Charlottesville Botanical Garden
In Spring of 2007, in response to the closing of Botanique owned by Sacillato, a local rare plant nursery, a discussion began about how the collection from Botanique might be saved, as well as create a destination for tourism in Charlottesville.
Lonnie Murray, in a conversation with Karen Firehock, learned that staff had discussed the idea of a botanical garden at McIntire Park as part of the new master plan when the Meadowcreek Parkway is built. This led him to bring the idea to Robert Saccillato, the owner of Botanique and suggest that perhaps McIntire could be a suitable place to start a botanical garden and eventually house the existing rare plant collection.
In June 26th, after the C-ville Weekly, listed a Botanical Garden in it's list of "15 things that are missing around here and why", Murray informed C-ville of the plan for a Botanical Garden being discussed, and it was covered in a later feature story, "City botanical garden in the works" in which Firehock said “If we’re really going to be a world-class city, we need to seek out the amenities that other world-class cities have.”
Meanwhile, Sacillato, Murray and others began forming a non-profit, Charlottesville Botanical Garden to make an official proposal for a Botanical Garden in Charlottesville. According to the group's website it will "incorporate a mission which will expand the interest and value of the facility into a treasure of natural history". As discussions began, the possibilty of other sites were also discussed including Morven or the parcel that will be donated for a park as part of the creation of Biscuit Run.
In 2008, another group surfaced to advocate specifically for a Botanical Garden at McIntire, The McIntire Botanical Garden, spearheaded by Helen Flamini. Her efforts were covered in an article in the Daily Progress, June 22, 2008 entitled "Idea blooms for McIntire botanical garden" in which the Parks Committeee and City staff were quoted as being supportive of the idea.
In March 2009, a public meeting was held to discuss plans for a Botanical Garden at which, according to the Daily Progress, Mayor Dave Norris voiced his support for the proposal.
Moving forward on any actual plan for a botanical Garden At McIntire is currently waiting on the Master Planning Process to begin for the eastern half of the park which will begin once building the Meadowcreek parkway has begin on the cities side.