New board eyes Pittsylvania County recreation plan

By John Crane

Published: June 23, 2008

CHATHAM — Pittsylvania County’s newly formed Recreation Advisory Board held its first

meeting Monday night, electing officers and mulling strategies for

developing a recreation plan.

Fred Ingram, chairman of the Board of Supervisors’ Legislative Committee, told board members they are the first step toward

a comprehensive vision for

recreation in the county.

“You are really only the beginning,” Ingram said.

The county’s seven supervisors each appointed a representative from their respective districts to serve on the board and to come up with a county recreation plan.

The board’s job will be to advise the Board of Supervisors on recreation and the best use of the county’s facilities, County Administrator Dan Sleeper said.

The county plans to model its recreation after that of Halifax County, Ingram said Monday.

The board’s task also will include getting the county school system and public and private agencies to work with the local government and provide support for recreation, Sleeper said.

Industries have helped build soccer and baseball fields and provided land for recreation projects in Halifax County, Sleeper said.

Though members’ terms are for one year, they can expect to serve longer, he added.

Ingram told the board that

the county will not tear down the Blairs Community Center “until we have a program up and

running.”

“We’re not here to tear down, but to build up,” he said.

The strategy outline includes taking an inventory of existing public and private recreation resources and facilities, as well as those in the schools; creating maps showing facilities and service

areas; and identifying and interviewing key people in organized sports activities.

The strategy also includes identifying county recreation needs being met by Danville, developing a survey to determine the need for a countywide recreation program and identifying the types of activities wanted.

Members elected George Winn as chairman of the board and Jean Shields as vice chairwoman.

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 10 in Chatham.

The recreation advisory board members are Jean Shields, of Dry Fork, a teacher at Rivermont School, representing the Chatham-Blairs District; Donald Hylton, of Danville, a brick mason, representing the Westover District; Donnie DeVall Jr., of Danville, representing the Tunstall District; Philip Lantrip, of Pittsville, regional manager for Tri Tool, a West Coast manufacturer, representing the Staunton River District; George Winn, of Gretna, a self-employed livestock business man, representing the Callands-Gretna District; Doris Lovelace, of Gretna, a retired administrative assistant for Pittsylvania County Schools, representing the Banister District; and L.C. Moore, of Keeling, a retired Goodyear electrician, representing the Dan River District.

Contact John R. Crane at or (434) 791-7987.