THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 7, 1995 TAG: 9512070347
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Long : 132 lines
Imagine a life-sized maze cut out of a field of corn.
Imagine a bustling farmer's market that specializes in tantalizing local produce.
Imagine an equestrian center that draws in riders from all over the region.
Now imagine a city that comes up with $12.5 million to pay for it.
Louis E. Cullipher, director of Virginia Beach's Agriculture Department, admits his plans for an agricultural park are lofty. But his commitment to the project has led to a two-year planning effort and a 100-page study.
``I believe there is a little bit of a farmer in all of us,'' Cullipher told the City Council recently. ``This would allow us to have a connection to that.''
Cullipher presented the council with the results of a planning committee's work and an economic assessment by Economic Research Associates of McLean, Va.
Unfortunately, Cullipher's vision comes at a bad time. Continuing bad news about the fiscal condition of the school district and federal and state cutbacks have city officials worried about the future.
``I'm sure there'll be support for it, but how much, I don't know,'' said Council Member John A. Baum, one of two council members who represents the southern, mostly rural half of the city.
Cullipher said the council shouldn't be scared off by the project's $12.5 million bottom line. The committee's work and the economic study have shown that a farm park can make the city money, he said.
``It can be phased in,'' Cullipher said. ``We can put the money-makers in first.
``It would enhance agriculture, enhance tourism. It fits in very nicely with the good, clean family-fun type of entertainment . . . that I think Virginia Beach would like to be famous for.''
The committee's vision is for a 60- to 100-acre park that would include an improved farmers market and an attraction to teach children where food comes from. Kids might milk a cow, feed a hog, ride a hay wagon or run through a giant maze among corn stalks.
The economic study says the farmers market would cost about $2.8 million to move across the street; a restaurant and Phase I of the farm park (which includes a visitors center) would cost $3.8 million and Phase II of the farm park would total $5.9 million.
The Hampton Roads Equestrian Advisory Committee has recently begun working on plans for a 10,000-seat center for rodeos, horse shows and other activities right next door.
Both projects, if approved, would be on the city-owned Lake Ridge property, adjacent to Princess Anne Park on Princess Anne Road.
The plans started with an effort to improve the city's farmers market across Princess Anne Road on the corner of Landstown Road.
The market, built in 1973, is a money-loser for the city, in part because of its size, its location and its design, the Economics Research study says. It needs a better building for farmers to sell produce in bulk; it needs to be in a closed facility protected from the rain; and it needs to be closer to a mall, tourist attraction or major park, the study found.
The market lost $110,000 in 1994, and - though now fully occupied - it will lose about $50,000 this year.
It was established to help Virginia Beach farmers sell their produce, but many local farmers don't use the market now, the study found, because they don't like the facility and can make more money staying at home working the land than by filling a stall at the market.
Farming started in Virginia Beach in the early 1600s. Today, farmers cultivate more than 42,000 acres in southern Virginia Beach, accounting for more than $11.3 million in sales.
Cullipher said rebuilding the market across the street would allow his department to design a facility better-suited to the needs of present-day farmers. By placing the market next to Princess Anne Park and the city's amphitheater, which is now under construction, the market would have higher visibility, Cullipher said.
It also would be beneficial to have the market next to a ``farm park'' that would attract tourists and residents interested in learning more about Virginia Beach's agricultural heritage, Cullipher said.
Gene Snow, president of the Hampton Roads Equestrian Advisory Committee, said the farm park and market would be perfect companions to an equestrian center.
Right now, the clubs and 2,000 equestrians who belong to his group use an outdoor area in Princess Anne Park with bleachers and 90 parking spaces for its events. A new facility would encourage local riders, bring in higher caliber shows and allow for bigger and better rodeos, said Snow, a trail rider and former calf-roper who helps organize Virginia Beach's twice-a-year rodeos.
``If it's done right, we'll be able to really have something here that's not been done throughout the state, except possibly in Lexington,'' said Snow, also a communication supervisor with the Virginia Beach Police Department.
``This would just be another selling point for Virginia Beach and also for us.''
Right now, the group is thinking big and hoping for a 200-acre facility that would include a steeplechase course and trails. Because the Lake Ridge site is only 1,200 acres and is also expected to house several golf courses, an industrial park, two schools and the amphitheater, Snow said his group probably would have to scale down its dreams.
His planning group has met for about a month, Snow said, so its ideas are still pretty sketchy.
The group has not yet figured out how much its center would cost or how it would be funded, although it hopes to raise private funds to cover most or all of the expenses.
Cullipher said he also sees lots of fund-raising potential in the farm park. Miracle Gro, the plant-food company, sponsored a plant exhibit at a similar park in Ohio, he said.
Perhaps a company like Planters would pay for a peanut-planting display; or Budweiser would pick up the tab for a draft-horse drawn wagon to tour the park.
That way, reconnecting with ``the farmer in all of us'' won't cost so much. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by VICKI CRONIS, The Virginian-Pilot
Beach Agriculture director Louis E. Cullipher has put forth a lofty
proposal: a $12.5 million new farmers market and a tourist
attraction that celebrates Virginia Beach's agricultural heritage,
possibly with a separate facility for rodeos and equestrian events.
Map
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH FARMERS MARKET by CNB