Eva Walker Park, named in honor of community leader Eva Walker, will undergo renovations estimated to end early 2021. The remodeling plan hopes to address improvements to the park and is part of an idea to honor Walker and her achievements in the community.
Walker was a model, a civil rights activist and a mentor. At the top of the park, there is a plaque in her honor. Part of the master renovation plan is to create a garden at the center to “honor her memory and include interpretative panels on who she was and how the contributions she made are important,” said Community Planning Manager Denise Harris.
The renovation cost will be about $44,000. The project is being run through the consulting team Rhodeside and Harwell, Inc, the Eva Walker Park Advisory Committee and the Town of Warrenton (TOW). The TOW with Plan+Place was awarded $19,000 through an AARP Grant, one successful grantee of 2800 applicants. These funds will be put towards the Eva Walker Memorial. In addition, PATH Foundation provided $22,000, and the town matched that price to be put towards the master plan.
The TOW created two options for the Eva Walker Park remodeling based on a survey that ended earlier this month. It compiled information from the community about the current use, best features and what is desired. The Community Workshop event on September 26 also gathered information from the Haiti community, the neighborhood behind the park, and the public.

Both options include a second basketball court. Alternative 1 includes a natural amphitheater among other additions. Alternative 2 includes a walking trail, where the natural amphitheater would be, among other additions. The Master Plan considers the “…environment, and context of the park and then how it might best be improved in the future based on the desires of the community,” said Harris.
On October 20 there was an Advisory Committee meeting where the plans were presented for feedback and discussion. The next steps include continued adjustments to the master plans and commemorative garden, as well as another survey, community workshop and Advisory Committee meeting.