2009 VA ASLA Awards

Community Service Award - ASLA / National Park Service Community Assistance Partnership

Community Service Award 

Project: ASLA / National park Service Community Assistance Partnership - Appomattox and Farmville Greenways
Landscape architect:  Design Forum Inc., Doug Cole, Shane Cusick, Cameron Barradale
Client: National Park Service ASLA Partnership

The scope of work started simply as a ‘greenway' charrette for Farmville, Virginia but the project expanded to include  1) a Greenways and Blueways Master Plan; 2) A Bike Master Plan; and 3) a Historic and Cultural Walking Tour.

When Appomattox, a smaller town 20 miles west of Farmville, heard about Farmville's successful greenway charette they also took advantage of the partnership originally created by the ASLA and National Park Service.  In Appomattox, a trail / greenway plan was developed for the Town, the County, and the Appomattox Court House National Park. 

The partnership of the National Park Service and the ASLA provides landscape architects and firms opportunities to raise public awareness about our profession.  Community groups, neighborhoods, and small towns sometimes face planning or design challenges that they are unable to meet due to a lack of expertise, funding, personnel, or other resources.  

In addition to enhancing the profession, assisting small towns who cannot afford design services, the trailways and bikeways will be built for local commuting and recreation.  The momentum for these projects  has exceeded the expectations of the Virginia ASLA and National Park Service representatives.  Additionally, these trails will provide connections to a larger, statewide trail system that will ultimately connect the mountains to the coast. 

In Farmville, the charrette set the foundation for the Greater Farmville Greenway Alliance to establish a broader green infrastructure initiative within the region.  What began as a small town project has grown into a regional concept.

In Appomattox, the Virginia Intermodal Planning Grant was awarded that will build partnerships with educators, homeowner associations, and other partners to support increased activity for youth while supporting the town's heritage and increase their tourism.

Some of the jury comments on this project were:
- Excellent project and huge amount of work
- On par with many projects done for fee
- The extensive collaboration is impressive
- Comprehensive and sustainable