Bowling Green park advances

Caroline board moves ahead on park in Bowling Green

BY PORTSIA SMITH

Date published: 11/15/2009

BY PORTSIA SMITH

The Caroline County Board of Supervisors has decided to move forward on the establishment of Victory Park in Bowling Green.

The total cost is estimated at just under $575,000.

Supervisors discussed at great length various options regarding the park, which was approved by state authorities in 2006. After county officials put together a preliminary drawing in 2007, the park was put on hold last November when declining revenues forced supervisors to cut back on many capital projects.

Bowling Green Mayor David Storke spoke on behalf of the park, but was clear that if the board decided not to move forward, he and the Town Council would understand.

Storke did point out that the Town Council would not be in favor of shifting the money to another project in the county since it was originally designated to be spent in Bowling Green.

"You have never heard us ask for the park," Storke said. "But if the money is going to be spent, we want it spent in Bowling Green and not on another project outside of Bowling Green."

A new county museum is scheduled to move in December into the space formerly occupied by the commissioner of revenue in the county courthouse. That raised discussion by supervisors that maybe the TEA-21 funds could go toward improving the space allocated for the museum.

"I would like to see a 'tweaking' of how the funds were originally to be used and see if we can use them to improve the former commissioner of the revenue's space," said Mattaponi District Supervisor Floyd Thomas.

"I would like to see that as well," said Port Royal District Supervisor Bobby Popo-wicz, who seconded a motion by Bowling Green District Supervisor Jeff Sili to move ahead with the project. Sili's motion finally included asking state officials if funds to build the park could possibly include work on the rear of the courthouse, which needs beautification and maintenance.

Failure to move forward with the project would eventually result in the county's losing the TEA-21 funds, and probably cancel any effort for it to apply for future grants.

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Date published: 11/15/2009