Mickie Gordon Memorial Park Update
Written by Middleburg Life Staff
(7/26): To correct the record, Middleburg Life reached out to Mayor Bridge Littleton for clarification of the status of the Mickie Gordon Memorial Park plan. See his comments below on where the project stands today.
“The Mickey Gordon Park issue is very fluid and moving, and the process going forward with the County is a complex one. The current status as of today is the following: After the public meeting in June at the Legion, Loudoun Parks and Rec said they wanted to make sure they got it right and would be reviewing their plans and are committed to engaging with the community to do the right thing by all. Last week I had a meeting with Steve Torpy, director of Parks and Rec, on where they currently stood, and what the next steps were. He confirmed that, while the application is still on the docket, they have paused it indefinitely until such time as they engage with the Middleburg community to hear what our needs are for Mickie Gordon Park. Once that happens, the County will create a new concept design to match that input. At that point the paused application will either be updated with that design or withdrawn and a new application submitted. We encouraged them to withdraw the application now and start fresh. If the application as it stands went up for a vote at the September Planning Commission meeting, I believe it would be denied. Our community has done an amazing job of raising awareness and continuing to engage in a considerate and thoughtful manner to Loudoun Parks and Rec and they have definitely heard us. We need to continue engaging and informing them of what we feel is the best outcome for Mickie Gordon Park. County zoning procedures, as well as dealing with Parks and Rec, is very complicated, and can be confusing for many based on where something is at any given moment. I hope this helps clarify where things are as of today.”
—Mayor Bridge Littleton
Cricket Complex Plan for Mickie Gordon Memorial Park is Denied
MIDDLEBURG, VA — The plan to convert Mickie Gordon Memorial Park into a three-pitch cricket competition center has officially been denied. The initial application for the cricket arena was submitted in May 2022 and met with immediate concerns from the community. The 99-acre site is an area of significance in local Black history and well-loved for its bucolic nature. Concerns of the impact the facility, if built, would have on the rural area were shared by many members of the community, including Middleburg Mayor Bridge Littleton. The land is currently owned by the school board and leased to the parks and recreation department.
Update (7/26): The county has confirmed that the application is on pause as they work with the Middleburg community to determine the right future for Mickie Gordon Memorial Park based on residents’ feedback discussed at the town meeting on Thursday, June 29, at the Middleburg American Legion.
As a follow-up to the June 29 meeting, Mayor Bridge Littleton presented a draft letter addressed to Steve Torpy, the director of Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Service during a July 13 Town Meeting. In the letter, which is available for public view via middleburgva.gov, Littleton requests that the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services (PRCS) department withdraw the SPEX application citing that the community does not believe the proposal is appropriate for the location.
In lieu of the plan to build a cricket complex, which would include 238 parking spaces and 18 100-foot light posts, as well as evening cricket matches, Littleton encouraged the department to continue the dialogue based on community feedback.
Meeting minutes from a June 22 Town Meeting in Middleburg reveal the community’s concerns and recommendations for updates to the park. At the June 22 meeting, Littleton said that the top item of interest would be to restore the main baseball field which is no longer in use due to an Astroturf strip overlaying the field’s middle section. The mayor also noted that the soccer goals had been removed from their original placement and the tennis courts were falling into disrepair.
As of July 26, 2023, 1,173 people have signed the “Save Mickie Gordon Park” petition.
While an official statement regarding the cancellation of the cricket complex has not yet been made public, a source familiar with the situation has confirmed to Middleburg Life that it will not go through. For more information, be sure to check middleburglife.com for regular updates. Middleburg Life values the community, who calls to have full transparency of the park project as it unfolds.
Posted on: July 25, 2023
Updated: July 26, 2023