2 minute read
Improvements on the horizon for Bedford County's parks and facilities
Changes are coming to Bedford County’s parks and facilities as the Bedford County Board of Supervisors prepares to review and approve the 2024 Parks Master Plan. Supervisors plan to vote on the plan later this year.
“The purpose of this master plan is to outline Bedford County’s recreational growth needs and opportunities for the system through 2035 and outline a process for moving forward into the future,” said Parks & Rec Director Chris Higgins.
Over the course of the last year, Supervisors engaged with staff and the design consultant to provide feedback on draft plan contents and priorities as they were being developed. In those discussions, there was a general consensus among the group to focus first on improving and enhancing existing parks facilities and amenities, before looking to pursue new facility expansions around the County.
One example of this is the tennis court at the County Rec property off Bedford Avenue. Plans are in the works to remove the current deteriorated court and replace it with a series of pickleball courts.
This capital improvement project was slated to be paid for over two fiscal years (FY25 and FY26). However, during a work session in late August, supervisors expressed interest in fast-tracking the project so that the courts can be used as an amenity much sooner.
“We hear regularly from citizens about pickleball and the desire for courts they can play on,” said Higgins.
With this improve-what-you-have focus, residents will likely see more projects such as the recent paving at Moneta Park and the new trail that connects Forest Rec Center to the Forest Library.
The consultant noted that Bedford County’s smaller sites (County Rec Fields, Forest Recreation Center, Bellevue Community Center, and Huddleston Community Center) are much older and have features that need to be removed or replaced. The plan also said most of the county’s diamonds and sports fields would benefit greatly from renovations and the addition of lighting for night games/practices to build field capacity to support the growing use.
The plan summarizes that Bedford County’s regional parks are relatively new and thoroughly utilized, and that niches such as disc golf and biking are well represented for those enthusiasts.
You can view the full proposed 2024 Parks Master Plan on our website.
