Chesterfield County issued the following announcement on Oct. 12
Clover Hill District Supervisor Christopher M. Winslow and Chesterfield Planning Commission Chair Gloria Freye are hosting a community meeting on Thursday, Oct. 21, to present draft plans for improvements at River City Sportsplex and development of nearby properties in the Genito Road/Route 288 corridor.
Chesterfield residents have multiple options for participating in the meeting, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the county’s Public Meeting Room, 10001 Iron Bridge Road.
Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a limited number of seats will be available for those who want to attend in person. The meeting also will be streamed via Facebook Live and YouTube, as well as broadcast on the county’s television station, Comcast channel 98, Verizon channel 28.
Residents can submit questions or comments through Facebook Live on Oct. 21. The county already collected citizen input in an online portal; their suggestions were considered in the development of both draft plans.
During the meeting, Chesterfield Parks and Recreation staff will present a master plan for River City Sportsplex, a 115-acre athletic complex that has been owned and operated by the county since 2016. The Chesterfield Planning Department also will present its concept for future development in a “special focus area” consisting of 437 acres around the intersection of Genito Road and Route 288.
Proposed improvements at River City Sportsplex include construction of a splash park as part of a 1.5-acre “destination playground,” an adult fitness area with a rubberized track, a 5k multiuse trail, a picnic area with shelters and restrooms, and a multipurpose event building.
The master plan also calls for installation of four new rectangular synthetic turf fields – increasing the total number from 12 to 16 – and conversion of an existing field into a 3,500-seat stadium, as well as a terraced hillside seating area and shade structures for players and coaches adjacent to each field.
River City Sportsplex has one of the largest pods of synthetic turf fields in the United States. It brings thousands of visitors to Chesterfield annually for youth lacrosse, field hockey and soccer tournaments, generating millions of dollars in economic impact, and also receives considerable weekday use by local sports leagues.
Improvements outlined in the master plan are intended to enhance the visitor and user experience, increase the facility’s overall attractiveness as a large-scale tournament host and provide additional opportunities for community recreation.
Another element needed to keep the sportsplex competitive with similar athletic facilities in other states is attracting commercial development nearby, such as restaurants, entertainment and hospitality, so visitors have places to go and things to do when they’re not playing, coaching or watching games. That’s the focus of Chesterfield Planning’s public engagement and ongoing work in drafting the Genito/288 Special Focus Area Plan.
One of the most prominent sites in the Genito/288 special focus area is the former Southside Speedway, which was acquired by the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority in June. County officials are still considering potential uses for the 47-acre property.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Chesterfield County
Alerts Sign-up