Design for section of Avtex site is unveiled

Wildlife meadows, canoe ramps are included in plan

By: Diane Hartson

The plan to provide Front Royal access to the Shenandoah River via nature trails, wildlife meadows and canoe ramps was unveiled Tuesday for the Avtex Stakeholders Group.

However, some proposals for the former rayon plant, now a federal Superfund site, were eliminated because they didn’t comply with conservation easements. Those included an amphitheater and bicycle-motocross trail.

Members of the group participated in design workshops last month for the western half of the site, which has been set aside for conservation and recreation uses.

A preliminary design for that half was presented Tuesday by EDAW Inc., the consultant hired by FMC Corp., to create the design. FMC Corp. is responsible for the site’s remaining cleanup and has agreed to incorporate grading for the design elements in the conservation area in cleanup efforts.

The design includes large wildlife meadows where water-filled basins are to be removed or capped, a wetland area and pond, picnic areas at both the southern and northern ends of the site and two additional areas where canoes can land to supplement the Luray boat landing at the southern end.

One of the two landings will provide river access to a picnic area near the center of the site.

The plan calls for interpretive centers on the history of the area and nature conservation, an observation tower and a wildlife observation boardwalk.

EDAW’s design, although not allowed on the western half, calls for a bicycle-motocross track near Ed Stump Park on the eastern half.

The design provides access for vehicles to the conservation area at the northern and southern ends and bicycle an hiking trails through the central area. No vehicle access is called for in the central area.

Members of the stakeholders group gave the plan a thumbs-up Tuesday and made a few suggestions for additions, including:

• Providing access to the river for elderly and disabled, possibly by using golf carts.

• A footbridge across the South Fork of the Shenandoah River that would allow trails in the Shenandoah National Park to connect through the Avtex site to trails in the George Washington National Forest.

• Using native plantings on the site.

Group members also urged planting blight resistant chestnut trees. The plan calls for deciduous, juniper and flood plain forests at various spots.

Richard T. Dorrier, vice president of EDAW, said designers wanted to re- establish access to the river in Front Royal, which hasn’t been available during the five decades since American Viscose build the rayon plant.

Even though EDAW designers were not asked to look outside the western half of the site, they included the eastern half in order to make those connections, he said. The eastern half will be developed into a business park and soccer fields.

The EDAW plans included pedestrian and vehicular access from the business park and a proposed recreation center next to the soccer fields.

"We want to make connections into the conservation and to the river," Dorrier said.

Group members suggestions will be studied and a final design will be presented at a later meeting in late February or early March, Dorrier said.

The consultants also suggested that a contest or other method be used to come up with a name for the conservation area. They urged that the river connection be included in the name.

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