Revamp of recreational facilities becomes eye-catcher in Charles City

A reconditioned and modified tennis court can now accommodate pickleball thanks to grant research by Charles City Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly Barrow.

Andre' Jones photo

Summer months mean down time for teachers in the classroom. But for most parents, keeping their children busy and active is something that continues to be vital in growth and memories.

Students out of school usually mean busy times for Charles City’s Park and Recreation Department. Director Kimberly Barrow, now in year four, has slowly helped rebuild the numbers of the Summer Camp program. In particular, bouncing back after a setback of COVID-19 is one of the driving forces that led her to researching grants.

“The National Recreation Park Association puts out grants all the time and it’s finding grants through their website, and the USTA (United States Tennis Association) puts out grants for tennis,” commented Barrow. “People from the community send me information for grants and tell me what they are interested in.

“One of the good things that came out of COVID was government funding, so parks and recreation could update their facilities,” she added.

Those grants have been vital to the growth of Charles City Parks and Recreation. For years, several areas laid dormant due to deterioration of facilities for patrons. After Charles City’s Social Center received a facelift a year ago, Barrow’s focus turned to the outside amenities to provide the county.

In the last year-and-a-half, Barrow’s grant-seeking abilities has landed Charles City Parks and Recreation new and upgraded amenities. At Harrison Park, a new walking trail that spans more than three miles provides an alternative path for residents towards the western end of the county. Along with the paths, grants have led to the resurfacing of basketball courts and tennis courts at both Harrison Park and Charles City’s Social Center. In particular, tennis courts have received modifications that now allows for pickleball to be played, one of the fastest growing sports in the nation.

“The Virginia Outdoor Association awarded us the maximum grant of $25,000, so we wanted to do the trail because people had asked for it,” Barrow continued. “We utilized that for the grant application and funds from the county were allocated to finish the path. The gravel portion is for those who have joint issues, but there is also paved portions as well, which provides a varying of terrains to traverse.

One of the next major projects on Barrow’s agenda is the addition of new playground equipment. But the Charles City director has done her research, saying she has planned to structure it around a relevant theme.

“The playground is a huge footprint and is being done in phases,” she said of the monument task. “We are looking for community support to raise funds and taking it in steps.

“The conceptual design is to theme it after the Charles City Black Sox,” Barrow added, mentioning the team based from the county that had a major impact on the African-American community and played games at Harrison Park. “I want to bring history and cohesiveness to that park.”

The changes haven’t gone unnoticed, especially on the first Sundays of each month as people gather at Harrison Park for the county’s Summer Concert Series.

“The concerts provide visibility to the park and now it’s more accessible,” Barrow said as she wrapped up her interview. “The concerts are getting us exposure and showing people that Harrison Park is really a hidden gem.”