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Home My Public Portal About2002_07_09_r132The Town of Leesburg, trg ma RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION: PRESENTED July 9, 2002 2 0 0 2 - 1 3 2 ADOPTED July 9, 2002 NAMING THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, THE PARK PAVILION, AND THE ENTRANCE ROAD AT FREEDOM PARK WHEREAS, in April 1999, the Town Council purchased property formerly known as the Grenata Tract along Evergreen Mill Road (Route 621) and Tolbert Lane; and WHEREAS, the Grenata Tract consisted of 77 acres of land, of which 20 acres were designated by the Town Council for development as a public park to consist of five athletic fields for baseball, girls softball, soccer, and football, a park pavilion, and an entrance road to the park off Tolbert Lane; and WHEREAS, the Town Council named the park site Freedom Park in honor of those who gave their lives on September 11, 2001 and those past, present, and future who embody and defend freedom; and WHEREAS, the Town Council desires to name the athletic fields, the park pavilion, and the entrance road in honor of individuals or groups who have contributed to the greater good of Leesburg and who embody the spirit of freedom cherished by all Americans; and WHEREAS, at the Council's request the Parks and Recreation Department solicited suggestions and recommendations from the public for consideration by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission; and WHEREAS, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission received and reviewed 20 suggestions from the public; and RESOLUTION: -2- NAMING THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, THE PARK PAVILION, AND THE ENTRANCE ROAD AT FREEDOM PARK WHEREAS, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission unanimously endorsed naming the athletic fields in honor of Robert Huber, Steve Reavis, Lou Casciano, Ed and Betsy Mayr and Clyde Sexton; and WHEREAS, Robert Huber was a veteran of the United States Navy and was involved with Central Loudoun Little League for twenty-five years from 1969 to 1994 as a coach, manager, volunteer umpire, League Secretary, and member of the League Board of Directors. Mr. Huber's leadership and vision were instrumental in governing the league through a transitional period that the Town of Leesburg experienced as a result of tremendous residential and commercial growth resulting in the loss of playing fields including fields at sites now known as Brandon Park and Paxton Child Development Center. Mr. Huber's dedication and persistence played a significant role in obtaining the current complex at JR's Festival Lakes/Good Times Park that Central Loudoun Little League currently uses for their baseball games. Central Loudoun Little League awarded Mr. Huber the Volunteer of the Year Award in 1990, and the Outstanding Service Award in 2000; and WHEREAS, Steve Reavis was a 1987 graduate of Loudoun County High School, and served in the United States Navy. At the age of 13, Mr. Reavis began umpiring in the Central Loudoun Little League, and became the youngest ever umpire at the age of 17 for State of Virginia Little League Tournament. A coach in football, basketball, and baseball from the age of 16, Mr. Reavis was well known in the community for actively supporting the involvement of youth from the housing development formerly known as Loudoun House by providing transportation, athletic apparel and equipment, and arranging financing to pay associated registration fees. Mr. Reavis was an original member of the Central Loudoun Basketball League, and was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award in 1993 by Central Loudoun Little League. RESOLUTION: -3- NAMING THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, THE PARK PAVILION, AND THE ENTRANCE ROAD AT FREEDOM PARK Unfortunately, Mr. Reavis lost his life in 1993 to cancer at the age of 24, and Central Loudoun Little League honored him by naming a room the "Steve Reavis Memorial Umpires Room" at their headquarters building located at Good Times Park; and WHEREAS, Lou Casciano was a local business owner and resident of Leesburg from 1974 until his passing in 2001. Mr. Casciano was a professional umpire for eight years in the minor leagues of professional baseball. He coached in the Central Loudoun Little League from 1983 to 1989, and coached in the Loudoun Youth Soccer Association from 1978 to 1987. Active in the location of youth athletic fields for soccer through the community activist program called "A Place to Play," Mr. Casciano dedicated all of his free time to youth soccer and youth baseball. Lou Casciano was well known in the community for his willingness to freely give his time, money, and energy to promote and support the participation of all youth in the local sports programs in Leesburg. His sense of humor, encouragement, and involvement in youth baseball and youth soccer made a lasting and positive impact on the lives of many local youths who have grown up to be active and contributing adults; and WHEREAS, Ed and Betsy Mayr have been residents of Leesburg since 1982, and Mr. Mayr is a veteran of the United States Army. Mr. and Mrs. Mayr have donated their time and energy to support the girls softball program in Leesburg since 1984. As a result, their combined efforts have been significant in nurturing the girls softball program from its infancy in 1984 to the level of success it currently enjoys as an impassioned sport in Leesburg and Loudoun County. Mr. Mayr was active as a coach in the girls softball program and with the summer travel teams. He became certified as a fast-pitch coach, and began hosting annual pitching clinics at the National Guard Armory from November to March for more than 60 interested players. While Ed Mayr was dedicated to coaching, Mrs. Mayr was the key to his success behind the scenes as RESOLUTION: NAMING THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, THE PARK PAVILION, AND THE ENTRANCE ROAD AT FREEDOM PARK she promoted the sport in the local newspapers by submitting game scores and related articles. Mrs. Mayr was responsible for the scorekeeping and the communications with the parents that are part of the "unseen" responsibilities of a successful coach and supporter of the league; and WHEREAS, Clyde Sexton is a long time resident of Leesburg who has been involved with coaching youth sports for 25 years. As an active coach and member of the Central Loudoun Youth Football League, Mr. Sexton has been instrumental in obtaining numerous donations for youth sports in Leesburg such as the original lights on the baseball field at Loudoun County High School and the goal posts at Evergreen Mill Elementary School. Mr. Sexton is considered to be a staple of youth football in the Leesburg and the Central Loudoun area exhibiting a true spirit of sportsmanship in a humble, soft-spoken manner; and WHEREAS, Henry Stowers was a long time resident of Loudoun County, and a long time resident of Leesburg graduating from Loudoun County High School in 1953. For more than 50 years, Mr. Stowers worked on his family farm in the Leesburg area that was approximately 500 acres stretching from Evergreen Mill Road to Sycolin Road along the boundary of Tolbert Lane directly across from the site of Freedom Park. A portion of the family farm is now the site for Simpson Middle School. Mr. Stowers served on the County of Loudoun Board of Supervisors from 1972 to 1979, the Union Cemetery Board in Leesburg, the Selective Service Board, and Director of the Loudoun County Soil and Water Conservation District among many other associations. Mr. Stowers tragically lost his life in a two-car accident near Arcola at an intersection along Evergreen Mill Road in 2001; and WHEREAS, Colonel Michael Grenata was a graduate of West Point, and veteran of World War I. As a resident of Leesburg for 33 years, Colonel Grenata was active in civic affairs, and was a long-time commander of American Legion Post 34 in Leesburg. Colonel Grenata RESOLUTION: -5- NAMING THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, THE PARK PAVILION, AND THE ENTRANCE ROAD AT FREEDOM PARK developed the Veterans Day program at area high schools in Loudoun County, and promoted patriotism, honor, and personal responsibility. Colonel Grenata lived to be 100 years of age before passing in 1998. The site now known as Freedom Park was formerly owned by the Grenata family. THEREFORE, RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia that: SECTION I. The athletic fields at Freedom Park are hereby named in honor of Robert Huber, Steve Reavis, Lou Casciano, Ed and Betsy Mayr, and Clyde Sexton for their significant contributions to youth sports in Leesburg; and SECTION II. The park pavilion at Freedom Park is hereby named in honor of Henry Stowers for his significant contributions to the community of Leesburg and the County of Loudoun; and the entrance road to Freedom Park is hereby named in honor of Colonel Michael Grenata for his significant contributions to Leesburg and to his nation. PASSED this 9th day of July 2002. x-Kxiat~C. Uifistattd, Mayor ( Town of Leesburg ATTEST: R02:Freedom Park Naming Fields.doc