As a welcomed rain teased the rolling fields of Paul Edmunds Jr. Memorial Park, a joint South Boston and county recreation committee plotted its future.
Certainly not a man in Halifax County loved the land more than the late Paul Edmunds Jr.
Not only did he love it, he shared his joy and pleasure with a multitude of friends.
Now his family is continuing that "sharing" legacy with the donation of over 100 acres to honor Edmunds.
Edmunds Memorial Park features a large pond, a creek, trees and open land nestled off of the Dan River Church Road and U.S. 360.
As rain drummed on their tent roof Tuesday afternoon, members of the recreation committee met at the site to receive public comment and to begin the process of determining the park's specific use.
Joined by three members of the Virginia Tech Community Design Assistance Center team, the committee provided a forum for ideas, ultimately delivering a multitude of suggestions for the park's use.
From walking trails to open meadows to multi-use recreational fields, suggestions flew.
Environmental proposals included a bird sanctuary, a wetlands for wildlife and a demonstration forest.
Other proposals included an amphitheater, a visitors center, a pool, a water slide or fountain for children to get wet, a fishing pier, volleyball court space, a pavilion, picnic areas, a playground, an area to walk dogs and both short and long walking trails that would provide handicap access.
Tennis courts, softball and soccer fields, a demonstration/educational forestry area where kids could plant trees, a small tobacco field with a tobacco stick barn as a focal point to tell the area's history of tobacco, utilization of the old silo, a place to read, a place to play checkers or have senior activities were among suggestions.
Currently, there are two entrances to the park area, one off of U.S. 360 and another off of Dan River Church Road.
Supervisor James Edmunds, who is giving the land in memory of his late father, suggested that U.S. 360 be the main entrance into the park.
Since the 360 entrance winds its way to the park site, Edmunds suggested the entrance could provoke a feeling of expectation. The committee also agreed that the entrance should be beautifully landscaped as an entrance makes a statement.
The Virginia Tech trio, Trenda Leavitt, the assistant director of the Community Design Assistance Center, project manager Kim Watson and landscape architecture student Jeff Robins and will take the committee's proposals and site placement suggestions back to Blacksburg for study and design.
The Tech team's working time line is May to August.
During that time the team will return to Halifax County with two preliminary conceptual designs and will again receive public comment.
Returning to Blacksburg, the team will prepare a master plan and supportive document. The two documents are necessary in applying for grant funding.
Edmunds and committee member Bruce Pearce also discussed "phasing in" various park features as funding becomes available.
The Tech team said that recommendations would be made regarding phasing in park amenities.
Tapping the recreation committee to form three impromptu groups to generate ideas for the park's use proved a success Tuesday night.

"This one has really generated some wonderful ideas," said Leavitt of the committee and public input session.

South Boston planners recommended Wednesday that town council adopt ordinance changes to allow auction galleries in South Boston.
In an effort to accommodate a potential June auction, the Planning Commission also recommended that council consider the issuance of a one-time permit to auctioneer Bob Chenery at its June meeting, after a public hearing to address the concerns of neighboring residents.
The temporary permit would allow Chenery to conduct auctions in June and July while work could proceed on amendments to allow auctions in a B-1 or B-2 Business District by Special Use Permit.
Chenery, an auctioneer with Wilkins Realtors of Danville, appeared before the Planning Commission's public hearing to speak in favor of the changes.
Chenery indicated that steps have already been taken and inventory procured for the first of two auction events, to take place in June and July.
Planners recommended that council adopt proposed amendments to three sections of the ordinance, adding the definition of "auction gallery" to the list of businesses allowed, and "auction galleries" to the section dealing with special uses.
A proposed amendment scheduling off-street parking requirements for auction galleries (a ratio of one space per three seats) was also recommended.
Chenery asked planners last month to consider his request to conduct "higher end" auctions in a building at 900 John Randolph Boulevard, with the first scheduled for sometime in June, and a second in July.
The auctions would be conducted by a licensed auctioneer in a controlled, family atmosphere, according to Chenery.
A scheduled public hearing for Wednesday's meeting on a proposed project to add 50 additional parking spaces at Carter Field was postponed until further notice.

A black male wielding a handgun entered the Jiffy Store in Halifax Wednesday night and demanded the night deposit bag, getting away with a sum in excess of $1,000, according to Halifax Police Chief Glenn Stanley.
The armed robbery occurred a little after 10 p.m. at the store located at the corner of Main St. and L.P. Bailey Highway.
"The employee turned the bag over and said that he (the robber) ran out the front door, running east on Bethel Road," Chief Stanley said yesterday.
The suspect, described as a black male 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall, was wearing all dark clothes. A dust mask covered part of his face, according to police reports.
Assisting the Halifax Police Department in the search were the Sheriff's Department, Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Corrections, which provided a handler and a tracking dog.
If anyone has information regarding the robbery, Chief Stanley asked that they contact the Halifax Police Department or Crimestoppers.

It took eight innings to do it but the Halifax County High School varsity girls softball team surged to a 5-4 win over GW in Danville Tuesday to cap a perfect run through the district.
"This is the way we wanted to close out the regular season," said Comets coach Melanie Saunders.
"This is a really big win for us. They never gave up. They came in and got the run in the eighth inning and our defense held them in the bottom of the eighth to give us the win."
Halifax County had already clinched the Western District regular season title and landed a berth in the Northwest Region Tournament.
The Comets will have the home field advantage for next week's Western District Tournament and will face E.C. Glass here in one of Wednesday's tournament semifinal games.
GW, however, needed to down Halifax County to avoid a tie for second place in the standings with Albemarle.
It was the bottom portion of the Comets' batting order that gave the Comets the win.
With the game tied 4-4 with two out in the top of the eighth inning, Amberly Moon, the eighth batter in the hitting order, singled.
Laura Gosney, the ninth batter in the lineup, followed with a triple to plate Moon and put the Comets on top 5-4.
"It was big that the eighth and ninth batters came through for us," Saunders said.
"They were the real key. The triple was a big hit for Laura. We had been using a designated hitter for her. This ought to really help her and boost her confidence."
GW had its sixth, seventh and eighth batters in the lineup to step up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning but the Comets set GW down in order to close the game.
Saunders said the game was a tough one for both teams.
"Both teams played well," she said.
"Both teams hit the ball. GW is a solid team defensively and offensively. Thanks to the big hits from the bottom of our lineup we were able to come back on them."
The Comets bounced on top in the top of the third inning when Moon walked to kick off the inning and scored when Brandi Conner reached base on an error.
GW took advantage of a leadoff walk from Comets hurler Anna Lewis in the bottom of the third inning and backed it up with a triple to tie the game at 1-1.
The Comets forged ahead 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning when Branda Best doubled and scored on a sacrifice by Felicia Sprattley.
GW answered it in the bottom half of the inning by using a leadoff walk and a double with two out to tie the game at 2-2.
Halifax County scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning but left the bases loaded as a bid to break the game open fell short.
Conner reached base on an error to start the inning and loaded the sacks with Lewis and Lindsay Stolzenthaler reaching base on bunt hits.
A single to center field by Best scored Conner and base hit by Jennifer Roller, the fourth hit in a row by the Comets, plated Lewis to put the Comets up 4-2.
The bases remained loaded but the next three Comets batters went down in succession, leaving the Comets with three runners stranded.
"I really wanted us to get at least one more run out of that bases-loaded situation," Saunders said.
"But it didn't happen."
Halifax County's lead held up until the bottom of the sixth inning when GW had a runner reach base on an error and score on a double with two out.
GW backed that up with back-to-back base hits that plated a run make the score 4-4.
The host Eagles threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning with a double with one out.
But the next batter grounded out to second base and Lewis fanned the next batter in the lineup to retire the side and force the game into an extra inning.
Halifax County out hit GW 9-7 in the contest with Lewis and Best each getting two hits.
Stolzenthaler, Jenny Armistead, Moon and Gosney each had one hit.
Lewis had another good day on the mound, allowing seven hits and two walks while fanning four GW batters.
Defensively, GW committed three errors and Halifax County made two miscues.

Nathaniel Lee Brooks, 57, died May 15 at his home in Florence, S.C.
Mr. Brooks was born June 8, 1943, in Roxboro, N.C., the son of John Page Brooks and Lois Norfleet Hayes Brooks and was married to Susan Holt Brooks.
He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in South Boston, a graduate of East Tennessee State and the University of Virginia. He was assistant superintendent of Darlington Schools from 1972-1977 and served as principal of Washington Coleman Elementary School from 1977 until 1991. He was a past president of the South Boston Lions Club.
Survivors of Mr. Brooks include his wife; one daughter, Jane Brooks Gaskins of Florence; one son, Page Neal Brooks of Florence; and two sisters, Dr. Anne Page Brooks of Richmond, Ky. and Beverly Brooks Jordan of Smithfield, N.C.
Funeral services for Mr. Brooks will be held today, May 18 at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Dr. Russell Lee conducting the service. Burial will take place in Burchwood Cemetery, Roxboro.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Patrick Henry Boys Home or the National Parkinson Disease Foundation.

Philip Warren Crabtree, 86, of 1170 Shady Lane, South Boston, died May 17 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Crabtree was born in Halifax County on January 11, 1915, the son of Joseph Richard Crabtree and Mamie Cane Franklin Crabtree, and was married first to Virginia Moore Crabtree and then to Marie Thompson Crabtree. He was a member of Dan River Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Arlene Crabtree Jones of South Boston; one son, Leonard Warren Crabtree of South Boston; three grandchildren, Sylvia Jones, Wendy Jones and Jason Crabtree, all of South Boston; two stepchildren, Percy Jackson and Jimmy Jackson, both of South Boston; four step-grandchildren; and one niece, Lillian Crabtree Daniel of Halifax.
Graveside services for Mr. Crabtree will be held Sunday, May 20 at 2 p.m. at Oak Ridge Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Melvin Bradshaw conducting the service.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home Saturday from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m., and other times at the home of his son, Leonard Crabtree, 1076 Shady Lane.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Rescue Squad.

Thelma J. 'Bunny' Wilborn, 73, of 135 Cedar Lane, Halifax, died May 16 at Vencor Central Tampa Hospital.
Mrs. Wilborn was born in War, WVa. on June 10, 1927, the daughter of Frank C. Jones and Vergie Roach Jones and was married to Cleveland H. 'Cleve' Wilborn. She was a member of Beth Car Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband; one son, Cleveland H. 'Buddy' Wilborn of McChord Air Force Base Washington State; two brothers, Jim Jones of Mayfield, Ky. and Buddy Cochran of Roanoke; and one sister, Margie Henderson of Lynchburg.

Graveside services for Mrs. Wilborn will be held May 19 at Halifax Memorial Gardens at 3 p.m. with the Rev. Charles Stewart conducting the service.

Willis Edward Johnson, 82, of South Boston, died May 16 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Johnson was born August 25, 1918, the son of the late Wirt and Esther A. Johnson. He was a veteran of WWII, and owned and operated W.E. Johnson Store for over 50 years.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. May 19 at the Watkins Cooper Lyon Chapel in Clarksville with the Rev. Michael Texeria officiating. Burial will follow at Oakhurst Cemetery.
Survivors of Mr. Johnson include one sister, Marie Shiflett of Alton; several nieces and nephews; also great nieces and nephews, and a close friend, Katherine Nicholson of Clarksville.
The family will receive friends this evening, May 18, from 7:00 until 9:00 at Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home.

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