February 2, 2006

The Honorable John C. Watkins

General Assembly Building

Richmond, VA 23219

Dear Senator Watkins:

We understand that you will be hosting a “Town Hall Meeting” tonight at the County Seat Restaurant in Powhatan. Due to a schedule conflict, we will be unable to personally attend but we would like to offer this letter to make a point for the record and for your consideration.

We understand that some of your constituents don’t want the park entrance to be from Old River Trail Road as is proposed; rather, their preference would be for the entrance road to go through the Juvenile Justice Facility. Other constituents prefer the proposed approach.

It is also our understanding that the Master Plan Advisory Committee has duly considered this issue and determined that the entrance from Old River Trail Road is the preferred option. Basically, their rationale is that the entrance to a State Park being through a prison facility would be inappropriate for both aesthetic and security reasons.

We agree with and totally support the Master Plan Advisory Committee’s determination. Thank you for the opportunity to express our position on the park entrance issue. If we can provide additional information or be of help to you in any way, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Johnny Finch, President

Virginia Association for Parks