Virginia's Explore Park could soon have a new addition, two cell phone towers. Tuesday morning, the board that oversees the park authorized final negotiations with a company that develops wireless communications facilities.
Members of the Explore Board say the towers won't detract from the park's natural setting. And while they will generate much needed revenue, board members insist the money isn't the only benefit.
K.C. Bratton is the Chairman of the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority, the state board that oversees the park. "We're obligated to make sure that folks are safe within the park," Bratton told News7. "Yes, revenue is a part of it, but actually a small part of it. We've had a lot of discussion as a board that safety comes first."
Explore reopened this year with a schedule of regular events, and board members say they intend to build on those efforts in 2012. Their plans include reopening the Mount Union Church building, and bringing school groups back to the park's historic area.
2012 could also bring the release of a movie that was filmed at Explore Park last year. A trailer for the movie "Alone Yet Not Alone" has been posted on the internet. The production's facebook page says the release of the full-length feature film is scheduled for spring 2012.
