
DATE: Tuesday, September 16, 1997           TAG: 9709160070

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   89 lines

GREEN SPACE: NORFOLK NAVAL BASE TURNS INDUSTRIAL SITE INTO PEACEFUL PARK

TALL GRASS sways in time to the rhythmic lap of wave on rock.

A bridge arches gracefully over a stream as in a Japanese print.

Shady, green-roofed gazebos seem to whisper ``picnic.''

These are some of the attractions of Salt Marsh Park at the northernmost tip of the Norfolk Naval Base. Open to the public, the island of green was built on fill and dredge material near what was an industrial area. Nearby were once a metal recycling facility and oil storage tanks.

``This is one of the most beautiful pieces of property the base has,'' said Francine Blend, natural resource program manager for the base's environmental department. The park is part of the Navy's initiative to provide more green space at its facilities.

``It's the beginning of a trend,'' Blend said. ``We've asked for money to do further greening of the area.''

The $500,000 project began in 1992 and opened in July. Designed by Army engineers, the park was a partnership project of federal and state governments and nonprofit organizations.

The soft lines of the dunes and plant life stand in stark contrast to their backdrop: gray steel superstructures of Navy ships - aircraft carriers and destroyers - are docked a short walk from the park.

Centerpiece of the park is a salt marsh lagoon that provides sanctuary to some of the bay's smaller creatures. The edges of the lagoon are planted with rows of marsh grass. They were among about 25,000 plants, including marsh and beach grass, planted by volunteers from the Chesapeake Bay Youth Conservation Corps, the Navy and the Norfolk Marine Institute. Work was organized by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

Now, the green strands of grasses stand straight and tall in the lagoon's shallows in planned rows like soldiers at attention. Eventually, these transplanted water plants will proliferate and fill in the shoreline, providing even more protection for bay creatures.

Just beyond the northern edge of the park, a fishing pier juts out into the bay. From there, fishermen catch spot, croaker and flounder, among others.

A wood chip jogging trail weaves through the park. Eventually, it will run along the water's edge for several miles.

Before the trail opened, Lt. John Scott made his daily run along the busy highway nearby.

``I took my life in my hands before,'' said Scott, who works on the Guam, making a quick pass through the park.

The views from the little green gem of a park are serene.

From a vantage point along the park's northeastern side, one can look across the rippling Willoughby Bay and see the entire expanse of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.

Not far from the park's shoreline, a 30-foot pole supports a platform that Navy naturalists hope will be home to a breeding pair of osprey next spring. Earlier this year, there were hopes that the predatory pair would complete their partial nest, but that did not happen.

Today, there are two birds perched on the platform, and John Taylor is certain they are osprey because of the loud, distinct ``peep'' he heard them make before alighting.

Taylor was lunching with Charlie Wright and David Ponton. The three work for a contractor who subs work from the Navy, and they never fail to meet in one of the park gazebos for lunch.

Wright took a big bite of a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich, then said, ``This is our spot.''

Ponton said he and his buddies were delighted when the park opened, because that put an end to eating lunch in the nearby parking lot.

``Now we have a table,'' he said.

Other lures of the laid-back park include a butterfly garden, horse shoe pit and barbecue grills.

Blend says many of those who work on ships docked nearby, like the Stenis and Enterprise, find the park irresistible.

``Many guys don't have families here, so they stay on the ship,'' Blend said. ``This is a close place to relax.'' It's also a place where military personnel can mingle with civilians, she points out.

Under the shelter of another gazebo this drizzly day, seven civilians who work on Navy ships played mahjong. They, too, come to the park often.

Antonia Orlando, off the cruiser Monterey, likes the great view as well as ``the ladies who jog.''

Sonny Camat, who works on the George Washington, lined up several green and white mahjong squares. ``It's a nice place to relax,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

BILL TIERNAN / The Virginian-Pilot

Gazebos provide picnic spaces at Salt Marsh Park at Norfolk Naval

Base

BILL TIERNAN / The Virginian-Pilot

Barry Smith of Chesapeake, left, and Larry Back of Newport News,

both civil service workers at Norfolk Naval Base, enjoy a break on

the pier of a new park at the base. Aircraft carriers are docked in

the background.