Envision Critz, a local nonprofit organization, is working to establish a community center in Critz, across the street from Hardin Reynolds Memorial School. The organization has been developing the project for about two and a half years and has partnered with Reynolds Homestead and Virginia Tech to gather community input on the center’s potential offerings.
The primary focus now is securing funds to pay off the mortgage on the property, according to Envision Critz President Tom Steele. The organization needs to raise approximately $70,000 before it can begin developing the center and implementing requested community features.
“We’ve kind of got the bones in place to do this. What we’re working on now is paying for the property that we have a mortgage on. We have roughly $70,000 that we need to raise to pay off the mortgage so we can get started developing the center and all of the things that the community has asked for,” he said.
Many grants that could help fund the project require full ownership of the property or prohibit using grant money for property purchases, Steele said. As a result, paying off the mortgage is a critical step before further progress can be made.
“So, it’s really important that we get that taken care of so that we move forward with developing the community center,” he said.
To support this effort, the Patrick Springs Ruritan Club is hosting a barbecue fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Reynolds Homestead. Plates, priced at $15 each, include a choice of pork or chicken sandwich, slaw, baked beans, chips, a drink, and dessert.
Steele noted that several Envision Critz members are also involved in the Ruritan Club, and the fundraiser idea emerged during a club meeting. The event aligns with the Ruritan Club’s focus on community service and will also contribute to the organization’s recognition for service-based awards.
“One of the things that we do with the Ruritan Club is community outreach and service work and just thought it would be a good idea to do that and raise money because we try and get awards for doing community service and it helps the Envision Critz group as well,” he said.
In addition to the barbecue, Envision Critz will raffle off a generator purchased at a discount from Tractor Supply. Steele said the group chose a generator as a raffle prize because it is a practical item for many Patrick County residents.
“We’re going to raffle off a generator. We thought that’s something that almost anybody in Patrick County would enjoy having,” he said.
Julie Walters Steele, director, said the Reynolds Homestead is providing its property for the fundraiser at no cost to support the initiative.
Beyond fundraising events, Envision Critz plans to seek contributions from community members and the Hardin Reynolds Memorial School Alumni Association. Tom Steele emphasized that the project relies entirely on donations and outreach efforts to secure necessary funding.
“We’re 100 percent driven by donations, so just got to hit any and everybody that we can to try and help us get this paid off so we can get started developing something that will make Critz proud,” he said.
Once funding is secured, plans for the 12-acre property include a playground, picnic shelter, gardens, an environmental outdoor classroom, and three walking trails. The trails will vary in difficulty, with one meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, a second for moderate hikers, and a third designed for more advanced hiking.
In addition to recreational features, the trails will include informational placards detailing Critz’s history and notable historical figures from the area.
The property also contains two vacant houses. The organization hopes to restore a brick house on the site, while a nearby wooden house is believed to be beyond repair. The brick house, originally built by Vance Martin, played a key role in Critz’s history, as Martin developed the area into a commercial hub. According to Martin’s granddaughter, the house was initially constructed to attract a doctor to the community.
Steele said one idea under consideration is transforming the brick house into a historical center, possibly recreating a doctor’s office and incorporating exhibits about the Dick & Willie Railroad, which once played a vital role in Critz’s economy. The railroad’s removal during the war effort contributed to the area’s decline, Steele noted.
“One of the things we kicked around is recreating the office because the office room is still on the house, and then maybe having a room that gives the history of the Dick & Willie Railroad system. That’s kind of what we’ve been kicking around just to have a place that Critz can help with some tourism to the area to get people interested in what Critz was,” Steele said.
“Because Critz has a rich history, it just kind of withered away when the railroad tracks were pulled up for the war effort. It was just kind of there without the access of the Dick & Willie to get to where it needed to go.”
The organization is also considering repurposing the wooden house’s façade to create an outdoor stage or classroom area.
“We want it to be just a nice gathering place for folks in the community. Our goal is just to make a special place in Critz that will serve the community and Patrick County, and hopefully, it entices people to come to the area to see what’s going on in Critz and down at the Reynolds Homestead as well. We just want to make a place that will attract people,” he said.
Donations can be mailed to Envision Critz P.O. Box 156 Critz, VA 24082.
For more information, visit Facebook.com/EnvisionCritz.
