By Virginia Lascara
virginia.lascara@insidebiz.com
Alongside Prosperity Road in Virginia Beach, next to 70 acres of open land, the governor, the mayor of Virginia Beach and other officials broke ground on what will become a place where wounded veterans, families of the fallen, and adults and children with special needs can prosper.
On April 17, The Virginia Gentlemen invited sponsors and other guests to the groundbreaking of JT's Camp Grom, an adventure camp and park designed for people with disabilities. The park will occupy 20 acres, with the rest of the 50-acre wetland site remaining undeveloped, save for disability-friendly nature trails.
The Virginia Gentlemen Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2007, is dedicated to helping area families affected by disabilities. In 2008, the Virginia Gentlemen narrowed its focus to support those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS when Josh "JT" Thompson, one of the founding members of the foundation and son of Virginia Beach developer Bruce Thompson, was diagnosed with the disease.
The foundation then created and funded the annual JT Walk & Beach Party, which donates its proceeds to the national ALS Association.
The JT Walk, which is held each year at the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, has been recognized by the national society as the largest single-day walk and ALS fundraiser.
In 2010, the foundation built the $2 million JT's Grommet Island Beach Park & Playground, a completely accessible beach park located at the Oceanfront at First Street in Virginia Beach.
"When we built Grommet Island, it became obvious to my son, the Virginia Gentlemen and myself that there was a huge need for a larger recreational area," Bruce Thompson said.
Wounded veterans desperately need a place where they can once again enjoy recreational activities with other veterans and families in similar situations, Thompson added.
"We love the military in Virginia Beach," Mayor Will Sessoms said at the groundbreaking. "We're taking care of the people who are serving today, but we want to take care of the people who have served before because we want them to continue to love this city. They are the backbone of this city, and we're so grateful for them."
The camp, a public-private partnership, was made possible in May 2013 when the Virginia Beach City Council unanimously approved a 40-year lease for the camp, for just $1 per year. The property is located next to Red Wing Golf Course, at Birdneck and Prosperity roads.
Before Virginia Beach could lease the 70-acre plot to The Virginia Gentlemen, they had to get state approval of the plan because the state controlled the deed restriction on the land. Next, the city attorneys had to finalize the deal.
The adventure camp park, which will be fully funded by donations and grants though the Virginia Gentleman Foundation, has an estimated construction cost of $15 million.
In just 90 days, the foundation raised $13.5 million of the $15 million needed, Thompson said.
On Sunday, May 3, the Virginia Gentleman will present Crushfest, a music festival with live performances, including one by national country duo Thompson Square. All proceeds from Crushfest will go toward construction costs of Camp Grom. Other major sponsors include Waterman's Seaside Grill and Sentara Healthcare.
After construction is completed in spring 2016, the management of the camp will be handled by the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, which will run operations out of the camp's 4,000-square-foot welcome center.
"In all my years at the Y, rarely have I seen a project that addresses such a significant unmet need and one as noble as helping families of wounded veterans, gold star families, and strengthening families of children with special needs," said Billy George, president and CEO of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads.
"I've never been more proud to work with the Virginia Gentlemen on JT's Camp Grom. It's about empowering people's abilities to do things, not their inability to do things."
Hampton Roads is home to 49,000 wounded veterans. One in 10 adults has a disability, and one in 11 school-aged children has a disability or a cognitive impairment. Added together, these numbers total nearly 210,000 people with disabilities in Hampton Roads.
When family members are included, that number becomes much higher.
Camp Grom will accommodate a wide range of disabilities, including children and adults with physical or intellectual disabilities, and will provide programs and opportunities for personal development, education, fitness, entertainment and social gatherings.
"Camp Grom will offer unique recreation and relaxation opportunities to children with disabilities, wounded veterans and families who have lost a loved one in combat," Gov. Terry McAuliffe said. "I commend the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation on their innovative idea to open up our commonwealth's wonderful tourism assets to families who deserve an opportunity to enjoy them."
The camp will feature a 13,000-square-foot aquatic center with a zero-entry, or beach-entry, pool, lap lanes, aquatic therapy, pool basketball and volleyball, lockers, changing rooms and restrooms, and a Flow Rider - an indoor surfing/body board feature that has been proven therapeutic and fun for amputees and people with paralysis.
At 5,000 square feet, the "gymnatorium" - part gym, part auditorium - will be the largest indoor facility, and will house activities such as basketball and volleyball, as well as various other games, recitals and events.
Another 4,500-square-foot indoor space will be for arts and crafts, learning centers and classrooms, meetings, games, movies, and will have a catering kitchen.
Other features include an adventure ropes course for all ability levels, including those with wheelchairs, a splash park and tiki café, an outdoor amphitheater, walking trails, cable wakeboarding and boating on a private lake with an accessible beach.
"We are so proud to see this project move one step closer to reality," said Ross Vierra, chairman and founding member of Virginia Gentlemen. "This will be the only park of its kind on the East Coast, and we already have had tremendous response from service organizations throughout Virginia and beyond to use this park when it opens."
Site design and landscape architecture for the camp was completed by WPL, and architectural plans were initiated by Clark Nexsen, with contributions from additional firms.
MEB General Contractors will be in charge of the construction of the camp.