BASSETT – Philpott Marina and the adjoining group campground site in Henry County will undergo an expansion and upgrades with help from a $62,500 grant from The Harvest Foundation.
Officials with Henry County look to add 16 boat slips and supporting infrastructure to the marina, improve existing campsites, and evaluate feasibility of adding sites at the group campground with added amenities to the highly successful area.Upgrades at the campground will allow for year-round camping and include a dedicated boat dock just for campers.
“The original Marina construction was a booming success long before completion and the very long waiting list states the obvious need for this expansion,” said Allyson Rothrock, president of The Harvest Foundation. “This both enhances our tourism opportunities and spotlights one of our most precious gems, Philpott Lake. The campground popularity and trends of bookings well in advance also highlights the cutting edge recreational opportunities available to our families and tourists, alike. The strong partnership on this initiative has strengthened our quality of life offerings for all.”
The marina holds a waiting list of 124 people, and the campground site is booked six months in advance. The site is fully sustainable and self-funded with collected revenues.
“The addition of the Philpott Marina and Group Campground to our parks system has been a great benefit to local residents and visitors alike,” said Roger Adams, director of Parks and Recreation for Henry County. “The marina allows for local residents to rent slips and enjoy easier access to the lake and the store provides them with fuel and other boating supplies directly on the lake. The marina and campground has also brought many new visitors to Henry County and Philpott Lake both for boating and camping. Those new visitors contribute positively to the economic activity in our area. We look forward to welcoming many new people to the lake with the addition of the marina slips and other improvements.”
The foundation’s grant award represents 20 percent of the total project budget, which is approximately $312,500. The project has a preliminary completion date of October 2020. Partners in the expansion include the County of Henry, Army Corp of Engineers, Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation, Dan River Basin Association and The Harvest Foundation.