BLACKSBURG (WSLS) - Another side of Blacksburg is getting ready for recreation.
New recreation fields and a walking trail are being built off the 460 interchange near Lewis Gale Montgomery.
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"This gives this section of town really a place to play," said Blacksburg Parks and Recreation director Dean Crane as he shares plans for The Park at South Point. "We are always in need of fields as our parks are loved to death."
Fields will be used for soccer, lacrosse or rugby, allowing more options for teams fighting to share the limited field space currently available in town. The potential use goes beyond sports with the a second phase community park set to include a playground, picnic shelters and bathrooms. Crane says it could be used for festivals as well.
The cost to tax payers?
"Basically no money is coming from tax dollars," Crane said.
The money to pay for this comes from the sale of property where the retirement center, The Crossings is going up. Crane says VDOT gave the town the property, saying it could keep the proceeds if it was used for public purpose. Once Blacksburg sold a parcel, it put that money into building the park.
"We have no flat space," he said. "In Blacksburg, everything is a hill so anytime you get flat land that becomes premium."
The fields are expected to be open in the next year. The town still needs to find a buyer for the remaining three acre parcel I rider to start the second phase.