BoS approves funding for two turf fields | Sports | thecentralvirginian.com

Courtesy Louisa County presentation to the Bos

The two synthetic turf fields will be adjacent to Louisa County Middle School, with a total cost of $6.33 million.

A multitude of concerned parents of student athletes addressed the Louisa County Board of Supervisors (BoS) during the public hearing to authorize a budget supplement for the middle school turf fields capital project at its November 4 regular meeting. The turf fields would be adjacent to Louisa County Middle School. The public hearing was to consider whether to appropriate another $2.77M for the project, bringing the total cost to $6.33M.

Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon shared with the BoS results from a Louisa County Parks, Recreation & Tourism (LCPRT) survey that listed the responses of over 1,000 residents and their priorities for park enhancements.

89% supported an indoor pool, 74% supported expanded programming space, 62% supported a sports complex with turf fields, and 22% supported a skate park.

Continuing with the presentation, Coon shared available LCPRT funding that was available, which included general long-term capital fund ($10,720,244), indoor swimming pool fund ($1.2M), parks and recreation long-term capital fund ($1M), park maintenance and enhancements fund ($457,923.68), and also included Louisa County Public Schools (LCPS) long-term capital fund (500K).

Estimated costs for the indoor pool and programming space is between $10-$25M, while costs for the sports complex with turf fields is at $6.33M as the overall cost, with county staff asking for a supplemental $2.77M. The skatepark comes in as the lowest cost estimate between $50K-125K.

Coon explained the proposed fund usage, which would necessitate full use of $1M from the parks and recreation long-term capital fund, full use of $500K from the LCPS long-term capital fund, full use of $457,923.68 from the parks maintenance and enhancement fund, and partial use of $819,515 from the general long-term capital fund. This would leave a remaining balance of $9,900,729 in the general long-term capital fund.

From the presentation, it listed the immediate impact of turf fields as an item with “high community and revenue potential with reduced maintenance needs.” The skate park request is planned for the Fiscal Year 2026 Capital Improvement Plan, with the indoor pool and programming space “requiring substantial funds and land,” but also listed as “suitable for future phases or partnership funding.”

Coon listed extended playability, reduced water use and maintenance, weather resilience/surface consistency, and increased revenue opportunities as other positive attributes of the turf fields.

Continuing with the presentation, the projected annual economic impact from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) on sports tourism was provided. It listed the total estimated impact as between $214,500-$495,000 annually.

Lastly, Coon explained the supplemental cost of $2.77M, which includes lights, scoreboards, shock pads, and paved parking.

During the public hearing, 12 Louisa residents spoke in favor of the turf fields.

Louisa Area Soccer Association (LASA) board member, parent and travel coach, Jonathan Christian, said they are looking for ways to transform their program to feed into the high school and “dramatically change the face of soccer in Louisa County.”

“...our playing facilities are highly antiquated compared to anywhere else that I’ve been in my eight years of coaching,” Christian said, also noting volunteers picking out shards of glass in Jouett and Trevilians playing fields.

Other residents shared their thoughts.

“Due to lack of field space for the volume of athletic programs in Louisa, many of our young athletes are forced to train on uneven, bumpy fields, in gyms, or on tennis courts—spaces that don’t meet their needs or foster their potential,” parent Melissa Young said. “Space issues are compounded when the sun begins setting early or wet weather makes fields inaccessible.”

10-year-old Tori Underwood, a student at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, garnered the most applause of the evening advocating for the additional turf fields.

Discussion turned to the BoS.

After a question from Mineral District Supervisor and Chairman Duane Adams on the multi-use purpose of the field, Coon responded that markings on the field would be used for soccer and football, as well as additional sports like field hockey.

The bathroom situation of the new turf fields, as of right now, would currently include using the metal gym behind Louisa County Middle School (LCMS), Coon explained. A concession stand is also not included.

Green Springs District Supervisor Rachel Jones was the first to speak in favor of the turf fields.

“I think sometimes, your wants and your dreams become needs, and I do think in our community that we have underfunded our parks and rec,” Jones said. “I do feel that it is time that we shift our focus to parks and recreation and make those wants into needs in order to support our youth, and even our older adults in our community, as we grow.”

Adams walked through the multiple sources of funding, and explained this capital funding money is budgeted every year, but is not always allocated.

“Some years, we roll some of it over, some years we don’t…” Adams. “This, in my mind, is why we budget long-term capital funding, if we have a project that we need to pull from it.”

Mountain Road District Supervisor Tommy J. Barlow addressed the LCPRT survey, and explained the 1,000 respondents may not be indicative of the 42,000 residents in the county.

“You have 2.4% that are in agreement with these enhancements, and then you’ve got 97.6% that may very well not agree with any of this,” Barlow said. “...[turf fields], to me, falls under a luxury or want category.”

Louisa District Supervisor Manning Woodward added his opinion that the county is “way behind” on ball fields and similar facilities for recreation.

“I can not support, almost a $2.8 million dollar increase, over where this originally started…,” Woodward said. “Pickleball people are going to be coming back in here before long; they want in on this too…I’m embarrassed with what we have right now for our kids to play on too.”

Patrick Henry District Supervisor Fitzgerald Barnes stated in his 27 years on the BoS, there has not been an increase in parks and recreation facilities besides the Betty Queen Center.

“I’ve been down to that field where parents have their lights on their cars, so kids can practice, so kids can play,” Barnes said, declaring that his vote would be in favor of the budget supplement for the turf fields.

Jackson District Supervisor R.T. “Toni” Williams, Jr. stated he only had one call from one of his constituents. It was from Amy Ware earlier that day, who spoke during public comment, and voiced a different perspective than the other speakers.

Ware, the Jackson District Representative and Chairperson on the Louisa County Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, expressed concern about the funding of the turf field project during public comment.

“At our October meeting, the commission was informed there was a budget overrun, but it was a small amount,” Ware said. “...I saw the project was up for discussion tonight and the actual budget overrun was almost $2.8M dollars.”

Speaking on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, Ware said the commission has expressed concern that the funding appears to be coming from existing budget lines that are meant to fund ongoing projects.

Ware explained the commission has spent the last year identifying needs of the community through various presentations at advisory meetings, talking to citizens, and conducting a survey of private wishes.

“Last November during budget time, the commission identified three major capital improvement projects that were basically new: an indoor pool, a multi-use sports complex including multi-purpose fields, and an indoor gym facility for volleyball, pickleball, et cetera, which would also provide space for parks and rec programs. And [lastly] a skatepark, which was promised to be replaced by the [BoS] when the social services department was moved to the Betty Queen Center.”

In regards to Ware’s comments, Williams said he was “dismayed” when he received her call.

“We need increased communication from the [Parks and recreation Advisory Commission] on what is going on,” Williams said. “I think the communication has been non-existent, maybe hasn’t been coming back-and-forth. We have had money sitting in this parks and maintenance enhancement capital project for two years, untouched, unfunded, just sitting there with nobody ever [saying] a word that ‘hey, we have thoughts for this money.’”

Williams said this project is in the “gray area” of being between a want and a need.

“This is a good project that’s going to serve our county well for a long time,” Williams said.

Cuckoo District Supervisor Chris McCotter said as a former parent of LASA participants, he knows the current state of the fields.

“Your concerns are the same concerns I had,” McCotter said, also noting he had “ample correspondence” from Cuckoo residents who were against the budget supplement and wanted to focus on other priorities.

McCotter advised a motion to table the decision, which was met with Barlow, McCotter, and Woodward in agreement, and Barnes, Williams, and Jones in disagreement.

Williams, who serves with Adams on the finance committee, suggested a motion to appropriate an additional total of $2,777,438 for the turf field project.

Woodward, McCotter, and Barlow voted “no,” while Jones, Williams, Adams, and Barnes voted “yes.”

The motion passed 4-3.

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