Lori Hall, Landscape Supervisor, City of Charlottesville
Where were you born (and raised, if different)?
I was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, but grew up in Earlysville.
When and why did you move to the Charlottesville/Albemarle area?
My mom is originally for the Charlottesville area and after a few years of living in the Wilmington N.C. area she decided to move back to Charlottesville.
What neighborhood do you live in now?
I live in Belmont.
Family (spouse, kids, etc.)?
My wonderful husband also works in the Parks Department. He is the parks and trails planner for the city.
What is your alma mater and when did you graduate?
My alma mater is P.V.C.C. After years of night classes I received a Certificate in Horticulture, but most of my education came from hands-on experience and my mentors in the landscape field.
What were you doing before you came to work for the city?
Like most 20 something’s, I waited tables while trying to find myself. But once I figured out what my passion was, I gave up the fast cash of restaurant work and took a job with Snow’s Garden Center. This was truly a turning point in figuring out what I wanted to do with my life.
Your job title is Landscape Supervisor – what, in your own words, would you say you do?
I am a Landscape Supervisor with the City of Charlottesville Parks and Recreation. I supervise a crew from anywhere between 4 full time employees to 8 with seasonal help. We maintain annual, perennial, shrub and tree plantings in city parks, the downtown mall, schools, municipal buildings, and thoroughfares throughout the city.
What is the best part of your job? The most difficult part?
Seeing the true appreciation from Charlottesville citizens. Our crew is constantly being stopped and thanked for all of the hard work we put into making this such a beautiful city. Most difficult, I would say is dealing with vandalism and litter.
How does your job most directly impact the average person?
As a municipality, our goal is to create a greener city. Our department does this by protecting and maintaining our green spaces. And as a team, we create beautifully landscaped areas in parks and even in the middle of busy street. This gives our citizens a few seconds to relax and enjoy a little bit of Mother Nature while sitting in traffic in areas like the Preston and McIntire intersection.
What is the most interesting project or work experience that you’ve had while with the city?
I would have to say, helping with building the first rain garden in Charlottesville. It is located in Greenleaf Park and truly was a project that involved all of the skills, knowledge, and patience parks employees are blessed with. We were tasked with the project of helping to install a bio-filter, which most of us had no idea what a bio-filter was at time, we worked as a team, and in the end we really got to see how all of our hard work had positively affected our environment.
What is a little-known fact about you?
I sometimes get up in the middle of the night, just to eat a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
What do you do outside of work hours – hobbies, etc.?
I work in my own yard, cook, and relax with my friends and family.
