Morven Park Announces New Site Plan

will soon go through a tranformation that will better serve the local community after members of the Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation’s Board of Trustees recently adopted a comprehensive, multi-year site plan, providing a vision of what the property could become.

The foundation, which oversees the 1,200-acre Morven Park property adopted a new strategic plan for the site in 2010, identifying 28 strategies to achieve four goals: to promote civic leadership, to increase opportunities for the public to enjoy Morven Park’s history and landscape, to promote health and wellness, and develop a financially sound organization. Key among those 28 strategies was the creation of a master site plan.

According to Executive Director Frank Milligan the plan was finally adopted on Dec. 12 after months of meeting with local individuals and organizations with interest and expertise in political and agricultural history, equine sports, nature and the outdoors, and gardening and agriculture.

It includes separate trail systems for pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians; and easier access through Morven Park including additional roads and trails linking the mansion grounds with the equestrian center.

There will also be sports fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and flag football, Milligan said. Other highlights include water features, a “Governors’ Walk” that will guide visitors through the gardens and to a new visitors center, the mansion, a new Coach House Discovery Center, a revitalized Winmill Carriage Museum, and the Turkey Hill educational farm.

The master plan will not only improve Morven Park’s facilities, Milligan said, but it will also meet the needs of the greater community. 

“The saying is if you don’t know where you’re going you’re never going to get there and that’s what’s really exciting about this,” Milligan said. “For the first time Morven Park has a road map and a vision for the future.”

In addition, Milligan said the plan calls for extensive enhancements to the equestrian center. The current equestrian facilities, considered by most users as being well past their primes, will be replaced with new barns, as well as indoor and outdoor arenas. Loudoun Therapeutic Riding, which makes its home at Morven Park, also will build a new indoor arena, stables and offices.

There is no specific date for when everything will be complete, he said, but the number one goal is to provide more programs, services and opportunities for everyone who visits the property.

“We’ve got fundraising to do before we get there but this allows us to really sit down with people who might be inclined to support us and share our mission with them,” Milligan said, adding that the plan’s implementation will be largely dependent upon raising outside funding from individuals, corporations and foundations. “That’s the first step to a successful fundraising effort.”

Whether it’s the meadows, creek bends, mountain trails or sport fields, all 1200 acres will be active and that’s a great feeling, he said.

In addition, Morven Park will continue to host the annual Memorial Day weekend Virginia Foxhound Club show, the largest hound show in the world. However, due to financial reasons, the board decided to discontinue the annual steeplechase race and allocate its resources and fund raising efforts to improve its equestrian facilities and programs.

To learn more about upcoming programs, memberships, or the future plans for Morven Park visit www.MorvenPark.org.