin Tonsler, who was a prominent figure in the African American community of Charlottesville, serving as the principal of Jefferson School from the 1880s until his death in 1917. The original 1.9 acre park, formerly the Old Colonial Brickyard, was acquired by the city of Charlottesville in 1946. The park is adjacent to the Fifeville neighborhood, which for most of its history has been a predominantly African-American neighborhood. In the 1940s and 1950s, there was limited investment in recreational amenities at the park, including play equipment and a community center. In 1976, the Fifth Street Extended project redirected roadways and allowed the expansion of the park to its current size. The City has invested in the park in the last 30 years, developing a new site plan in the late 1990s and redeveloping the lower park area to include a baseball field, community center, amphitheater, new parking, and better safety. The aging wooden playground was replaced in 2012, the basketball courts refurbished and lighted in 2015, and a new splashpad was added in 2017. The current park is 7.4 acres, bisected by a significant grade change.

TONSLER PARK - PARK DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

• 1946 - The original 1.9 acre park, formerly the Old Colonial Brickyard, was acquired by the city of Charlottesville and designated an African American park.
• 1940s and 1950s - There was limited investment in recreational amenities at the park, including play equipment and a community center.
• 1976 - The Fifth Street Extended project redirected roadways and allowed the expansion of the park to its current size.
• Late 1990s – Redevelopment of the lower park area to include a ball field, community center, amphitheater, new parking, and better safety.
• 2012 - The wooden playground was replaced.
• 2015 - The basketball courts were refurbished and lighted.
• 2017 - A new splashpad was added.

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