FRANKLIN CO., Va. – A nonprofit group in Ferrum is pushing for about $30,000 in county funding to improve a park they’ve been building, saying the funding has faced delays while similar projects elsewhere in Franklin County have moved forward with county dollars.
The effort to improve Ferrum Park has been underway for nearly two years through the work of the nonprofit Friends of Ferrum Park, assisted by Ed Saunders. The group is seeking funding to bring electricity to the park, a move Saunders said would help expand the park’s campground and farmers market, as well as begin work on other amenities.
“That would allow us to start working on a bath house,” Saunders said. “We wouldn’t have to do porta potties. We’d have places for folks to come and shower. It would open up lodging opportunities here.”
Supporters of the project say Ferrum Park is one of the few free public gathering spaces in the area and should receive greater investment from the county.
“If you want these amenities, if you want places fixed up, if you want stuff done, it’s better to give a little bit of money to some of these organizations that are willing to take it,” Saunders said.
Saunders said the park’s farmers market generated nearly $21,000 for local vendors during the last season, showing the economic impact the space already has on the community.
Still, Saunders questioned why the project has struggled to secure funding while other recreational projects in Franklin County have received county support.
“We are tough folks out here on this side of the county, but I don’t necessarily think it’s as fair watching us having to scrimp and scrape and not getting things like dog parks,” Saunders said.
Franklin County Board of Supervisors member Tim Tatum, who represents the Ferrum area, said he supports the project and plans to push for funding during upcoming budget discussions but says this is a tough budget year.
“Anytime we can take advantage of an opportunity that citizens are trying to help themselves, we need to take that, and we need to help them,” Tatum said.
Tatum said the request is currently delayed, but he hopes to introduce an amendment adding the funding when supervisors vote on the county budget.
When asked whether parts of Franklin County receive its fair share of county funding, Tatum responded, “To be straight up: No. My citizens pay taxes. They would like to see some return on their taxes.”
The county’s budget is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, though local officials say changes could still be made depending on final decisions in the state budget.