ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke Park Foundations says they will no longer work with the City of Roanoke regarding future projects.
This decision comes after the completion of the Mill Mountain Trail, which added more than 4 miles of bike trails.
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The foundation was announced back in 2022 as a non-profit organization to support the city’s parks and recreation department.
According to a press release from 2022, the foundation would “raise funds, accept gifts and provide additional resources to enhance the department’s existing programs, services, facilities and technology.”
In an email, Vice Mayor Terry McGuire told 10 News the following:
I am very disappointed that this issue has been allowed to fester and worsen to the point we are at today. We just can’t afford, financially and in social capital, to lose the support of our volunteers and the private donors who have worked so hard and given so much to make improvements to our parks where the city could not or would not. I sincerely thank the Roanoke Parks Foundation and their supporters for all their work and encourage them to sit tight on any remaining funds. We will get this sorted out.
10 News reached out to the City of Roanoke for comments, and they responded with the following statement:
We value our partnerships with nonprofit organizations and recognize their important role in supporting parks, trails, and other community projects. A large, multi-party project like the Mill Mountain Trail expansion supported by the Parks Foundation, involved complex coordination and differing perspectives, but we appreciate the Parks Foundation’s contributions and constructive collaboration.
However, any arrangement involving work on City property or public rights-of-way is reviewed to ensure compliance with applicable law, appropriate insurance and liability protections, and alignment with the City’s obligations to the public. When volunteers or non-City employees perform work on City property, additional precautions are necessary to protect both the public and the individuals doing the work. The City takes those responsibilities seriously. An MOU was put in place to ensure that work performed on City property that benefits the City, complies with all public procurement laws - regardless of where the funds come from. We rarely allow others to procure services on behalf of the City, but in those extraordinary circumstances, we have an MOU in place to ensure the third party complies with all applicable laws and policies.
We welcome future partnerships and continue to pursue grants, public funding and private donations for future parks and recreation projects.
People who walk the trails advocated for its continued support.
“I can actually see the trails from my backyard and I will be sitting there at night and I will see dozens of lights go by, and it’s because I know people are out there on their mountain bikes and there’s groups of people just mountain biking in the middle of the night,” Vivian Mao said. “So I think people use the trails day and night for all kinds of things. I think it’s a great draw to the community. It’s just that’s what Roanoke is about. I feel like it’s about being outside.”
10 News reached out to Roanoke Parks Foundation for comment, but hadn’t received a reply.