Together, we will!
As an official locality of the State of Virginia, the Town is here to serve our residents, businesses, and visitors. We are not associated with any political party. We want all persons to share in a welcoming spirit to enjoy all that Boones Mill's heritage and future has to offer.
Maurice Turner Recreation Area
"If bread is the first necessity of life, recreation is a close second."
Edward Bellamy
Maurice Turner
Maurice Turner, a former Mayor of the Town, attended Virginia Tech, served in the U.S. Coast Guard and retired from the Norfolk Southern Corporation. Maurice was an avid hiker and supporter of the Appalachian Trail. He created the trail located on the town-owned property and worked with volunteers to make the trail a sought after opportunity for area hikers. Maurice passed away in 2018 after a brief illness. In 2019, Town Council dedicated the trail to Maurice. The Maurice Turner Recreation Area is an extension of the trail and provides an ADA-compliant trail around an existing pond, interpretive stations, and will eventually include a picnic shelter for residents and visitors to use.
Maurice Turner Recreation Area
The Maurice Turner Recreation Area is located on town-owned property adjacent to a one-acre pond.
An ADA-compliant walking trail, benches, interpretive signage, small bike rack, and ultimately a picnic shelter will be included.
The area directly to the north and adjacent to the pond, approximately 4 acres, is officially deeded as green/open space. This space is sloped with mixed hardwood and pine trees and includes two natural springs which provide water for the pond. The pond and subject green space encompass approximately five (5) acres.
The future picnic shelter and tables will be built with concrete and stone and metal to withstand the weather with minimal maintenance.
The trail is five (5) feet wide and located around the rim of the pond. It connects to the existing Maurice Turner Trail System. There will be sitting benches and interpretive panels evenly spaced around the pond as well as a few locations where visitors can fish. The town has a catch-and-release policy in place.
The recreation area provides a space for residents to relax and de-stress in a quiet, natural environment, educating the public on the importance of local ecosystems, creating a space for community fellowship, and providing a place for folks of all abilities to exercise and stay healthy. It also creates a new community gathering space, a healthier population, increased awareness of pollinator habitats and the benefits of native plants, awareness of the important part springs, ponds, and water play in the natural and human environment, and an awareness of local aquatic ecosystems.
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF)
The Town was awarded a grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation to construct the trail and picnic shelter at the Maurice Turner Recreation Area. The Town is grateful to the Foundation for the award which has made the trail a reality!
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) was established by the Virginia legislature in 1966 “to promote the preservation of open-space lands and to encourage private gifts of money, securities, land or other property to preserve the natural, scenic, historic, scientific, open-space and recreational areas of the Commonwealth.” VOF has protected more than 910,000 acres across Virginia, making it one of the largest land conservation organizations in the nation.
