Lakewood Park

A very nice relaxing park with amenities to boot. Spent all day outside cooking out and relaxing under huge oaks and pine trees!Lots of room for activities and games.The perfect gathering spot for large families!

Lakewood Park offers much more than meets the eye. It may not be the most scenic, but I bet it's the most functional. This is one park if unfamiliar you should know more about. More over if you reside in Norfolk this should be a recreation area that you frequent. The park is in one word expansive and stretches wide and long. I think you will love hearing more about this Norfolk gem.Although not a new park by any stretch, as a matter of fact it's a petty old park. Located off of Tidewater Dr. a quarter of a mile in a residential area. However, it is well maintained with newer equipment and some extras in the rear that I will elaborate on. I will work myself from front to back of property for this review.Parking is huge! I have never seen it even a quarter full even with events. It is well maintained, but usually has some amount of debris around. The park office is also located up front too. You will find older clean restrooms that are used by not only park goers, but during the week it acts like a rest stop.There are two ball fields to the right. Two all purpose fields to the left used for football and soccer. Both are used for Norfolk Recreation League. Since I am not a resident of Norfolk I am unsure how the sign up process works, however there is info at the park office.All the way to the left is a full court basketball court, however the surface is in horrid condition.. Directly to the rear is the huge tennis center with nine courts, you read correctly NINE and it's lit. There is also league play for adults. The court is kept in great condition.In the center are the playgrounds which have anything but regular equipment. Slides, swings and unique items you will NOT find in any other park. One of my daughters favorite is one that you get on and slide back and forth. Another one twirls you around, so hold on tight. There are also three nice shelters with bbq grills. All of this is in close proximity of each other.Now let's move to the rear of the property close to the water. The Lakewood Dance and Music Studio offers classes, clinics etc. through the Norfolk Parks and Recreation system. If you are not a Norfolk resident there is an up charge. My daughter who is a dancer at a VB studio attends clinics.The Tidewater Rowing Center is at the very rear of the grounds. It's main build is very large and two stories. This is also home to ODU Rowing. Two good size out buildings house rigging and row equipment for the club and ODU.Two drawbacks to this park are debris, it seems like no matter how hard the staff clean up its around. On a visit tonight someone had pushed over a can apparently on purpose. Another issue is an element of homeless/transients. They have never bothered me, but I don't like it. Lakewood has a lot to offer and is a terrific facility in the Norfolk park system. Come see for yourself.