
DATE: Sunday, November 2, 1997              TAG: 9711020124

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY PAM LOWNEY, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY                    LENGTH:   81 lines

FUN IN STORE FOR PASQUOTANK THE PARK, FOR RECREATION AND LEARNING, WILL BE DEDICATED MONDAY

The fun officially arrives at Fun Junktion Monday morning.

That's when the public is invited to the dedication of Pasquotank County's landfill-turned-park on Simpson Ditch Road, about four miles southwest of town. A ceremony is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. under the new picnic pavilion to accept a $96,000 grant, thank numerous donors and introduce residents to the 133-acre recreational and educational complex.

The county plans to offer camping, hiking, biking, bird-watching, swimming, fishing and boating.

``We want the whole community to embrace this. We don't want one single person not to enjoy this park,'' said Michael Etheridge, director of solid waste management.

If donations are any indication, Fun Junktion already has generated excitement. Businesses and organizations have provided construction materials, landscaping assistance, playground equipment and thousands of hours of labor.

In addition, the Elizabeth City State University cross country team hosted a regional meet there earlier this month, and the River City Ski Club plans to schedule competitions at the 2,200-foot-long lake.

``You probably couldn't ask for a better meshing together'' of interests, said county Recycling Coordinator Marie Jenkins. ``To be a true community park, it can't happen any better than it's happening now.''

Pasquotank County will match a $96,000 state Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant with an equal amount of occupancy tax revenues.

Etheridge said that in addition to the recently erected group picnic shelter, the money will pay for individual picnic shelters, primitive campsites, a 12-station fitness trail, 1.5 miles of nature trails, the lake for boating and skiing, a pond for fishing and canoeing, basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, a concessions building, and an old-fashioned ``swimming hole.''

Almost all of that is in progress and will be ready for use next spring. Etheridge said the 135-foot by 200-foot swimming area may be ready for use, with a lifeguard, next summer. All facilities will be accessible to people with disabilities.

``I'm a strong advocate for family togetherness,'' Etheridge said. ``This will be a place where people can go spend time with their family. At the same time, we want to educate kids and adults about things that happen in nature, and with solid waste and recycling.''

A grant funded the planting of 38 acres of trees, including cypress, sycamore, longleaf pine, loblolly pine and several species of oak. Each type of tree has its own ``talking'' plywood counterpart, which plays a recorded message.

A Smart Start grant paid for a play structure for infants and toddlers up to 2 years old, and another one for children ages 2 to 5. A third, for ages 6 to 12, is under construction. All are made of recycled materials, including plastic, aluminum and tires.

Etheridge and Jenkins also hope to obtain money for wetlands observation decks, an outdoor amphitheater for nature programs and a challenge course for team-building and problem-solving.

The county will accept construction debris nearby for another five years. Park users will pass recycling bins, which also have informational recordings, and a waste transfer station on their way to recreation areas.

``There will be lots of recreation for everybody, but we want to provide educational opportunities as well,'' Jenkins said.

``If people can visualize Mount Trashmore (in Virginia Beach) about 20 years ago and how it turned out, we're going down the same road,'' Etheridge said.

Fun Junktion's three playground structures will be enclosed by a picket fence. Pickets may be purchased for $25 each and laminated with the names and photos of donors, their children or their grandchildren.

For more information, call 335-4105. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

DREW C. WILSON/The Virginian-Pilot

Businesses and organizations have contributed materials, playground

equipment and hours of labor to Fun Junktion, a 133-acre

landfill-turned-park.

Photo of Virginia Beach's Mount Trashmore in 1989

``If people can visualize Mount Trashmore about 20 years ago and how

it turned out, we're going down that same road.''

- Michael Etheridge

Director of solid waste management