Chimborazo Park

While searching for today's tourist adventure, I happened upon the VCU Back to School Guide. I live near the medical school, which has its own section of the site, and so I clicked on activities for med students. According to the VCU page, all the med students hang out at Chimborazo Park in Church Hill, sunning and relaxing, when they have time off. The site promised a beautiful view of almost the entire city, which I really wanted to see. And so, this afternoon I found myself driving up Broad Street further East than I've ever been to the 3200 block.

When I got to Chimborazo Park, I have to admit that my initial reaction was disappointment. While my trip convinced me that I need to spend more time getting acquainted with Church Hill, it didn't convince me to add Chimborazo Park to my list of must-visit-regularly sites. Where were all the lounging doctors? Where was the beautiful view of the city that I was promised?

To be a bit more positive, I can see the appeal of the park. It offered a wide expanse of grass high on the hilltop, a beautiful gazebo and a neat old neighborhood. For those interested in medical history, the park is also home to the Chimborazo medical museum. And to top it all off, the boy scouts have donated a miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty. Now we never have to leave Richmond to get the New York experience!

Overall, though, the view of the city was much less than promised, and the lack of trees made it one of the hotter places I could think of to be on a Richmond summer afternoon.