I am very pleased to share that the NVTRP Board of Directors has voted to move forward with groundbreaking for the Build to Thrive Building Project this December!
As many of you know, we have been working toward this announcement for nearly five years. Soon after purchasing our property in 2012, planning began for a series of capital improvements, including the construction of an indoor riding arena that will allow current riders to ride year-round, regardless of the weather and allow us to serve new and broader populations.
In order to break ground as soon as possible, the project now includes three phases:
Phase I: Facility Transformation, including a larger, lighted outdoor riding ring; expanded parking area and a widened roadway into the property; an accessible playground; and very significant infrastructure and foundation work needed to meet Fairfax County codes and requirements. This is the most expensive, complicated piece of the project and includes all of the foundation work needed for completing the indoor riding arena and barn in Phases II and III.
Phase II: Indoor Riding Arena Completion, including the construction of the 17,000 square foot indoor riding arena, and climate-controlled lesson observation area, education room, and restroom.
Phase III: New Barn, the construction of a new 20-stall barn.
To date, we have raised just shy of $3M, which is 75% of the $4M needed to complete Phases I and II. Scott-Long Construction, our general contractor, will break ground on Phase I in December. Once we have raised approximately 70% of the remaining $1M needed to fund Phase II, we will move forward with the indoor arena, while continuing to fundraise for Phase III: The New Barn. Preliminary estimates for the barn are $500,000.
It is estimated that Phase I construction will take 4-5 months. The timing of groundbreaking for Phases II and III will depend on how quickly the balance of the funding is raised, with a projected Phase II groundbreaking no later than December 2018. There are financial savings to be realized if we can complete multiple phases at once.
We have plans solidly in place to move the herd to near-by off-site locations during construction and to continue offering lessons. Our horses will be comfortable, and lovingly cared for throughout this process, and our riders can continue to receive services. Stay tuned for more details on the carefully planned logistics for horses, riders, and volunteers.
You can learn more or make a gift by visiting our website or contacting Development Director Wendy Baird at wbaird@nvtrp.org or (703) 764-0269. Your help in sharing this information with any friends or family members who might like to help make this dream a reality is much appreciated!
NVTRP was recently the live remote location for Great Day Washington, Channel 9 morning news. These two spots are great ways to share the NVTRP story. Please enjoy watching them and feel free to distribute them widely.
An NVTRP Overview, featuring Chukker:
NVTRP Parent and Board Member Mitch Martin and Daughter Leah
We are grateful to have you as part of our community of people who care about people with disabilities, youth-at-risk, and recovering military service personnel and hope you will join us in celebrating this historical moment for NVTRP!
Sincerely,
Kelsey Gallagher
Executive Director