Members of the Collegedale Tomorrow Foundation have transformed the land surrounding an old spring house at the corner of Tallant and Edgemon roads, and say they hope to make it the area’s first historic pocket park enjoyable for public use.
The stone spring house, which was flooded, clogged with mud and surrounded by overgrown brush, was barely visible until volunteers from the local historic preservation group spent two full weekends clearing the quarter-acre. Next, they hope to replace the house’s rotting and wood-warped door, then install picnic tables and parking to encourage use of the land.
“It’s important to remember before this was Collegedale it was James County – and before that the Cherokees were here first,” Collegedale Tomorrow Director David Barto said. “It’s important to remember where we came from and preserve where we’ve been.”
Barto said he hopes to raise a minimum $20,000 more to continue the work on the land.
Anyone who donates $2,500 or more will have their name included on a plaque marking the location as a historic site.