Improvements at Existing Frank Wilson Park Entrance

July 28, 2022

The Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) improved the existing J. Frank Wilson Memorial Park entrance on Oakdale Street to a more inviting and welcoming park entrance.  The Oakdale Street entrance is near the Virginia Museum of Natural History in uptown Martinsville.  Improvements include signage, flower planters, and a litter cleanup by volunteers.  The project was funded by a special interest grant through the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia.

“The goal of the grant was to connect the museum staff and visitors to the park,” says Krista Hodges, Education Manager of the Dan River Basin Association.  “Most people didn’t even know the park was there, but now there is signage that is clearly visible from the museum.”

DRBA partnered with MHC After 3 students in early July to provide community service hours for their summer camp groups.  Over 40 youth volunteered a few hours of their time to clean up litter along the bank and to clean up the trail leading into the park.

In addition to the youth volunteering for community service, DRBA worked with a middle school student this past spring to paint a storm drain behind the museum to add to the park entrance revitalization project.  The storm drain was painted by middle school student, Irene Jewell, from North Carolina.  Her design included a brook trout and the quote, “Think of the Trout, Before You Dump It Out.” 

DRBA received funding from the Rotary Club of Martinsville on the storm drain painting project.  Three drains were painted throughout Uptown Martinsville.  DRBA recently received a grant from the Rotary Club to continue the work on the Frank Wilson Park entrance.

“This park is a true gem in the City of Martinsville,” said Tiffany Haworth, DRBA’s Executive Director. “It is a greenspace surrounded by a school, the Virginia Museum of Natural History and residential area.  It is a key site for community meetings and outdoor learning and recreation.  By bringing more visibility, our hope is that the surrounding community will feel safe and welcome to explore the park.”

Frank Wilson Memorial Park is a public park owned by the City of Martinsville.  The park sits on 30 acres and offers an eighteen-hole disc golf course, basketball court, walking trail, playground, restroom and picnic shelters.  The park is also conveniently located near the Silver Bell Trail, YMCA and other uptown businesses.

DRBA has worked to build dozens of miles of trails in the Dan River Basin since 2002. DRBA has successfully built over 25 miles of trails throughout the Dan River basin. The Outdoor Recreational Use Master Plan created by DRBA in 2019 for Martinsville/Henry County includes this park improvement.

DRBA helps plan and construct trails, parks and river access points in the 3,300 square miles of the Dan River Basin watershed.  To learn more about DRBA and its recreation, education and stewardship programs that protect and preserve our local natural resources, visit www.danriver.org.