44-acre park proposed for Montgomery Co.
Stroubles Creek flows Wednesday through the proposed 44-acre Harvey Lee Price Park in the Prices Fork area of Montgomery County.
The granddaughter of Harvey Price, the longest-serving agriculture school dean in Virginia Tech history, wants to donate 44 acres of the land he once farmed to Montgomery County to be used as a public park.
Read more on this story at roanoke.com.
No related posts.
12 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post.
For Heaven’s sake: What a wonderful gift from Ms. Yates. Why can’t we have
a park that is more natural, less developed and manicured? Why does
everything Blacksburg does — or doesn’t do — turn into such a major
production. Yes, there will be some needs involved, but try leaving most
of what is there alone and let people wonder the woods and follow the
streams. . . Blacksburg government, I have tried to be patient, but
declining a gift such as this is totally assinine!
Comment by P. LYNCH — February 2, 2012 @ 10:36 am
It costs money for this “gift” to be maintained. Keeping it clean, safe, parking areas, and maintenance all cost money. The County would lose tax revenue also by removing this land from private ownership. Ms Yates lives in Oregon and this is a benevolent gesture. The Town and the County must review this very carefully before agreeing.
Comment by Liza Smith — February 2, 2012 @ 12:06 pm
How is Blacksburg involved in this? The property is in Montgomery County, not Blacksburg. Pay attention!
Comment by Blue John — February 2, 2012 @ 1:47 pm
It is time for the masterplan for the Price’s Fork community to be reviewed. With planning this village could become the jewel of the NRV, without it will just be another hodgpodge of haphazardly developed countryside. Between the opportunity of this park and the vacancy of the old elementary school change is coming to our little community and we can either direct change or have it thrust upon us.
Comment by Gary Moench — February 2, 2012 @ 5:35 pm
As a resident of Montgomery Farms in the Prices Fork Community (which is adjacent to this “proposed park”), I and many other residents have serious concerns about the increase in traffic in our neighborhood as well as the residual impact. The current road, Thomas Lane, is at best, minimally acceptable for the current level of traffic that is occurs daily. A traffic study is a must prior to an agreement.
I agree with Mr. Moench with regards to how does this fits with the Village Plan? and it needs a close review and would think the reuse of the Old Prices Fork School would take priority over this potential project.
Honestly, we already have enough “non-recreational” parks in the towns and county. Plus, I would question how the County would justify spending money on this “proposed park”. Too many other needs and priorities in the County.
Comment by B. Wendell Jones — February 4, 2012 @ 7:59 am
Yes nice idea but bad place. Thomas lane is not wide enough to handle any more traffic. Sandy circle is a quiet forgotten place here in montgomery farms area, Kids ride their bikes, walk and play with little to no traffic due to the one way in one way out thomas lane what about their saftey? there is no way to access this property but to cross a stream and where will people park? Isn’t this area in the future going to be a road or is that idea gone?
these are just a few concerns of first just hearing of this idea. I would be better if the land was located closer to the new school.
Comment by Steve Seager — February 5, 2012 @ 2:44 pm
I agree that all concerns expressed after my post are valid. They are part of the many concerns I have regarding the future of the Montgomery Farms community.
Comment by Gary Moench — February 7, 2012 @ 9:04 am
True, the land is in the County and the County would be responsible for funding it. But as a citizen of the Town of Blacksburg who lives close to this area; I am very interested in what they do with it. I am also interested if the County accepts this gift at this time because of the budget deficit they already have.
Comment by Liza Smith — February 8, 2012 @ 10:17 am
We do not agree with the County placing another tax burden on the taxpayers. Our land and home would be directly affected by this project. Our purchase was for the privacy and quiet nature of where we live. Thomas Lane is already infested with traffic way beyond it’s capacity to carry. This we feel would have another negative impack on our community. The officials doing this study need to take a long hard look at how it will affect and fit family life for the property owners and ask themselves how they would view it if they would be surrounded by the daily noise and traffic it would create.
A park here would create too many negatives. Leave the natural beauty of our woods to be enjoyed by nature and the investors of our community.
The town of Blacksburg needs to stay silent in this decision, this is county property.
Comment by Bobby and Barbara Scott — February 20, 2012 @ 11:05 am
My understanding is that this would be left as a nature type park, meaning access and a small parking lot, no facilities, swings ballparks, etc. I would not want the natural beauty of the forest / wetlands destroyed. My fear is that green space gets developed into something worse if this is not done.
Comment by Mike Berg — February 21, 2012 @ 9:58 pm
I recently spent four hours hiking this proposed park land, following some of the natural ‘trails’ left by old roads and have a better understanding of what kind of park space this would actually be. There are beautiful, small areas of meadow here and there, but most of the property is wooded. I have the same concerns for traffic that have already been expressed, however, my bigger concern in the not too distant future is the proposed location of the Southgate Parkway which as I understand it, would have an on/off access ramp feeding right into the Sandy Circle area, and/or somewhere along Thomas Lane. Those of us who want things to stay the same, should broaden our knowledge of what is going to happen around us and who owns all of the land surrounding the Montgomery Farms area. Ann Yates is concerned about maintaing the historical significance of the land and keeping it a beautiful open space. We cannot be sure that the other landowners (which also do not live in the area) have the same vision. I know that changes are coming to our quiet area and I believe we need to be a part of that change by showing a strong community presence to help shape that change.
Comment by Michelle Berg — March 12, 2012 @ 10:33 am
To have an on/off access ramp feeding off of Sandy Circle or somewhere as you put it off of Thomas Lane it would invade someone’s property. We did not buy our properties to make roads for unwanted and unnecessary community projects.
Bobby and Barbara Scott
Comment by Bobby and Barbara Scott — April 12, 2012 @ 10:20 pm