THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY

Students take part in Avtex workshop

Groups develop their own design concept for park

Richard Kuhn

spokesman for the Environmental Protection agency

By: Richard Nash

Landscape architects working on the design of the recreational area at the former Avtex Fibers Superfund site in Front Royal sought advice from young people Tuesday at a special workshop for students at Warren County High School.

Biology teacher Jim Kenney said teachers and administrators picked about 27 students to take part in the hour-long workshop, which was hosted by landscape architects from EDAW Inc. and representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Teachers picked students based on their interests in architecture ,art and environmental science, and their ability to make a positive contribution, he said.

" I think this is a tremendous thing for these students," he said. "Not only do they benefit from these people’s expertise, but they get to see how they can take the things they’re learning in class and use them in the real world. They get to see something that real people really do."

Hilary Quarles, EDAW’s design team member, said she and her collegues, may benefit from the workshop more that the students. A key part of designing a park or any other kind of outdoor facility is finding out what the community wants, she said.

"We’ve talked to a lot of people in the community and we’ve learned a lot about what they would like to see happen," she said. "But what we keep hearing is that we need to get input from people at the high school and the middle school and even at the elementary schools. We want to know what you think about this."

The students divided into four groups, each of which developed its own design concept for the park. Although all four plans were different, they all had some aspects in common including a skate park and bicycle trails.

Individual students also called for an ice skating rink, horse trails, open field and a sculpture garden.

Kevin McTighe, a 16 year old junior, said the area should feature a stage for local musicians and theater groups to use in public performances.

Kerri Miller, a 17 year old senior, looked for a place on the Avtex map where she might include swing sets and other playground equipment in her groups design plan, but concluded that such equipment is not as important as other features.

"Actually, we’ve got plenty of parks in town that are more accessible to kids," she said. We should use this area for other things we don’t have. We don’t have to have swings."

Amanda Fortune, a 17 year old senior said her group focused on activities and features that would make the park a positive example for other communities

to follow. They included environmental education facilities and a pictorial exhibit of the site’s history.

Ms. Fortune said the town should host a grand opening on Earth Day and celebrate its anniversary every year by bringing people to town from other places and teaching them what they can do with environmentally troubled areas in their communities.

"I think it’s important for us to be an example for others who might have similar problems where they live," she said.

Jim Wright, 17 year old senior, said the best thing about the workshop was that the EDAW representatives seemed to care about the students input.

"Nobody ever wants to listen to what people our age have to say about anything," he said. "But something like this is going to have just as much effect on us as anyone else. I was really excited to see that the people here were listening."

EPA spokesman Richard Kuhn said he hoped to arrange similar workshops at Warren County Middle School and with the town Little League and other area youth organizations.

"We’re trying to hit all the groups in this community," he said. "It’s just as important for us to get the children’s perspective as anyone else’s."

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