James Edmunds II has offered to give 82 acres of land to the county if the county agrees to develop a multi-use recreational facility on the tract.
The Halifax County Recreation Commission voted unanimously Tuesday night to recommend to the Halifax County Board of Supervisors that the offer be accepted.
The only stipulation in the county accepting the land, Edmunds emphasized, is that the county must agree to develop and use the land as a recreational facility.
"There won't be any strings attached on my side," Edmunds told the commission.
"It (the land) will be given free and clear of any encumbrances to the county. The only stipulation is it will have to be used as a recreational facility."
The Halifax resident noted that if the commission finds that it needs more land, he could make up to 100 acres available.
"It would be donated," Edmunds said of the land.
"It will cost the county nothing other than possibly survey costs and associated legal fees."
Edmunds assured the commission that the land would be given free and clear of any encumbrances.
The Halifax resident said he wants to see the county develop a recreation area that will serve the needs of every age group.
His view of a proposed recreational facility includes a park-like area that would include playgrounds, picnic shelters, walking trails, a handicapped accessible walking track, and open fields where people could play pick-up games such as soccer and touch football.
Edmunds also sees the facility containing two or three regulation- size playing fields that could be used by the Halifax County-South Boston Dixie Girls Softball Leagues.
"It could be a centrally located girls softball complex," Edmunds said.
"It could be their complex and it could also contain walking paths, open air playgrounds with swings, handicapped accessible walking trails and other facilities," Edmunds said.
The land Edmunds has proposed to give the county is an 82-acre portion of the 300 plus-acre dairy farm that borders Routes 716 and U.S. Route 360.
The primary access to the tract is on Route 716 near the rear of Runt's Store.
Edmunds noted that the land he is proposing to donate to the county has several advantages.
One of them, he noted, is that part of the land is in the Town of South Boston and part is in the county.
Also, the location of the site is pretty much centrally located in the county.
And, virtually all of the land area Edmunds is proposing to donate to the county is flat.
"It also has an existing pond that could be utilized for recreational purposes," he pointed out.
Commission member Harrison Conner liked the idea of a multi-use recreational facility.
"A lot of people do other things than play ball," Conner said.
Ed Owen, South Boston's representative on the commission, called the proposal "an excellent idea."
Owen said he felt that the Town of South Boston would be happy to work with the county in a joint effort to help develop a recreation facility.
Field Development
The county will soon take steps to further develop the playing fields located behind the Mary M. Bethune Office Complex in Halifax.
County recreation director Brad Ballou said that plans are to develop two multi-purpose fields that can be used for girls softball, midget football and soccer.
Approximately $30,000 for the fields is included in the proposed 2000-2001 county budget that the Board of Supervisors was act on last night.
Ballou said that the field directly behind the Mary M. Bethune facility, the field that was used last fall for the county youth football program, will be the first field to be developed.
"We're basically starting from scratch," Ballou noted.
The county recreation director said that the aged existing lights and light poles will be removed and new poles and lights will be installed.
Ballou also noted that the softball field needs to be laid out and that a new backstop and new fencing will have to be erected for the field.
Members of the recreation commission expressed a desire to Ballou that the new lights be installed and ready for operation by the time the youth football season begins in September.
Commission members also stated that they would like to see the softball field completed and ready for play in March.
Ballou pointed out that the softball field will be made available to the Halifax County-South Boston Dixie Girls Softball League.
The second playing field targeted for development is the one located behind the former agriculture building at the Mary M. Bethune Complex.
Ballou said the same approach will be taken with that field, which is now designated as field number two.
However, the development of that field, which could also be used by the Dixie Girls Softball program, may be another year away, he pointed out.
A concession stand and restroom facilities already exist that can serve both fields.
Those facilities were put in when the Mary M. Bethune Complex underwent its massive renovation.
Lights For South of Dan
Progress is being made at South of Dan Elementary School where the county is planning to put up lights for a youth football practice field.
Virginia Power has agreed to donate four poles to the county and Ballou said plans are to use a couple of the poles to light an existing field at the school.
Ballou stated that an electrical and lighting contractor will be contacted to install the lights.

Soaking wet from a passing thunderstorm, six-year-old Simone Lawson had been missing about six hours when she walked out of a wheat field and started crossing a ditch line toward Highway 501 south.
"We just happened to be at the right place," said neighbor Earl Long yesterday. "We had checked every road and barn."
It was "dark enough to need headlights" Wednesday evening when Long and his sister-in-law, Marcia Whitt, suddenly spotted the little girl.
"There were two puppies gathered around her feet, and she was headed toward her home. Maybe the older dog was leading her back," suggested Long.
Whitt and Long, both neighbors of the child's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lawson of Whitt Loop, had been searching for the child for hours.
"She was scared, but she wasn't crying," recalled Long. "She was a brave little girl."
Long said his sister-in-law got out of the truck and "talked softly to the child" when they got near.
When Long took the little girl to rescue squad personnel, he couldn't believe the number of volunteers involved with the search.
"It was a big-time turnout," said Long, with volunteers gathering at Mayo Grove Church and the Lawson's home on Whitt Loop.
Rob Worsham, assistant chief with the Cluster Springs Volunteer Fire Dept., said yesterday that volunteers from Virgilina, Halifax, Midway, Scottsburg and Woodsdale, N.C., fire departments, as well as the Halifax County Rescue Squad and the Sheriff's Department, participated in the search. Tracking dogs also participated in the search.
"Normally, they have been missing so long, you can't find them," said a pleased and happy Worsham yesterday. "Or it is several days. This was so good. In five or 10 minutes, it would have been dark."
Worsham also commended a transfer truck driver who stopped and told volunteers that he had seen the girl earlier with her puppies along 501.
"The driver was wearing a Ringgold Volunteer Fire Dept. shirt," added the assistant chief yesterday. "I don't know who he was, but we want to thank him. That helped a lot."

The Commonwealth Transportation Board has scheduled nine regional meetings in July to collect public input to update the $10 billion Six-Year Improvement Program for the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The financial planning and programming meeting for Halifax County and South Boston will be held at 10:30 a.m. July 26 at the Comfort Inn on US 29 and Odd Fellows Road in the City of Lynchburg.
Board members as well as staff from VDOT and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation will receive information about needs for improving primary or urban roads, public transportation and ridesharing. The board will not be taking comments on Transportation Enhancement grants at this time. A new process for reviewing Enhancement proposals will be announced at a later date.
After reviewing the public comments gathered in July, the Commonwealth Transportation Board will adopt a draft of the revised Six-year Improvement Program in September. The tentative plan will be presented to the General Assembly for comment. The public also will have another opportunity to comment on the funding plan before the board adopts it in October. The new Six-Year Improvement Program will take effect November 1.

Della Chandler Jones, age 37, of 1803 Grace Avenue, South Boston, died June 26, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Jones was born in Alexandria on June 3, 1963, the daughter of Catherine Jackson Chandler and Robert Chandler Sr. and was married to Stevie Jones. She studied and attended meetings at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Survivors include her husband; one daughter, Natasha Patrice Jones of the home; one son, Eric Antonio Jones of the home; her mother of Halifax; two sisters, Carolyn Featherson and Rochelle Chandler, both of Halifax County; two brothers, Carl Chandler of Halifax and Robert Chandler Jr. of Richmond; and her mother-in-law, Marion Jones of South Boston.
Funeral services for Mrs. Jones will be held Saturday, July 1 at 1 p.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Vaughan McCraw officiating. Burial will follow in New Zion Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the home of the deceased and at the home of her mother, 2069 Murphy Grove Road, Halifax.

Minnie Bett Cole, age 82, of Hanover, died June 28, 2000.
She was the widow of Caleb Cole. Survivors include three children, Margaret C. Evans, Bruce Cole Sr. and Ruth C. Powell; nine grandchildren, Nelson Jr. and Mark E. Richman, Janet R. Washington, David, John and James Cole, Robin Patch, Susan and Joe Powell; four great-grandchildren; and one sister, Mary Ella Redd.
Graveside services for Mrs. Cole will be held today, June 30 at 11 a.m. in Aarons Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Virgilina.

Gertrude Stawls Hoy, age 83, of Richmond, formerly of South Boston, died June 28, 2000, at St. Mary's Hospital.
Mrs. Hoy was born in Halifax County on April 8, 1917, the daughter of Thomas L. Stawls and Ida Dyer Stawls and was married to Hunter Cephus Hoy. She was a member of McCanless Memorial United Methodist Church and a past Worthy Matron of the Woodall Chapter Order of the Eastern Star.
Survivors include three sons, Wayne E. Hoy, Terry H. Hoy and Thomas L. Hoy, all of Richmond; one sister, Louise S. Collins of Arlington; nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Graveside services for Mrs. Hoy will be held today, June 30 at Halifax Memorial Gardens at 11 a.m. with the Rev. W.T. (Bo) Setliff Jr. conducting the service.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Shriners Children's Hospital, Greenville, SC.

Fannie Crawley Brooks, age 105, of 4087 Bold Springs Road, South Boston, died June 26, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Brooks was born on January 26, 1895, the daughter of Ralph Crawley and Emily Crawley and was married to Richard Brooks. She was a member of Dan River Bethel Baptist Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Rosetta Hackley of the home, Willie Johnson of Cooksville, Md. and Elizabeth Medley of Baltimore, Md; one son, Gaither Brooks of South Boston; and seven grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Brooks will be held Sunday, July 2 at 1 p.m. at Dan River Bethel Baptist Church with the Rev. James L. Thomas officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the church Saturday evening from 7:00 until 8:00.

Martha Wagstaff Watson, age 79, of 114 Robin Hood Road, South Boston, formerly of Washington, D.C., died June 27, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Watson was born in Halifax County on March 30, 1921, the daughter of Precious Wagstaff and Selenda Duncan Wagstaff and was married to Robert Lee Watson. She was a former member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Barbara Jean Darby of Washington, D.C.; two sons, Norman R. Martin of Arlington and Cedric L. Martin of South Boston; six grandchildren; three great grandchildren; one sister, Inez Torian of South Boston; and one brother, Rev. Penick H. Wagstaff of South Boston.
Funeral services for Mrs. Watson will be held July 1 at 11 a.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. P.H. Wagstaff officiating. Burial will follow in Halifax Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends at the home of the deceased