Town of Luray - Luray, Virginia

GRANT RECEIVED FOR GREENWAY
The Town of Luray was notified by the Department of Conservation and Recreation that it has received yet another grant in the amount of $40,000 to install 2 new restrooms along the Towns award winning greenway trail project. Recently, the Town of Luray received approval of an additional $35,000 that will not only provide for the original restrooms but also 2 new picnic shelters (One with restroom attached) planned to be constructed at the phase #2 pocket park. Construction slated to begin in 2008.

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March 11, 2008: Luray-Hawksbill Greenway set to expand and add restrooms and picnic shelter
Thanks to generous grants from the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Forestry, local donations and the continued support from Luray’s Mayor and Town Council, Greenway trail users should expect to have another 1600’ of trail to explore this summer.

Phase #4 of the trail will be very picturesque and feature some unique trail items including a bridge actually spanning the Hawksbill creek, a covered portion of the trail, and a new Southern approach trailhead. This phase of the trail is slated to start at the terminus of phase #2 at South Hawksbill Street, travel under Route 340, cross the Hawksbill creek, run along the creek and terminate at the Linden Avenue (Oscar Sours) bridge.

New restrooms and possible picnic shelters planned for Luray’s Hawksbill-Greenway trail!!
Plans are being drafted for the addition of two new restrooms and possibly two new picnic shelters for the Greenway trail. The first restroom is planned to be constructed along phase #3 of the trail project across from Luray High Schools Bulldog Field. The second location for another restroom and possibly two new picnic shelters is proposed for the phase #2 trail pocket park area. Trail users may have noticed that this spring and summer town crews removed the old structures on stilts that were adjacent to the pocket park. Plans for the newly expanded park include the mentioned new restroom, 2 new shelters, and possibly a playground and amphitheater. The Town of Luray received a $60,000 grant from the Department of Conservation and recreation to assist with the restrooms and shelters. For more information, or ways to assist, please contact the Luray Parks and Recreation Department at 540-743-6475

	March 4, 2008: New Water Treatment Plant and Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades The Town of Luray is undertaking the construction of a new $5.2 million state-of-the-art water treatment plant to better serve the residents of the town. The plant, which goes out to bid in early 2008 will begin construction during 2008. Anticipated completion is late 2009, with operations
commencing immediately upon approval by the Virginia Department of Health. The plant will utilize membrane filtration technology to purify Luray’s abundant water resources. The addition of fluoride and chlorine as a disinfectant will be regulated by computer-control. This facility will employ the latest in fiber-optic data acquisition and control technology which will allow the Town to maximize its efficiency within the plant and its waterworks system personnel. Initially, the plant will be at 1.5 million gallons per day of capacity, which is nearly twice the town’s average daily consumption. The plant will be expandable to 2.5 million gallons per day without enlarging the plant’s building footprint. Additionally, a 2.0 million gallon water storage tank will be built adjacent to the plant. The storage tank will allow the town to “make” finished water and store it until needed to match user demand. The construction of this plant is required to utilize its well and spring sources in compliance with the Federal Clean water Act and is in compliance with the Virginia Office of Drinking Water Standards. The Town has secured short-term financing during the construction phase, that will be converted to long term financing (possibly through USDA Rural Development Program) once the plant is put into operation. While this is a significant expense for the town and its residents today and well into the future, it is a mandated step to be in compliance with all State and Federal laws, as well as a necessary progression to provide the Town’s residents with the safest drinking water possible.
	Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades The Town of Luray’s wastewater treatment plant is an extended aeration oxidation ditch system utilizing ultraviolet light as a disinfectant. This plant is rated at 1.6 million gallons per day, and at this time the plant is at 50% capacity and consistently removes 99% of organic matter entering the system.
The States of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia signed the Chesapeake Bay agreement to reduce point source discharges of Phosphorous and Nitrogen entering all tributaries flowing to the bay. This agreement mandates that the Town of Luray upgrade the wastewater treatment plant to reduce those pollutants by January 1, 2011 or face monetary penalties until the limits have been meet. The Town has retained the services of Reid Engineering to design a system to accomplish that mandate by the 2011 deadline. The proposed plan will accomplish these requirements while utilizing nearly all of the existing equipment and processes, with minimal facility and equipment additions. This approach represents a significant cost-savings for the Town and its residents, as well providing a very efficient set-up for the finished plant. The Town has secured a funding package of a grant for up to $4.5 million dollars and a no- interest 20 year loan for a maximum of $2.2 million dollars to pay for these upgrades. Construction is planned to start in 2008, with anticipated completion at the end of 2010. These upgrades will significantly decrease the levels of pollutants in the plant’s daily discharge volume. Ultimately, this will assist in improving the water quality within the Hawksbill Creek, the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay.

Global Awareness Bike Ride: On Saturday April 19, Lord Fairfax Community College and the Town of Luray Parks and Recreation Department are teaming up and sponsoring a bike ride on the Greenway to continue Global Awareness. The event will start promptly at 10 a.m. at the Train Depot and riders will ride the entire greenway south to the trailhead across from Bulldog Field. Dr. John Sygielski will lead the ride. At the end of the ride, participants will be encouraged to assist with planting a tree in the Greenway Arboretum area. After the tree planting, refreshments will be offered at Lord Fairfax Community College on North Hawksbill St. If you don’t have a bicycle of your own, you can rent one by the hour at Appalachian Outdoor Adventures located in downtown Luray!! The event is open to folks of any age. For more information you may contact Pat O’Brien at 540-743-6475 or Judy Suddith at 540-843-0722

	The Town of Luray and the Page County Railroad Club recently hosted a 100th Anniversary Open House at the Luray Train Depot. Over 300 people came out to help celebrate, enjoy music and refreshments and listen to stories about the depot’s past, present and future. Several speakers from the Town of Luray,
the Historical Society, Norfolk Southern Railroad, the Depot Architects, the Chamber of Commerce and others spoke to those gathered. The Depot is currently being being restored and when complete is planned to house the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center and various displays pertaining to local history and the railroad.

     DOWNLOADS:

     Site Analysis [PDF]
     Excerpts Of Proposed Plan [PDF] (large file not recommended for dial-up users)

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Lake Arrowhead News
The Lake Arrowhead beach opens for the summer season starting Memorial Day weekend thru Labor Day weekend. Beach hours are 11 a.m. thru 6 p.m. daily. Admission fees are as follows: 3-12 yrs, $1.50, 13- 18 yrs, $2.00, 19 and over $2.50. Also, Lake Arrowhead is offering night catfishing on the second and fourth Friday nights of each month thru October. The park is open until 12 midnight. A park attendant is on site to answer any questions.