Elizabeth River Project

Help Bring Play Back to Paradise Creek Nature Park

Through Give Local 757, the Elizabeth River Project is raising $5,000 (plus $5,000 match) to restore and enhance nature-based playground features, including musical elements like the pebble harp and thunder drum, as well as other natural play structures that support safe, engaging, and imaginative play.

Paradise Creek Nature Park in Portsmouth is more than a public park. It is a vital community space where people come together to enjoy the outdoors, connect with the Elizabeth River, and spend time with one another. Free and open to the public, the park welcomes visitors of all ages and backgrounds throughout the year. In partnership with local schools, students visit the park for field trips with the Elizabeth River Project that bring environmental learning to life and provide the opportunity to experience the river firsthand. Outside of the school day, families gather to walk the trails, enjoy the open space, and create meaningful moments together. As the park has been so well loved over the years, parts of it now need updates to ensure it remains a safe, welcoming, and engaging space for everyone.

Continuing the Work Through Revitalization

As the park continues to grow as a destination for the community, there is an opportunity to further strengthen one of its most important features. The playground, which serves as a central point for families and children, is ready for thoughtful revitalization.

Since opening in 2019, this playground has been well loved and consistently used by the community. Children have climbed, played, and explored here every day, and that steady use is a reflection of how valued this park truly is. As a result, some of the existing equipment has reached a point where updates are needed to ensure the space continues to meet the needs of those who use it most. Enhancing the playground is about building on what already exists and ensuring it reflects the same level of care and intention seen throughout the rest of the park. A refreshed space will provide a safe, sustainable, and engaging environment where children can play freely, and families can feel confident and comfortable during their visits.

Through Give Local 757, the Elizabeth River Project is raising $5,000 to restore and enhance nature-based playground features, including musical elements like the pebble harp and thunder drum, as well as other natural play structures that support safe, engaging, and imaginative play.

This revitalization will not only improve the physical space, but also strengthen the overall experience of the park, encouraging families to spend more time together and deepening their connection to Paradise Creek Park as a place they return to again and again. Supporting this effort means investing in a space that serves the community every day. It means creating an environment where children can play freely, families can gather comfortably, and visitors of all ages can feel welcomed and included.

It is an investment in connection, in the river, and in the continued growth of a place that already holds meaning for so many.

Who We Are

The Elizabeth River Project is a nonprofit dedicated to restoring the health of the Elizabeth River and strengthening the connection between people and the river.

For decades, the Elizabeth River faced significant environmental challenges due to industrial pollution. In response, the Elizabeth River Project was founded on the belief that restoration is possible when a community comes together with a shared purpose. Since then, the organization has worked alongside residents, businesses, schools, and government partners to drive meaningful and lasting change.

Today, that work includes environmental restoration, education, and community engagement. From oyster reef construction and wetland restoration to hands-on learning experiences for students, the Elizabeth River Project creates opportunities for people of all ages to understand, experience, and care for the river.

Since 2012, Paradise Creek Nature Park reflects this work in action. Once an industrial site, it is now a thriving public space in partnership with the City of Portsmouth where restoration, education, and community come together. It serves as both a gathering place and a living classroom for families, students, and visitors.

At its core, the Elizabeth River Project is built on collaboration. The collective effort of our community has helped transform the park into a place that is not only environmentally significant, but also deeply valued by the people it serves. This shared investment is what makes the park special. It is not just maintained; it is cared for. It is not just visited, it is experienced.