Wolf Trap Park

Park Hours

  • April 1 to August 31 - 8 am to 8 pm daily
  • September 1 to March 31 - 8 am to 5 pm daily

The park is subject to closure due to inclement weather for safety reasons and to protect the turf fields. During inclement weather, the park gates will remain locked.

About the Park

This 28-acre reclaimed fly ash site features 4 soccer fields and restrooms. The park supports the County's soccer program and is the host site for select soccer and adult league matches. Two ponds also exist on the site. Also on this site is the County's Memorial Tree Grove. This grove provides an opportunity for friends, relatives, and organizations to commemorate deceased citizens of York County.

Features:

  • Parking
  • Restrooms
  • Soccer Field (Permit Required)

Restrictions and Rules

  • Alcoholic Beverages are prohibited
  • All-Terrain Vehicles are prohibited
  • No Bikes on Grass
  • No Digging
  • No Fires (Grilling by Permit)
  • No Glass Containers
  • No Golfing
  • No Mini-Bikes or Go-Karts
  • No Model Planes or Rockets
  • No Skateboards
  • Pets must be on a leash (owner must pick up waste)

Fly Ash Success Story

Thanks to a unique agreement among Virginia Power, York County, and the Environmental Protection Agency, softball teams today shag fly balls, and soccer players score goals on a "Superfund" site where fly ash and petroleum coke once polluted well water. The $10 million change from waste site to recreational parks occurred in 1991 with the dedication of 2 softball fields at Chisman Creek Park. Four youth soccer fields, known as Wolf Trap Park, were opened in the spring of 1992. EPA Study Results

Project History

From 1957 to 1974, a local contractor hauled away fly ash generated by burning coal and petroleum coke at the Yorktown Power Station and placed it in three pits on his property along Chisman Creek, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. In 1980, 2 residents who lived near the pits noticed a yellowish-green tint in their well water. Tests showed the water-contained vanadium, which is contained in petroleum coke and coke ash, above background levels. 

In 1983, the EPA placed the Chisman Creek site on the "Superfund" list, because of the levels of trace metals above that normally found in the immediate area. Remedial action normally would have included an area secured with a fence and barbed wire.

Project Outcome

York County and Virginia Power had a better idea. Although no one had taken a "Superfund" site and made it useful to a community before, they came up with the idea for the recreational parks. Virginia Power will always be involved at Chisman Creek; the company owns the land and will retain liability for the fly ash and any contamination from the fly ash. York County is leasing the land from the company for a fee equal to County property tax charges.

But the involvement is more pleasant today because of a unique partnership between the company, the County, and the federal government. And the beneficiaries can be seen during the spring, summer, and fall, hitting and catching softballs and kicking soccer balls.

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