Chesterfield, FOLAR acquire over 30 acres of land near Appomattox River for new park
VENN
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Chesterfield County and the nonprofit Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) have acquired more than 30 acres of land and islands along the Appomattox River for recreational use.
According to the county, the Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC) transferred ownership of the property to the county and the nonprofit. CRLC reportedly purchased the partially wooded property, which includes 16 islands and multiple ruins of former mills, canals and dams from owners for $2.4 million in 2022.
The county said the acquisition was made possible by $1.7 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding from Chesterfield.
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About 30 acres of the property is in Chesterfield County and will reportedly be owned, developed and managed as a riverfront park by the county's Department of Parks and Recreation.
The portion of the property along the former Battersea Canal in Petersburg has been transferred to FOLAR, according to Chesterfield County. This portion will connect FOLAR'S 25-mile Appomattox River Trail network and create an intersection with the planned Fall Line trail running north-south between Petersburg and the town of Ashland in Hanover County.
