Some public spaces are designed for a community.
Others are shaped by one.
Rudee Park belongs in the second category.
Located at the southern end of Virginia Beach’s resort area, the future park occupies one of the city’s most significant waterfront sites, with access to the beach and ocean, Rudee Inlet, and the surrounding coastal landscape.
It is a place shaped by many things at once: water, view, movement, ritual, and the enduring promise of public access to the ocean.
For some, Rudee is the inlet, the jetty, the surf, or the view. For others, it is a walking or bike path, a fishing spot, or a beach ritual. What makes Rudee special is not a single identity, but the way these meanings converge.
Because so many people care deeply about Rudee, community engagement became more than a step in our process. It became part of the design process itself.
In late 2024, residents, visitors, stakeholders, and students weighed in on the programs and amenities they wanted to see in the park. This early outreach, consisting of workshops, public meetings, and an online survey, generated more than 48,000 data points from approximately 7,000 participants.
People wanted Rudee Park to remain public, open, green, connected to the water, and authentically Virginia Beach, providing essential direction for the three foundational design concepts – The Rise, the Tidal Terraces, and the Dune Walk.
THE RISE
WHAT WE HEARD |
Preserving and celebrating the view is essential.
HOW WE RESPONDED |
The Rise, an elevated pathway, opens panoramic views of the ocean and the inlet, providing a new vantage point for the beloved coastline.
TIDAL TERRACES
WHAT WE HEARD |
Water access is one of the highest priorities.
HOW WE RESPONDED |
The Tidal Terraces extend toward the water’s edge, creating opportunities to engage more directly with the inlet and the rhythms of the coastline.
DUNE WALK
WHAT WE HEARD |
Stronger connections to the landscape and ecology is needed.
HOW WE RESPONDED |
The Dune Walk moves through an undulating dune landscape, celebrating the coastal systems that have long shaped this place.
In February 2025, the City shared these concepts in three public meetings to get feedback.
The design team used what they heard to refine the ultimate design. More than anything, people wanted a place that protected what makes Rudee special while creating new ways to experience it.
The result is more than a master plan. It is a public space shaped by the people who use it.
FAQ
1 | What is community engagement in park design?
Community engagement in park design is the process of gathering public input through meetings, surveys, stakeholder conversations, and outreach so the final design reflects real community priorities. Rudee Park’s planning process included all of those tools.
2 | How much public input has shaped Rudee Park?
The City of Virginia Beach reported more than 4,200 early survey responses, nearly 200 open-house attendees, 13 stakeholder group interviews, roughly 7,000 contributors in a later phase, and more than 48,000 data points gathered through outreach. By May 2025, the City said more than 14,000 people had provided feedback across park categories.
3 | What did residents say they wanted most for Rudee?
The strongest themes were open green space, pedestrian access, recreation, water connection, shade, amenities, and a design that protects public access and the identity of the site.
4 | What design ideas came out of the Rudee Park engagement process?
The public feedback helped shape three design concepts — The Dune Walk, The Rise, and Tidal Terraces — and later informed a master plan with natural trails, inlet steps, a shared-use path, and nature-based play.
5 | Why is Rudee Park important to Virginia Beach?
Rudee Park sits at one of the most visible and meaningful edges in the city: where ocean, inlet, tourism, ecology, recreation, and local identity come together. Its importance comes from both its location and its role as a shared public space.