It has been more than a year and a half since the Culpeper Recreation Foundation Inc. purchased and installed scoreboards at the Culpeper Sports Complex.

At that time, the economy was booming and many volunteers with good intentions were offering their time to do such things as dig and backfill ditches, lay conduit, and run electrical wire for connection to the boards. There were also donations of supplies for these projects. Individuals and small- to medium-sized companies had plenty of work, but limited time.

Now, though, many individuals and companies that were once in position to offer the supplies have limited discretionary spending. However, one group was able to overcome the difficulties of the economy and finish a project that had waited too long.

The Culpeper Football Association provided equipment, supplies and manpower to embrace the daunting task of digging, backfilling, purchasing the conduit and wire, and then finalizing the job by attaching the wire to three football scoreboards. It took an extremely long day in very warm weather to complete the project, and with no expense to the county.

Those who participated were Mike Russell of M.D. Russell Construction; Rusty Powell, Bart Staton and Chris Mitchell of Tri Hand Construction; Ken Dawson of Dawson Electric; CFA members Tony Carroll, Wayne Twomey and Kenny Jackson and Park Superintendent Mike Skelton of the Culpeper County Parks and Recreation Department. Their contributions will be acknowledged at the sports complex.

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GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: A casual conversation between Ramon Serrato, director of George Washington Carver Education & Training Center; Supervisor Bill Chase and Parks and Recreation staff turned into a golden opportunity for both county and GWC students. GWC students train on how to operate heavy equipment at the school and normally remain at the school site. The parks and recreation staff had the scoreboard project with minimal funding, and no volunteers.

After GWC staff decided the project met its criteria, a perfect match was created. GWC students would get on-the-site training experience at the complex and the community would furnish the wire, conduit and other materials.

The site work or trenching and backfilling would cost about $50,000 if done by private companies.

Culpeper Little League has contributed $5,000 toward the job. Funds and materials are still needed to help defray the expense of the remaining supplies required to finish the construction.

We are are striving to finish the construction prior to the spring baseball season. Donations are always welcome.

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KEY PARTNERSHIP: Several months ago I received a call from a staff member from Lowe’s offering the department funds and manpower toward a worthwhile venture. I have always wanted to build a therapeutic garden for individuals who experienced a loss of one or more of their five senses.

The idea was immediately a winner with Lowe’s management and fit their criteria.

Besides Lowe’s, other community businesses that have donated either time, materials, equipment or a combination are A&B Kearns Trucking and Stone Center, Cedar Mountain Stone Corporation, Atler B. Stanley & Sons Inc., and Chemung Contracting Corporation.

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BIKE TRAIL: Culpeper County Parks and Recreation Department, with assistance from Rapahannock-Rapidan Regional Planning District 9, was awarded a $45,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Transportation. The funds will be used to have a VDOT on-call consultant study the county and provide a comprehensive bicycle plan that will support the Culpeper County Comprehensive Plan and integrate with the town’s already completed “Sidewalk, Bikeway and Trail Master Plan.”
Additional information about the study will be forthcoming.

John Barrett is the Culpeper County director of parks and recreation. E-mail jbarrett@culpepercounty.gov