West Virginia Executive Summer 2017 | Page 47

Valley Park is undergoing a transformation that will make it a premier destination for people far and wide .

RECREATION DESTINATION

PUTNAM COUNTY ’ S VALLEY PARK

By Jean Hardiman
For years , Valley Park in Putnam County has drawn people from throughout the region with its Waves of Fun pool , seasonal activities and popularity for family celebrations . Jarrod Dean , executive director of the Putnam County Parks and Recreation Commission , hopes that by next summer , visitors will be coming in even greater numbers for a few new reasons as well . With the help of the Putnam County Commission and several local businesses , Valley Park is undergoing a transformation that will make it a premier destination for people far and wide .
course and 40-meter dash facilities . Also in the works are a new soccer field , three baseball fields , tennis courts , picnic shelters and a community garden with 90 raised beds and , eventually , a fruit tree orchard .
With the right marketing and development , the result will be the best recreational park in the state , according to Dean .
May 2018 marks the target opening for the new additions , including a 30,000-square-foot community building and conference center and a full-access playground with ADAcompliant equipment , a laser-timed obstacle

Valley Park is undergoing a transformation that will make it a premier destination for people far and wide .

Courtesy of ZMM Architects & Engineers master plan key
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1 improved entrance 2 future outdoor market 3 baseball / softball triplex 4 new trails 5 concessions / restrooms 6 main parking lot 7 community garden 8 community center 9 multi-purpose green 10 inclusive playground / challenge course
11 new shelters 12 tennis courts
13 maintenance building
14 soccer field 15 turn around loop 16 new trails
17 future amphitheater parking 18 future amphitheater
19 practice fields / green space
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11 10
16
14
9
7
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8 5
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12
3
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Courtesy of GAI Consultants Inc .