Maurice Turner Recreation Area
"If bread is the first necessity of life, recreation is a close second."
Edward Bellamy
Maurice Turner
Maurice Turner, a former Mayor of the Town, attended Virginia Tech, served in the U.S. Coast Guard, and retired from the Norfolk Southern Corporation. Maurice was an avid hiker and supporter of the Appalachian Trail. He created the trail on town-owned property and worked with volunteers to make it a sought-after destination for area hikers. Maurice passed away in 2018 after a brief illness. In 2019, the Town Council dedicated the trail to Maurice.
Maurice Turner Recreation Area
The Maurice Turner Recreation Area is located on town-owned property adjacent to a one-acre pond.
Currently, an ADA-compliant walking trail, bench, and interpretive signage exist. Ultimately, a picnic shelter and a small bike rack will be included.
The approximately 4-acre area directly to the north and adjacent to the pond is officially deeded as green/open space. This space is sloped, with mixed hardwood and pine trees, and includes two natural springs that provide water for the pond. The pond and subject green space encompass approximately five (5) acres.
The trail is five (5) feet wide and located around the rim of the pond. It connects to the existing Maurice Turner Trail System. There are a few locations where visitors can fish. The town has a catch-and-release policy in place.
The recreation area provides a space for residents to relax and de-stress in a quiet, natural environment, educates the public on the importance of local ecosystems, fosters community fellowship, and offers a place for folks of all abilities to exercise and stay healthy. It also increases awareness of pollinator habitats and the benefits of native plants, the important role of springs, ponds, and water in the natural and human environments, and local aquatic ecosystems.
A future picnic shelter will be built with concrete, stone, and metal to withstand the weather with minimal maintenance. It will include new picnic tables and a fireplace.
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF)
The Town was awarded a grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation to construct the trail and picnic shelter at the Maurice Turner Recreation Area. The Town is grateful to the Foundation for the award, which has made the trail a reality!
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) was established by the Virginia legislature in 1966 “to promote the preservation of open-space lands and to encourage private gifts of money, securities, land, or other property to preserve the natural, scenic, historic, scientific, open-space and recreational areas of the Commonwealth.” VOF has protected more than 910,000 acres across Virginia, making it one of the largest land conservation organizations in the nation.
