Yes I must admit, I shouldn’t have necessarily added that to my post. I just got defensive because I love my sport, and to be honest it’s now a lifestyle for me. That being said, I’m going to defend it, just as you would defend your family. Every single paintball player is included in our family, thus why we (all the ballers) try our best to be kind to eachother.

@mason:

1.  I haven’t read all 115 comments.  Yours was the last and I noted some incredible spelling errors and grammar.  That is the only reason I picked you.

2.  I never questioned your intelligence - congratulations on your good grades.  I did question your writing skills which need a lot of work.

3.  I never told you (someone I don’t know) what to do.  I did give you a suggestion, and you would be wise to consider it.

4.  However, you did tell someone you don’t know what to do.  You told Ms. Twinings, that “you can go and burn in hades.”  You didn’t need to go there.  It was rude.  It was disrespectful.  It was unwarranted.  It does nothing to make your point.  If you want to be taken seriously you might want (again, just a suggestion) to leave those kinds of remarks out and consult a dictionary occasionally.

I hope you will take this for the constructive criticism that it is.  Again, good luck to you, Mason.

Not to mention that you may not suggest that, I find it quite rude that you are questioning my writing ability and my overall intelligence. Might I suggest you not tell people what they should do when you don’t know them. I happen to be an A and B student.
Thank you for your time,
Also I still find it all unrelated.

Well I do apologize for my horrible writing. However I find this unrelated to the above topic. I also find it funny that out of everybody’s typos you choose mine. Could you please elaborate on why?

@Mason:  given your writing skills, might I suggest that you spend a little more time in the classroom and on your homework, and a little less time at PEV?  Shooting paintballs is great fun, but over the long haul the writing skills will be of much greater benefit. Good luck to you.

Mrs. Twinings,
You obviously have every right to complain and moan about the noise. But let me paint a pcture for you, would you rather listen to the small clicks of paintball markers or the crashing and shattering of your windows? You see not only is paintball a great way to exercise and have comrodery with other people. (Being social etc. Obviously you are not) but its a great way to keep children out of trouble. You see the revenue taken from tournaments and even just weekend warriors far outweighs the noise problem. To be quite honest, none of your above statements have made any sense. I think you just wanted to rid paintball of its current place of operation by raising a huge stin about it. If you want to help with the noise and stuff YOU pay for the trees, You wanna help the enviroment? YOU go pick up all the paintballs from the fields, otherwise if you just want to complain about it, Please do it in your own home. Don’t expose it to a newspaper, people drive a long way to play paintball, I’m a player myself and getting ready for my first tournament. If you can’t except that kids want to play something that makes them happy, frankly you can go and burn in hades. If joy makes you mad, theres just something emensley wrong with you.

Well, after reading this massive cluster**** of a scattered argument.
I have never been to PEV’s
however, this just means i’m not biased towards the topic, when i go right ahead and say.
Who does this lady think she is?
Their field is a business, and a spot for entertainment, like most businesses, it is allowed to run at it’s allowed hours, regardless of who likes it or not.
  I think she may just possibly have something against the sport?
just maybe?
I can see as a homeowner that she wouldn’t want noise, but, if the law doesn’t say that they have to not operate until a certain time, well they can.
People in society are so blatantly ####### ignorant that they don’t take other people into account, like i said, yes, she’s a homeowner, congratulations, but the field is doing nothing to your house, or your environment as it is all bio degradable paint, which in short means, it dissolves, and it is made of canola oil and colouring last i checked.
  (Wikipedia is your best friend)
so, i cannot help but ponder why people think that they can just call the cops on what they don’t like.
Maybe i don’t like People who whine about paintball fields, you see me calling the cops?

Oh wait.
I have a brain.

Sorry I’m late to this.  Mike Peverill has invested insurmountable time, money and effort on this absolutely fantastic park.  I fully understand the complainants view since I remember a story much like hers.  Many years ago my granddad moved out of the city and bought a country farm in NJ in order to get away from the city grind.  It was vast, quiet, and peaceful.  Then the developers came with the desire to improve what in all sense could not be improved upon.  Within 10 years my granddad had the NJ Turnpike bisecting his farm.  10 years later the farm was gone.  He didn’t mind, he understood that progress and expansion go hand in hand and that he should have moved further out for lasting peace.  Planning Boards look at the bigger picture and I’m sure they did with the PEV’s park.  It’s a wonderful place where young and old alike can play the sport in a natural setting.  I’ve seen whole families, war vets, police officers and even priests enjoying themselves in a sport not many who are unhappy fully understand.  Unfortunately it appears they will never be happy. The entire region is undergoing a massive revitalization and growth.  This park will prove to be a fantastic addition to the community.

I forgot to mention:  Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, countless faith communities that are all facilitating youth activities, countless youth volunteer opportunities for kids that want to give back.  Then there is relatively easy access to the many opportunities throughout the metropolitan DC area.  I will spare you that list.

Just because teens (including me) for time immemorial have cried, “I’m bored,” it doesn’t mean there is nothing to do.

Leesburg SE, I don’t have a dog in this fight.  I don’t care about paintball one way or another.  But I just have to shake my head in wonder over the comment that there is not much for teenagers to do in Loudoun County.  This is the wealthiest county in the country.  There are ball parks and basketballs courts.  There is the WO&D trail (biking, walking roller blading).  There are other hiking trails.  There is the Potomac River, Goose Creek and Catoctin Creek.  Leesburg has a skateboard arena.  There are countless extracurricular activities for teenagers.  There are theatres and the Dulles Town Center.  There are community centers conducting youth activities all over the County.  There are swimming pools in every community.  The list just goes on and on and on.  Go to rural Virginia and see what they have to do.  Go to Afghanistan and see what they have to do.  Our kids, here in Loudoun, have it pretty darn good by comparison. 

There are lots of reasons to disagree with the letter against paintball, but lack of recreation opportunities for Loudoun’s youth is not one of them.  It is not even close.

While I understand this person’s frustration, folks have to realize that there isn’t much for teenagers to actually do in this county.  PEVS is a place to burn energy, get dirty, and have fun in a safe environment.  The paintballs are made of something like vegetable oil and degrade quickly without harming the environment.  My teens love paintball parks so I’m thumbs up for PEVS on this issue.  On the flip side though, it would be nice if PEVS would plant, and take care of, a tree line - with pines or some sort of evergreen, to protect homeowners from the view. That’s just being “neighborly”.

Also one more note before I’m done, the lady says that “I’m afraid that all we can do is watch this monster grow and invade our environment”. Ma’am if you’re going to be an environmentalist, do it right. This isn’t OUR environment. Our massive housing/building structures encroach on animal territory. So to be quite honest, that statement is a little bit hypocritical :) Just saying.

Look I’m not saying she doesn’t have the right to enjoy her home. Not by any means. She has EVERY right to enjoy her home, just as everyone else in America does. All I am saying is if she has an issue with the field, take it up with the OWNER. If you go and call the cops or make a big public scene out of everything of course you’re going to get bashed and get called out. It’s between you and the owner of the field.
Also I don’t believe it’s an issue with her enjoying her home as she’s coming up with off the wall reasons for her complaints..(i.e. Environemntal safety). If she wasn’t making ignorant claims, that had some valid backing, I would support her in her decision to complain. However, if you want to just take a shot in the dark at the field then by all means, bring it on as you are attacking a sport that’s built like a family. And when one of our members is attacked, we all jump in. Also, I understand what “tyranny of the majority is”. You want to get deep into this “old man” then lets go. Alright I don’t like rap music, yet I don’t go around calling the cops or writing to newspaper articles when there’s a hip-hop or a rap event in town, or when some “gangsta” or whatever the hell they call themselves these days goes around blaring it in his/her car. I don’t like country, or big trucks. Yet I don’t get on CNN bashing Big wheels, big antennas and tractors, now do I? This is where I’m coming from as a paintballer. Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean you bash it because it exists. If you provide a legitimate complaint to the field, I am sure that they will work with you to reach a reasonable median. I may have been a little immature in this post and the last however, it just really gets to me when people attack the sport. It’s misunderstood as is and given a bad rep due to immature kids running around with paintball guns shooting up houses, or shooting eachother with frozen paint. There are some responsible people who do this as a hobby, and there are some of us, that this is our lifestyle. So when something negative is said or done in regards to our sport we react out of instinct. And I apologize for my rudeness and immaturity, as I understand where this woman is coming from as a home owner, but you also need to look at things from a paintballers point of view.

Bravo, “Preston”, you have raised the bar of ignorance on the majority of these posts.  You all seem to think just because you enjoy PEV’s, and that it makes money that this lady has no right to enjoy her home. One day when you are older you may understand what the “tyranny of the majority is” but it is obvious you have some growing up to do son.

Yay for another ignroant tree hugger. As aforementioned by another patron, paintballs are biodegradable. It’s people like you that make this country such #### hole to live in. You’re just another person who is so fed up and disgusted with how bland their own life is that you have to drag everyone else down into your little pity party. Paintball is a great outlet for kids, and adults alike. All I have to say to lady… is go get laid, you seriously need it badly if you’re this uptight. Or even better, go play some paintball and see how much enjoyment you get out of it.
Oh and on another note, I’m sure you wouldn’t be whining and complaining about it, if it were a baseball or football feild now would you? Because those are great sports right? Just thought I’d throw that in there :)

Wow i read every single comment and i agree PEV’S is awesome. I’ve been playing for 2 years and just started taking my son along and he use to be on the heavy side, after all this exercise im proud of him. he use to get bullied at school, it got to the point where his grades dropped because he didnt want to go to school never the less class. thanks to pevs its all different now. There isnt much to say its just diana has to realize paintball is another sport, which has rules and regulations and they are being followed. Like many people say its only once a year that you will hear loud noise but its just like 4th of july, only i can bet alot less noisier. Diana give it a chance go to the field while you are there go to the concession stand, sit back and just watch how people who don’t even know each other interact, laugh, and watch their loved once having fun in the sport. Next thing you know you will learn to just suck it up in the noisy times because you will then know that a 13, 16, or even 18 year old is spending their time being productive and not breaking into your car, or house, or getting high along with your kids and dog.

First off, PEVS uses Draxxus paintballs and all are biodegradable.  This is the reason that PEVS enforces this policy and only allows these paintballs at their fields.  You won’t get much on the “research” that you are talking about.  Secondly, PEVS had a noise ordinence for those few days.  The time was until 11:00pm just in case, and that was the time that the county gave them.  Your argument about lights has nothing to do with anything here since PEVS never uses lights to begin with.  Just go ahead and throw that argument out the window.

As a long-time paintball player myself (10 years) and a school teacher in Fairfax County, I feel that this is a great outlet for kids of today.  As one person said earlier “didn’t people use to smoke dope and drink outside your house?”.  I see so many kids at the field being active and staying out of trouble.  I’m happy to see them there having fun instead of hiding somewhere getting high/drunk. 

This paintball tournament, along with last year’s and the ones to come, bring so much revenue to Loudon Kelly.  The hotels and restaurants in the area benefit greatly from the amount of players that come through there at those times.

There was one trailer there for 3 weeks and that was because they were resting and waiting to resume a trip down to another paintball tournament.  The other trailers were there for maybe a week. 

This argument that you have brought forth has concluded to be an insult upon yourself.  Your facts are wrong and ill researched.  Paintball has been nothing but good for the northern Virginia community and will continue to do so as long as PEVS is around.

Today’s world is filled with obesity, Internet isolation, video games, and self centered attitudes.  It is wonderful to have a place where kids and their families can enjoy exercise, fresh air, team building, and fun in a safe environment, which obeys all of the counties regulations. Not to mention all the other benefits to the county that PEV’s provides.  Thanks PEV’s!!!

Ok pevs, I just typed my 2nd response and now my son informed me that the Aug tournament is cancelled??  Is this true? Please some let us know as we are out of town and back 2morrow-had planned to play this weekend-I just hope its not been cancelled bcuz of someones inability to work out their concerns as mature adults and neighbors.

I would agree with the recent poster-the Times has created this as a forum and it has boasted well for educating all-a little dissappointed in some of the unconstructive responses. Was bound to happen.  I think we’ve heard the environmental argument well versed here. We have pool swimming tournaments in our county all summer on weeknights and weekend mornings early. They are far louder. On occasion there were challengers but they were defeated by the county-the noise ordinance ruled the day. No change was made. Swim meets are still ongoing. Its a growing world. People in this area need to learn to live together better. Having deployed to Afgh., these issues are really minor but folks occasionally get too wrapped around the axle about too much light, too much noise, too many guests coming to homes, parking in front of houses on curbs - the folks here in the north could use a good dose of reality from some other countries, and get some southern hospitality. Stop being so mean and nasty and go work it out with your neighbor.

We actually, when we first moved here due to our govt jobs, had a neighbor call the police on us the day we moved in bcuz the mover drove on his yard and he wanted me to fix the yard that day with sod, in the middle of December. The cop was so embarrassed to knock on my door but the neighbor insisted on documenting the damage with a police report. I mean really folks, reducing ourselves to this is an embarrasment to American culture.

I could care less one way or another about paint ball.  Congratulations to the paint baller folks for speaking up about their passion.  The only place I can take issue is with the suggestion that the Loudoun Times Mirror should have squashed Ms. Twining’s letter.  What the Loudoun Times Mirror is providing is free speech at it’s very best.  Ms. Twining has a right to express her opionion as do the paint ball crowd. 

After a recent editorial about immigration issues there were also nearly 100 postings and several of them commented on the fact that the Loudoun Times Mirror was not longer worth lining their cat’s litter boxes or some such thing because they did not like the position the paper had taken.  These people simply do not get it.

By printing one woman’s letter followed by 94 other responses, the Loudoun Times Mirror has done an incredible job of giving the community an opportunity for input. Given the outcome, paint ballers should be thrilled that Ms. Twining’s letter was printed.

Many thanks to the Loudoun Times Mirror for giving the entire community a forum for input, discussion, debate and more.  This is civic journalism at it’s very best.  To the folks at the Loudoun Times Mirror, I just want to say, keep up the good work of providing opportunities for very lively citizen engagement!

Paintballing is good clean fun that helps promote team spirit. Kids and Adults go there for the FUN of it… How about if Pevs starts a 15 year tree planting plan that allows for input from neighbors? However, maybe they will share some of the cost also… hmmmmmmm

To whom it may concern,

Since the contents of paintballs are non-toxic, I’m not sure your environmental complaint carries any weight.  The most harmful ingredient is polyethylene glycol (a laxative).  While mass consumption may cause gastrointestinal distress in the young or infirm, one would have to consume a significant quantity before any real harm befell them.

Additionally, the contents of paint balls have a foul taste.  There’s no other way to put it, it’s like eating soap.  This is not a case like antifreeze, where the substance is toxic and its taste is compelling to animals.

I’m sorry you’re displeased with living near a location where the community can get together and engage in fun, outdoor, and physically exerting entertainment.  But I’m sure that if you look at it from an objective standpoint, the benefits to the community far outweigh any negatives.

Thank you for your time.

I think if she is complaing about trees then she just needs to talk to pevs themselves and talk to them about a plan so there are buffers between her and the “other” complainers

So.. 94 posts and counting with 99% opposing Diana Twining’s position.  I find it interesting that the Loudoun Times provided a forum for this complaint to begin with.  Of all the opinions submitted to the Times, the editorial staff felt this had merit and was worth printing and disseminating?  Seems that with little effort, the Times would have been able to gauge the County’s pulse on this.  Especially given that PEV’s is operating in full compliance of Loudoun County laws and regulations.  Suspect this media outlet is emblematic of what we are seeing with much of the national media regarding wide ranges of topics such as immigration, the economy, etc.  The voice/opinion of the minority is given favor over those of the majortiy.  I understand the need to hear the voice of the minority, but without balance and context it does a everyone a disservice.  I challenge the Times to print a favorable opinion letter expressing the value of having PEV’s as part of this county’s community.  While the many benefits to the county is obvious to most, I doubt we’ll see the Times print a rebuttal of any sort to Diana Twinings baseless NIMBY rantings.

I feel very lucky to have PEV’s as part of my family’s Loudoun County lifestyle.  Hey Diana - if you can’t beat’em, join’em!  Love to see you out at PEV’s one day on the other end of my paintball marker :-p

Diana Twining, Pev’s is complying with the law!

Is there not enough hate in the world already, or do you really need to add to it? 

This National level tournament occurs ONCE a year. 

I doubt there is anything that can be said to you to make you change your feelings, but I hope you can take into consideration the amount of revenue these tournaments create for many different companies operated not just here local to Northern Virginia, but also on a National level.

On top of numerous financial benefits these tournaments enable there is something to be said for the positive TEAM(together everyone achieves more) concept that competitive paintball employs.  I know paintball makes people better team members at work, with their families, and in their communities. 

The amount of benefit both personal and/or financial to all people involved with this tournament far outweigh any negative that stem from it.  It is unfortunate the noise bothers you so much and I’m sorry you had to look at 2 Paintball 18 wheelers for a week, but if you could take a step back from viewing yourself as the center of the world you will find that noise isn’t so bad at all!

the field isnt gonna move anytime soon. unless you want to find a new plot of land for Pevs and pay to have the whole field including the building moved

I wish my community had a Pevs the joy these players find in this sport is unmatched by any other that I have witnessed.  I spent 4 years traveling with my son to various paintball parks and tournaments and we had a wonderful time. The kids and adults I met had more respect for then environment than most environmenalist who want it preserved instead of enjoyed.  They use pressurized air to propel a biodegradable paintball toward another human (not an endangered species) in a closed area under supervision.

I hope if you bought your home before PEVS was permitted you took part in your county government process for permit review. If you purchased your home after the park was open then you were fully aware of what existed there. I have watched so called “environmentalist” rob me of access to the Cape Hatteras Recreational Area over the past 4 years and the only true concern for the environment is to deny others the freedom to enjoy our resource.

As for the buffer zone I am sure if you and your neighbors want to maintain an area to buffer the property there is no one stopping that process.

People complain about kids doing horrible things and now people complain about kids in a controlled environment.  I am 50 years old and hope I have the ability to support kids rights for the rest of my life.

Sorry my son and I never made it to Pevs but maybe with my grandkids!

Look im sure we all understand your concerns. But the truth is, as everybody is saying. Paintball is a non harm-full sport played by many. First off, paintballs are made from a hardened outer gel shell. filled with a non-toxic bio degradable gel filling with a few drops of dye, that can be dissolved in water within 10 or so minutes. And as a paintballer my self. Pevs provides a ver healthy non dangerous sport for all who care to participate in it.
i hope you understand my reasoning as well as everybody else’s.

sincerely
Jake

Mrs Twining,  I just want to say that I understand your point and empathise but you have to see both sides of this.  First I want to point out to you that the paint is a gelatin based filling with simple dyes.  It has been tested and isnt harmful to plants or wildlife.  Also, I wanted to point out that these are the same kids playing paintball, as a positive hobby, keeping them positivly motivated in a sport everyone can play and off the streets and out of trouble.

I am in the Army currently and deployed overseas, this is a very positive and good thing for the young kids to do.  Gives them goals, positive motivation, teaches teamwork and gives them something to look forward to.  You have to think about this, these are the same young kids that without a positive hobby could be robbing your house for drugs rather than having a good hobby that is teaching them to be better people.

Be careful what you wish for, something that turning up the tv or radio up slightly, might take care of. 

There are worse things in the world that other young kids are over here with me dying for our freedoms and complaining about these petty petty things is a little rediculous.

Some people have to much time and nothing to do with it. Please find a hobby, play with your kids or grandkids. If Pev’s is abiding by the laws how can you complain. Pev’s provides a place for people of all ages, race and economic background to come together and have fun. I support Pev’s and hope they will remain.

As a Loudoun County resident for nearly ten years, I would like to voice my strong support for Pev’s.  The paintball park provides a very attractive destination for groups seeking a safe and enjoyable activity.  I’ve seek many young people benefit from the physical activity and team-based learning experiences that paintball offers.

I understand that the incident cited happened on A weekend when a national event was underway.  I can only imagine how many hundreds of thousands of dollars (millions?) in economic activity the event created…with resulting tax benefits for the state and region. 

Finally, I believe young people benefit from the opportunity to see nationally-recognized professional players like Ed Chi, Gary Cole, Matthew Lodato, and Kalama Gohara “strut their stuff” on the field.  People in the area benefit from Redskins training camp…this is, for me, similar.

First off may i just say that the paintballs that are used at Pevs Paintball are Bio degradable, so there for it will not effect the wildlife surrounding the park. I think that it is ashamed to here that you are disgracing the Pevs company. I for one worked there that weekend and by far thee loudest noise that there was, was when they played the music. I can assure you that all of thee games ended at 7:30pm. The shells and paint are made out of biodegradable materials so there would be no pollution involving the paint.

This has to be one of the more ridiculous posts I’ve ever seen regarding paintball.  Paintballs are organic and non-toxic.  You can literally eat one without any consequence at all.  There is no environmental damage caused by paintballs.  Also, paintball is a sport just like little league baseball.  At a paintball practice or tournament people yell and cheer for their team just like they would at a little league baseball game.  In order for Pev’s to operate their property had to be zoned accordingly.  If you had an objection to the property usage, you had your chance to voice your opinion at the zoning hearing.  Lastly, look at any decent little league park and what do you see after dark: lights!  Lights so the play can continue and the kids can enjoy themselves.  Please don’t pick on paintball when it’s obvious you don’t want any sports park near you.  If it were a little league field with play starting at 7AM and lasted into the night with lights on, you’d still be complaining.  Pev’s has done a tremendous job on a national level with paintball and they are good people.  Maybe you should work with them to see how you could help the kids in your area enjoy paintball even more.

I would have to agree with everyone else, first off though, if you dont like the “noise” thats it fine. As well as honestly, there is no possible way of a noise violation when it is only during day-time hours that there is anything going on at Pev’s Paintball Park.  Secondly, you really should get your facts straight, because if you actually knew what you were talking about the tournament that you talked about starting on the 6th not the 8th, thats your first flaw in this entire argument. As well as if you look at the park now there are trees all around the park except for where route 15 is.  In other words, do some more research and actually visiting the park would probably be helpful as well.

Really, I can’t believe this article/note to Mr. Burton.  Yes I understand that this yearly event is somewhat annoying from outsiders perspective,  but really no more than the soccer fields EVERY Saturday and Sunday, no more than annoying than living next to Interstate 66 or 95, no more than mailbox baseball which has taken my mailbox out numerous times, no more than just about every large church that interrupts traffic to let their parishioners depart after Sunday services.  Yes it can be an inconvenience but heck so is traffic on a Friday afternoon on Rt 66.

The noise, bah humbug!  I played on the field last year at the end of the tourney, heck I didn’t hear it and I was on the other end of the property, so the noise is not as great a problem as the letter states.  Environmentally, well I also play on private property on a relatively small field that has seen no ill effects from the paintballs. 

Hey Lady! LET THEM BE! Pevs provides countless benefits for the community with just a little sacrifice from you.

Hey Pev, replace the dead trees to satisfy this lady and put this issue to rest.  I am sure you have been more than fair in dealing with your neighbors and I am sure complaints will never end.  Thanks for the great facility and your dedication to the sport!

I support Pev’s Paintball’s right to use their land however they choose, if they are following county guidelines.  In their pursuit of happiness, too many people try to force their version of happiness (solitude? and tranquility? in this case) upon others.

That being said, I think you should oil a squeaky wheel, rather than argue or ignore it.  I think re-investing in trees that are more robust would be a ameliorating step in this dispute.  Trees will dampen the sounds even more, obstruct the view, and everyone loves trees.  I doubt that the neighbor’s concerns/complaints would be resolved by coming to the big tournaments or being shot by a 270 fps paintball.  If she saw and heard less than she sees and hears now, the Pev’s community might win her over as good neightbors

As a customer of Pev’s, I am, admittedly, biased. But in this discussion, I have input. I don’t live near Pev’s. I live in Potomac, Maryland. It’s an affluent area. A lot of the kids from my school party on the weekends; they get drunk and hook up with eachother.
In high school, I don’t have many places to turn for acceptance and a safe environment. When I have the money, I go to Pev’s. I drive 52 miles, so Mapquest says. It’s an hour’s drive if I’m lucky. It’s a hardship for one of the few pastimes that is an escape from my home.  The alternative is unthinkable to me. So personally Pev’s is a haven from what vices absorb my peers around me.

From an economic viewpoint, Pev’s is a livelihood for the Peverills. Taking away their way of making money is unjust, especially in these tough economic times. It also stimulates the surrounding economy, sending hungry people to restaurants, sending people who travel from far off for gas. Professional paintballers come in once a year now and do the same, spending on lodging, food, gas, and other amenities to fuel their drive to do what they love.

For the common good, please let Pev’s be. It’s my escape, the Peverill’s living, and an integral part of the community.

Yours,
Evan Cook, 15 years.
Resident of Potomac, Maryland.
Pev’s Client.

Dear B. Schlossburg,

There are a few points I would like to address in your augments.

1. You stated “How would you feel if you suddenly had to deal with lights and noise after years of living in a place you chose because of it being in the middle of nowhere. ” - Diana stated herself that “There would be no lights allowed on the playing fields and therefore no playing after dark.” So there are no artifical lights to deal with. As for the noise I stated earlier that average paintball marker makes 70dB at 1 meter. Now sound deceases by 6 dB with double the distance; meaning lets say Diana lives only 50 meters away the sound would be 33.6dB (which is around the intensity of someone whispering. Also, this does not take into affect the walls of the home hindering some of the sound waves.)

2.You also stated that “Half of Broadlands complained about lights and noise and got BRMC kicked out” and that it is comparable to the Pev’s Park situation. Which I think is not a good comparison at all, considering that Medical centers generate much more noise from ambulances (120dB) and the person who are against to community benefiting ratio is totally different. A better comparison would be a a person living next to a newly build baseball park complaining.

Here is a site for you to convert sound decibel intensities by distance as reference: http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-distance.htm

I think compromise from both sides of the issue is necessary here.  Yes, clearly, Pev’s should replace and water the trees. Ms. Twining should try to learn to embrace her newest neighbors instead of fighting EVERYTHING tooth and nail. As for the lighting..if there is no lighting, there is no play at dark, regardless of 11 PM time limit that was granted. Personal attacks of Ms. Twining here are both immature, and counter-productive. Clearly, she is not the author of the 11AM post. You would think she would remember how to spell her own last name, right? Pev’s is here to stay, and I am grateful for that. However, let’s at least make every REASONABLE attempt to make sure Twining and the other neighbors can appreciate our presence. Finally, Ms. Twining, please consider coming out for a few games with your family and friends. I’m willing to bet the proprietor (Mr. Peverill) would love to have you give it a try. I for one would love to splat your goggles!

As was stated before, Pev’s requires use of bio-degradeable paint. It has to be bought at one of their stores or at the field.
I can understand your issues with noise last weekend, as it was a national tournament & there were ALOT of people there, but on any given weekend the crowds are much smaller & the noise level is much less. And I am sure they secured whatever permits they needed for the PA system & music. And think of all the hotel rooms & restarants in Loudon County that were used by all those people. Tax money that goes back into the county…
Would you rather have a soccer complex instead? Have you heard the noise & seen the crowds at the one a little farther down 15 EVERY weekend? I used to live next to Ben Lomond Park in Manassas. It had soccer fields, softball fields, & a waterpark. The place was packed on the weekends for soccer games… screaming kids & parents, whistles. When softball games were going on at night, the field lights shone into my living room & kid’s bedroom. When the waterpark was open, the noise was even worse & the overflow parking would end up taking up every visitor’s spot in my neighborhood. Or maybe a golf course? My mom lives next to one. She’s had to replace her dining room window 5 times in 2 years. And chased golfers away who were relieving themselves in her bushes.
Pev’s gives kids, as well as families, a place to play paintball in a safe, controlled environment. It seems that they have followed up to whatever the county required them to do to open & continue to follow the codes to stay open. It is one of the best kept & professionally run fields I have ever played at.
Paintball is a fringe sport. It’s not for everybody. People tend to look at it as deviant & violent. It’s not. It’s fun. It’s great exercise. It teaches lessons like teamwork & communication. I’m 42, my son is 16. We both play. He works to afford his gear.
I’ll be up there playing this weekend. Suppporting a company that has supported the sport & contributed to the community for years. Stop by & say hi. I’ll be one of the older guys having a blast w/ my kid.

Pev’s Paintball has given my son and his friends a place to play- instead of hanging out at the mall or at a local shopping plaza.
He is helping a local business grow-despite these economic times.  Taking away Pev’s would be a TERRIBLE mistake.

I’m sorry but there are some things in life that we will just have to deal with. many people are happy with Pev’s because it’s a great facility and is just an all around good time. buy an i pod and put it in so you don’t have to listen to the shots you can probably barely hear..

I have been part of the paintball atmosphere on and off for over 10 years now.  My husband and son are about to start playing again:)  I am very excited for them and I have been to PEV’s field in Aldie, VA on several occasions.  PEV’s field is held to higher standard than that of most fields as I see it.  PEV’s has one of the nicest facilities that I have ever been to.  In conversations with the owners over the past weekend, concerning paintballs and business in general.  It was clear to me then and even more from the previous comments, that PEV’s cares deeply about the community and the environment.  And the PEV’s family takes every business decision very seriously, taking all perspectives into account.  Everyone has opinions, but open minds are a rarity in this day an age.

LMAO… thats the quote for the guy the slide down the plane slide…  I’m pretty sure that was not Diana Twinning..

Mr. Norcross, did you buy your property near the shooting range before or after it was put in.  There is a difference!

Personally, I would be very happy to have a family-friendly, inexpensive, fun, outdoor, energetic place for my community to get together and have some fun as a neighbor.  Paintball provides one of the best social experiences and physical workouts that both kids and adults can participate in.  Complaining about a paintball field is like complaining about a public park.

Hi Diana,

I hear and fully understand your concerns.  I live near a trapshooting range.  And anyone who lives near an airport, city park, soccer field, softball complex, shopping center has similar concerns. 

You have to understand, Pevs, like any other sports complex serves the community at large providing a safe, controlled location for families and individuals to enjoy the sport. 

As a coach of youth sports for the past 11 years, hockey, baseball, soccer and paintball I can testify to the benefits of the sport of paintball.  It teaches young men and women maturity, self discipline, teamwork, builds self confidence and is a fine role model for these youngsters. 

My son started when he was 14, and now at age 18 plays pro.  He will be attending Purdue this fall.  The lessons he learned in paintball have been priceless.  They are a huge factor driving his success in academic and personal life. 

My only complaint is there isn’t a park comparable to Pevs in my area. You are so lucky to have such an asset in your community.

Dear Writer,
Im an employee at Pevs Paintball and i can assure you that all play ends at 730 pm at the lastest after that we cant see well enough for it to be safe. As for the noise, there is no disturbance since it all ends by 730 so there is no noise pollution and secpet for this ONE TIME OF YEAR event you cat hear very much. there is a field that if you are at you CANT hear anything but that field’s play. As for the enviroment all our paint that we allow is 100% biodegradeable and will nothurt any animals. If you dont believe that then go to the field and ask any player they will confirm it, call up the company who makes the paint and theyll confirm. I have personaly have eaten 20 + paintballs this month as proof to customers that the paint wont hurt you and ive had zero health issues. Do oyu have kids? If so would you rather have your kids go to areas that might have drugs or go to a place thats safe from drugs, gangs, bullies, etc? and also you seem to be very concerned about your community. Well this park helps your community grow and prsoper seeing how it brings new poeple to the county. Also there has been a sign up saying that the park was going to be built for THREE YEARS BEFORE THE PARK OPENED!!! Why didnt you try to shut it down then huh? and would you really like to be responsible for causeing 30 people mostly teenagers to lose their jobs? I should hope not

Pev’s paintball is ballin.

Yes - forgive me - I should have realized that not everyone is as sincere as I am when it comes to doing the right thing.  Please accept my apology for assuming that the 11 AM post was actually done by Ms. Twining.  Thank you to the person that pointed this out by posting using my own name.

Cut Diana some slack.  Just recently half of Broadlands complained about lights and noise and got BRMC kicked out. So she is not off base to be upset by a corporate neighbor she had now reason to believe would set shop next door to her.  How would you feel if you suddenly had to deal with lights and noise after years of living in a place you chose because of it being in the middle of nowhere.  I guess she should just move because she doesn’t have the numbers of people that the anti-brmc crowd did, huh.  I like paintball but the neighbors who lived there first should have some protections.  The county needs to determine if there is any real weight to her allegations.  The argument that PEVs is good for the community therefore can do no wrong is awful.  Recently, a city in Connecticut used Emminent Domain to seize private property for corporate interests. That’s sounds great doesn’t it? No? That is what alot of you are advocating here.  Try and think before you rush to judgement because of selfishness.

Lets stay focused here people, anyone can put any name into the Name field here and pose to be someone else.. Do not assume that it was actually her…..

First paintball is not harmful to the envioment at all everybing we use is biodegradable. Second peaitball guns are not loud at all a human voice carries further than a shot from a paintball gun. I’ve been playing and working in the paintball industry for over 7 years and people such as the the woman who made this complaint have almost no idea what the sport is realy like they instantly assume sense we use guns it must be barbaric and should be stoped how ever that couldn’t be further from the truth. Let me just ask this would u rather teens be outside getting exercise and socializing in a safe envioment such as pevs or go sit at the mall or somewhere else like that. I understand my comment isn’t as elegant as other post here by my point is simple a paintball poses less threat to people and the envioment than a golf course. Ge het in the head with a paintball pain gose away in a few seconds get hit in the head with a high flying golf ball your going to the hospital.  This complaint in my opinion is rediculas the reason for the lights being on was most likely because they had a profesional tournament this past weekend the nppl wich brought lots of people down to loudon county wich also brought in lots of Money. Paintball is a safe sport that anyone can play and dose alot for there local community

As Erin is about to find out, anyone can put any name in these comments.  The foul language post may not be Diana.

I appreciate having this opportunity and forum to commend Supervisor Burton for his continued support of business development, growth, and backing for individuals who bring clean, safe, dynamic, prosperous, and attractive businesses to our region. My hats off to Supervisor Burton for creating an environment that is conducive to the formation and attraction of businesses, such as PEVs Paintball, and assuring the Region’s continued prosperity and increased public and private economic development efforts focused on encouraging the growth of quality businesses in the Region. Needless to say, PEVs is proving its capability to endure, provide, and be successful – a fair trade-off, Supervisor Burton, for your trust and support.
In light of the changes in the national and world economies showing us a need for creating new opportunities for businesses to locate or expand in the Dulles Region, I praise Mike and Todd Peverill for forging relationships, through supporting corporate initiatives and federally sponsored team building activities, with fortune 500 companies, such as I represent, the federal sector, the NFL, and even the Department of Defense and bringing into our community the exposure, the value, the networking, the workforce development, the outreach, the advocacy, and the economic benefits that accompany this exposure. PEVs paintball plays a part, in one form or another, in our regions potential to incentivize and benefit from sizeable corporate and federal relocation.
I am grateful the Peverill’s chose our community to invest, employ our citizens, and contribute tax revenues for the state to support the increased costs associated with growth, such as building new schools and roads, and paying the salaries of teachers and public safety personnel – for the greater good of the entire Commonwealth. PEVs has done this ... with grace, honor, graciousness, integrity, and cooperation.
Unfortunately, Diana Twining’s approach to succeeding in her quest for peace is more damaging to all involved because of several reasons: 1) she creates a lose-lose position for herself, business owners, and county officials, 2) she fosters ill-will for anyone who may otherwise support her position or would be willing to cooperate, and 3) she attempts to lend credence to those pockets of individuals who want to be a part of the problem and not part of a solution.  Moreover, Ms. Twining’s commentary only leads to the excessive restrictions placed on new business development or expansion that does not contribute materially to improving the quality and effectiveness of that development and sends a negative signal to prospective businesses considering our County as a place to locate and grow.
Because my fellow community members have touched upon the PEVs facility as being clean and “responsible” , and the services it provides as being healthy, encouraging, and pleasurable, and the owners as being professional, diligent, reasonable, “cool”, honest, caring, and all-around top-notch individuals, I see no need to further expound on my knowledge in these areas.
I support this business, today and tomorrow. I am of the mind and ability to pitch-in where I can to make this endeavor successful for the community, the Peverills, and the consumers of their services.

It appears Diana has summed up the sort of person she is with her 11 AM posting, so perhaps my comments here that will echo the sentiments of the rest are not needed. 

However, I can’t resist.  I have been involved with Pev’s and the paintball community nationally for the past seven years as a Coach and team organizer.  I too have friends that don’t understand my son’s enthusiasm for the sport because they’ve never taken the time to understand it or are so self centered that they really weren’t sincere when they asked about it to begin with.  They somehow equate the sport of paintball and the “guns”, or markers used, with something subversive or violent - nothing could be more wrong with that thinking.  It is a team sport that promotes all the long proven benefits of team sports.  Did you know there are also College sponsored paintball teams and a league dedicated to them?  As so many have suggested here, check it out for yourself!  The people that come to play at Pev’s come there for family and friend time. As you’ve seen, there are Church groups that also participate.  One of the ministers that brings his flock there and I worked with Mike to create a Pev’s Fun and Fellowship program and a Corporate Outing program.  I hosted my sales team from Oracle there and it was said by many to be one of the best outings they’d ever participated in. 

Mike was kind enough to allow me to create a Family Fun Festival at the field, at no charge to me, to raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and added his own personal donation on top of the money we raised.  The 2010 LLS Boy and Girl of the year that attended had a fantastic time!  Mike participates in all sorts of charitable events that benefit society as a whole. 

You do need to give up as you mention in your very eloquent message above that you’re going to do - because Pev’s is a business that is good for the community and the county.  Your comments were uneducated, slanderous and you were attempting to waste taxpayers money by trying to convince the police to come out on a ridiculous witch hunt.

diana get a life…

Pev’s is awesome!! Are you kidding me?? Blah to all the haters out there.

Dear Diana,

Pev’s is a great place. I started going there with my church and go whenever I get the chance now.I would like to note that all the people who have gone to Pev’s and talk to me about always said they want to go back and it was the best time. The new park is also much CLEANER and more Family friendly than their old location.

Ms Twining, first question is, “Where in relationship to the field do you live?”  If you live within shouting distance and overlook the park I can understand how your weekends have been changed.  If not, then you’re just bringing up issues in the hopes of doing away with something that actually benefits the community and that’s sad. 
My suspicion tells me that you don’t live that close and the only thing you heard that particular tournament weekend was the announcer’s voice over the speaker and the music in between games.  If so, I would equate that to me complaining about the bands they bring into my neighborhood at Brambleton.  Once a week until 9:30pm live music bumps through the neighborhood, little kids run around screaming, and hords of tired parents drink beer while lounging in beach chairs then drive home - and Loudoun County promotes this as reason to move your family here!
So it appears to me you’re pulling the “environment” card and other so called issues because deep down you know the park is a good thing, but every neighborhood needs a Gladis Kravitz.  Let me know when you want to join the party, I have an extra DM that shoots ropes.

Maam I understand your concern and feeling of violation or encroachment in your county.  Please understand that Pevs does not want to cause community unrest, addressing noise the park operates within the current limits set forth by the law.  The Tournament you spoke of generates an enormous amount of revenue for the area.

As far as paintball hurting the environment the really don’t most are made of food grade items and will dissolve and these days even greener paint is being developed for fields like Pev’s. 

Lastly without Pevs many youth and adults in the area would not have a recreation facility to gather and join in paintball games and though that may not mean much to someone who may not care for paintball, what if you took out the baseball fields and football fields in the county, then people would be in an uproar.  I just ask for some patience for us paintball players.  Wejust want a place to gather that is safe, supervised and a healthy environment for ourselves and youth to go to.

Thanks

This may be a disturbance to you but this paintball field is providing a way for kids to spend their time instead of doing other things that would be mch worse than the noise disturbance. Would you rather hear noises of a paintball tournament or know that your irrational decision caused kids todo a bunch of dumb ####?

Diana, People like you are the reason why Taxes go up and up and up every year.  People who complain like you have no life. The county has a hard enough time to deal with little pitty things like this.  How about you complain about 3 or 4 family living in a single family home before you complain about Pevs.  The Bang from the paintball gun is not even loud enough to complain about. 

Better yet sell your home go some to a place where there is no one and live your life.

You guys are all crazy! The thought of keeping a place that gives our continuously enlarging children somewhere to exercise is ridiculous! They shouldn’t be out there running around, learning about sportsmanship or that working together as team players(which they will have to do for the rest of their lives) can maybe save them from a couple paintballs or help win the game. They shouldn’t learn about strategy and communication from actually experiencing it. They should be sitting inside learning all these things from playing video games online where they won’t get any exercise and definitely not get any grass stains! The horror, GRASS STAINS!!!!! To think you simpletons want our children to get exercise and actually want to support a facility that helps not only an area economically but also teens by giving them jobs where they’re gonna learn responsibility and discipline. You people act like their are bigger environmental problems in this country! Well let me tell you something, there is but thinking about them first is not the way you are going to fix it!! We have to think microenvironmental first, start with our own yards, our own neighborhoods, our own counties…then the problem in the gulf will fix itself. I mean it doesn’t even compare to having paintballs all over the ground. Those animals in the water, it’ll wash off but do you have any idea how hard it is to clean grass stains off clothing, or think in a small minded selfish manner while the laughter and joy of chilren can be faintly heard in the distance! Your all fools!!

Mrs. Twining,
I have to wonder if you yourself have ever had any interaction with anyone from the Pev’s family, actually visited the park, or even visited the website www.Pevs.com.  If so I would have to think that you would re-consider the way you are going about slandering the good name of the Peverill’s and Pev’s Paintball.  I would recommend that you take some time to look into what the Pev’s name means not just in the professional sport of paintball but also to the casual or recreational players of paintball in your area as well as throughout all of Virginia and beyond. There is a very touching article on the Pev’s website about K.J. Edwards Jr. and one can see the benefits of the sport/hobby of paintball, not to mention what Pev’s stands for by being a part of his story and helping him to achieve what he wanted most before he passed away. K.J.’s story is only a singular example, there have been many other people in the paintball community that Pev’s has helped and/or raised money for etc. Along with this article, you will also see that Pev’s clearly states that they will not allow any paintballs to be used that are not Pev’s very own brand which is a requirement that allows them to ensure the paintballs that are being used are environmentally safe.
I myself have played paintball at many different fields and I have to say that the field in question is my favorite location to play. Pev’s paintball park in Aldie, VA is one of the cleanest, most professional parks that I have been to.  I will continue to use Pev’s as my destination for paintball as I know many others will because they are the best at what they do.
It sounds to me that there has been no violation of any of the regulations/ordinances of Loudon County per your own statement.  I myself live in Fairfax County and we are under similar regulations in regards to noise. The ordinances may seem useless and leave you with no recourse, but you also have to think that they have to balance the rights and needs of both you the resident and the businesses in your area.  Given that society is becoming more and more a 24/7 society it is tough for the ordinances to make everyone happy.  With the environmental complaints you should do your research and have your findings on hand prior to attacking Pev’s paintball with nothing more than your “Views” on what you believe to be right or wrong.
If you think that the laws should be changed you should seek to do so without smearing the name of a business that is obviously following the rules and providing a service that brings revenue and much more to your community.  Doing so however would not just affect Pev’s Paintball, it would change the way many companies had to do business such as landscape companies, construction companies etc. All in all it looks like you have a fact less complaint against Pev’s…..

Justin Johnson

This is unfortunate. A homeowner disturbed by a local business does have a legitimate, although subjective, complaint.  However, if the business is compliant with local laws and ordinances, and is supported by the community as well… Then, I’m truly sorry to suggest it, but maybe you should consider your own relocation as an option for resolution.

Diana, Perhaps you’ve missed the explosive growth in Loudoun and neighboring counties? Change is inevitiable so having Pev and their high quality sports facility nearby should be recognized for what it is, a blessing and community asset!

Diana,

It is great that you’re taking time out of your life to state what you believe in but your complaints have too many fallacies to make them valid. Please revisit your augments.

As far as your complaint on the environmental impacts, horse stables nearby have more of an impact from nitrous oxide gas releases than the paintballs but for the sake of arguing let us review: As others have stated the paintballs used at Pev’s is regulated and is biodegradable. One brand named DXS is allowed on the field, which on their website (http://www.dxspaintball.com) states has the world’s most environmentally safe paintballs. It is made from a combination of food ingredients: gelatin, polyethylene glycol (liquid base of cough syrup), and food dye, all of which are water soluble. So the only “real” pollution happening on the grounds is color pollution which really only lasts a short while before the staff clean it up. If your wildlife scientists want to experiment for themselves they should acquire the same paint from Pev’s Proshop to keep it experimentally consistent and precise.

As far as the noise most companies have found that the noise from the compressed air-operated markers has been measured at around ~72dbA at 1m from the source (which is much quieter than a lawn mower).  Overall the only time you will hear lots of noise is from the shouting player (which you neglected to mention).

During tough economic times Pev’s Paintball has brought in a lot of revenue (not only during tournaments but also with regulars). Take myself for example; I only started coming here a few months back but already have seen that this field is the one of the best and well taken in the nation. I live in Maryland and every couple weeks I go down with friends to play at their fields (some of my friends even come down from NY). We dine and shop in the area while we are in the area. There are other cheaper and closer places I can go but this place provides the best facilities I have seen and I cam willing to make the trek down.

Also, I would believe that youngsters in the community would benefit from this facility. It keeps kids out of trouble, provides them with fun activities outside the world of game counsels, and provides a median for team work.

As far as the esthetic of the park you complained about it hard to keep the trees alive with record heat sweeping the area. Even golf courses in the area are feeling the strain, please take a look at this link http://www.usga.org/news/2010/August/Heat-Straining-Golf-Courses.

Keep an open heart and mind-even stop by to see kids and adults playing together, enjoy themselves at the park and you will see that your small annoyance is nothing compared to the benefit the community get from Pev’s Paintball Park.

PEVS is the best paintball field ever! I don’t see how any of your accusations hold true. The part about the paintballs being harmful to the environment is completely bogus. The paint we shoot at PEVS is biodegradable and cleaned up after everyday. The noise factor is ridiculous too. PEVS is really only open on Saturday and Sundays. That is when they get their biggest turn out, and that is only from 11am-3pm! And as for the tournament and trucks, the trucks were only their for a week and brought an awesome atmosphere to the tournament by bringing top of the line gear and accessories from the best companies in paintball, and their knowledge and experience of the game. The tournament brought a lot of money back into the local economy as well with all of the hotels and restaurants that all of the professional and out of state players stayed and ate at. And right after the tournament was over, the fields were cleaned that day! I would know since I helped clean them. PEVS is an amazing company. There staff and employees are awesome. They help give back to the community, and give people of all ages a place to come and have fun and get away from there TVs, game consoles, or work. It is a great place to come and meet awesome new people and build team work and learn responsibility. As the captain of the George Mason University paintball club I’m proud to represent PEVS and all that they do for the local community and paintball world.

I TAKE MY KIDS TO PEVS SOMETIMES AND I EVEN PLAY SOMETIMES WITH THEM WE HAVE A FUN TIME,,,AS FAR AS HELPING THE COMMUNITY IM A LOCAL PERSON SHE MIGHT WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE JUST TO GET A CONNECTION WITH HER COMMUNITY TO SEE THE POSITIVE INPUT THE BUSINESS HAS , SHE WILL BE SURPRISED.
BE GLAD ITS NOT A SOCCER FIELD THEN SHE WOULD BE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE KIDS HAVING FUN AND BEING LOUD,I WONDER WHAT THE IMPACT STUDY WOULD SHOW ABOUT KIDS PLAYING ON THE GRASS.

Paintball is and has been for the last 20 years (or more) a positive team building sport for kids and adults. I have taken youth groups from many local churches to outings at Pevs and other paintball fields and these have always been fun and I believe character building.  Having a local field like Pevs provides an opportunity that would otherwise not be available to local youth. Pevs has also supported these “outings” to make it easier for the kids to afford to play.  Bottom Line: Pevs is a definite plus for the community!

Well, I read every response and couldn’t agree more! I have run our Christian Outreach Ministry, In His Sight Paintball, at Pevs for the last 7 years. Mike, Todd and the staff have always accomodated our monthly schedule and have always afforded us great deals to encourage players to attend our events. Please look for the positive effects on the community, especially from people who live in and operate business in your community. Thanks to Pevs hospitality, we have been able to bring fathers and sons and even daughters closer through this sport. We have impacted many with the message of Jesus Christ through the sport of Paintball.

Diana Twining I am soooo sorry for accusing to be the part of the HATEFUL Tea Party and a STUPID Fox News viewer… your letter did have some lies stated as facts like the Tea Party and Fox News do ALL THE TIME, however you did not insult anybody.  So you can’t be that bad… As long as you are not part of the Tea Party or a Fox News viewer, I think you can have an open mind and come see that Pev’s is not that bad…

The paintballs are a gelatin based compound, and are made to a higher enviromental standard than any other paintballs available on the market currently, so there is no real danger to the enviroment. I know for a fact that we have deer, skunks, and even kittens making their appearances within the park.

The noise may be loud on some occasions, such as on tournament days, but the noise is during the day when most people are out mowing lawns, or doing errands or other things. I find it hard to believe that the noise is loud enough to bother you within your own home, where the walls will block out much of the noise, especially if your house is properly insulated. As far as the 11 pm operational time goes, that is so we, the employess, have time to clean the rental equipment before leaving for the day. And there are still trees surrounding the property, so I am not exactly sure what you are complaining about as far as the trees go.

And as a teenager and an employess of Pevs for over two years, I have to say it has had a major positive influence on the community, even providing jobs to people as far away as burke (me) and even woodbridge, providing me and many others with a stable job in a time where it is almost impossible to get a job as a teen. And the tournaments bring in tons of extra money not just for the park, but all the local stores and restaurants, because the out of town visitors can’t get all their food at the park.

Pevs is my first field playing paintball at…and since then I have been more in shape then I have for many years.  For years I couldn’t find a sport that peaked my interest in the slightest…but rainfall won my heart and even joined a group called “In His Sight” where a ton of people looking for guidance find it through friends,fun and prayer to our Lord .  Noise…that’s a big problem huh….I know of a bigger problem…child obesity ...put up a sound wall if your so disturbed…besides…they are only open till 5 pm…not like there are a bunch of drunks running around and loitering. As for the environment….I think the oil spill on the coast is a bit more dangerous then a bunch of people having fun in a field with some biodegratable amo.  Get over it.  We need Pevs..and I feel the county would be a boring disaster zone without.

I understand your concern and frustration. What we need to do is take a step back and look at the pros and cons of every situation. Iv taken the time to see if it’s worth having paintball fields through out the united states.

I came to the conclusion that like after school activetys paintball works the same way. I have participated in a paintball event and notice the joy on kids, friends and parents faces, taking the time out of there busy lives to spend time with each other.  Paintball is a sport that brings people together. Paintball teaches you respect, resposebelty, and most importantly to have fun.

I suggest to anyone who feels the same way Ms. Aldie feels to take the time and go to one of these events but go with an open mind and see for yourself what I have found.

Diana, your issues about the paint that Pev’s uses being harmful are really not rooted in facts. The MSDS information of the paint which is used at Pev’s field is readily available to anybody who asks for it. It is 100% non-toxic, bio-degradable and not harmful to animals in anyway. As a previous poster has stated, you can eat it without ill effects besides a bad after taste. As further proof of the environmental safety of the paint, in the past I have worked at a field location in northern Pennsylvania that has been in operation on the same land for over 25 years which borders state gamelands, and yet there have been zero issues with animal endangerment.

Also as other folks have commented, Pev’s Paintball has been a major supporter of the local and surrounding communities and businesses. Pev’s hosts numerous functions throughout the year for adolescents including their own youth league, summer camps, community appreciation days and more. In addition to offering support to a number of the schools and youth sports leagues, Pev’s have made numerous contributions to local non-profit fundraisers. This year alone Pev’s has made over 40 donations to various non-profit organizations for their fundraisers. So please, before you go on a witch-hunt, look at ALL the facts about what a positive effect the facility has had on the community and its residents.

What a shame!!  And to the moron who accuses this woman of being a Tea party member and watching Fox news.  If she was a member and watched Fox she would not be so ignorant and an environmentalist wacko!  Pev’s follows the law and does a great job.  My husband and I where there last Sunday and had a great time waching the tournament and our kids enjoying themsevles.
We support Pev’s and hope this issue will be resolved!

Diana,

I’m sorry you were bothered by the noise, but you should have gone out to Pev’s to check it out yourself instead of trying to send the sheriff. What you would have found would probably have impressed you.  I think you would have realized just how positive Pev’s is for the community. 

This last weekend was also my first visit there and I was amazed at the family atmosphere as well as how many people traveled to come visit the area.  Plus, I understand that the early start was not normal for the field and usually they begin later in the day.

Pev’s Paintballs are made of fish and Veggie oils. and regulated by OSHA. there are lots of bugs there too, that seem to thrive in the enviroment. and the sport is notably less dangerous then most sports out there given that they follow the rules. I am a Fireman/EMT just like my father, i believe that the county will benefit greatly from Pev’s Paintball. I also work there too and the military go there all the time to practice, relax, and have fun. so not only do they support the fire service and the military they support children being active and healthy. my question for you is do you support these things too??    :(

Pevs is awsome i had my bday there and it was the best bday ever pevs is such a fun place and all of the instructors geniuenly care for your safety and are very nice.

Diana, sounds to me it’s the noise that got you upset.We have been part of Pev’s for a long time.Like all the comments state it is a great place for the kids and community revenue when there is a tournament.If Pev’s closes down were would the kids go…to the streets or rooms playing video game.Maybe seeing the big picture is worth a little noise.

As a Board Member of multiple local youth sports programs I would like to express the time, effort, financial support, and energy that Pev’s pours into the youth of our community.  Pev’s is not only a “financial” sponsor of the leagues, rather a firm part of the organizations.  Owner Mike Peverill has volunteered his on personal time at the parks to help with cleanup, field preparation, etc.  I challenge you to find other corporations who do such things.  He has provided his facility on numerous occasions for league events and is the option of many of the teams for an end of the season party.  In my opionion we need more businesses in the community like Pev’s!  It would be a shame to see something effect someone who does so much to give back.

As a field owner I can comment on the effects of paintballs on the environment. My field has been in business since 1993. My woods are flourishing. My grass fields are doing excellent. There has been no adverse side effects to the environment. My crew remains very busy cutting grass, clearing brush, etc. In fact with the players also keeping the undergrowth from getting out of control by constantly being walked on, I believe my woods is one of the most beautiful woods in the area. It is still full of deer, turkeys, and other wildlife. That while we have thousands of customers per year shooting millions of paintballs on our 35 acre park.

If this “problem” disappear’s, then a real problem will come up in its place. Would you rather have a bunch of kids hanging out in that field, drinking and doing drugs and other illegal acts, or even a group of “outlaw” paintballers, who will be just as loud as pev’s is right now, but will cause much more damage to your precious environment then pevs ever will by leaving their trash all around the woods and fields, using non-biodegradable paint, and even encroaching onto your property.

Well, you can have that or you can have Pevs, which follows the county’s rules to the letter, gives jobs, gives back to the community, and best of all gets kids outdoors and away from their xbox or playstation.

I think I would rather have a facillty like Pevs as my neighbor then some rowdy kids.

I mean really???  I can’t believe someone without ANY TRUTH AT ALL would send something like this… You are probably part of the Tea Party and a dedicated Fox News viewer.  This whole letter to the editor is nothing but LIES and she knows it… Don’t like all the peoples of different cultures meshing together so well, do you Diana Twining??? This is some BS!!!

Please keep up the good work Pev’s and staying professional in times when EVIL people are spewing lies such as this garbage out of their mouths!!!

I play paintball every weekend ... I am 14 years and I work my butt off for money to play . In tht case paintball has teached me discipline , patience, and team work. I’m an honor roll student and paintball isn’t effecting me at all.

I have been playing paintball for about 10 years now.  I have played at Pev’s many times as well as many other fields in Virginia, Ohio, and New York.  Pev’s is by far the cleanest most professional field I have ever played on.  This type of business is what every community needs.  A family oriented place were kids can come and play as equals or better with adults building confidence and getting some much needed exercise. But I guess that is secondary to your quiet.

Because of the nature of paintball these type of businesses have to be involved in the local community.  Putting a good outward appearance is completely necessary because of selfish people like Diane who have no idea what paintball is or what it is about.  Pev’s has done this more than any business I know.  And they don’t just do it because of the business implication’s.  They do it because it is the right thing to do.

I am sure the local restaurants and hotel’s would differ with Diane on the merits of the tournament last weekend.  How much badly needed money did the tournament pump into the local economy? 

You want to talk about impact on the environment how many chemicals are dumped into the ground and how much water is wasted to keep the local golf courses green and beautiful.  Paintball is no more dangerous to the environment then any other business built around recreation.  Paintball’s are biodegradable and the propellant is plain old air.  Of course I don’t have enough money to hire a company to prove that.  I am just a middle class schlep who enjoys playing paintball.

So admit it Diane.  Pev’s is good for the community.  Just because you don’t like it don’t take it away from the thousands that do.

I’d rather our kids shoot paintballs at each other than shoot live rounds at horses and our family pets!! Love thy neighbor and move on to more harmful issues such as traffic, jobs and the economy.

We live in MD and have made several trips to Pev’s…it is rare today to have the opportunity to have our young men and women engage in activities that are out in the fresh air and sunshine! This is heads and tails better than the internet and video games! Please consider a trip to see the comraderie and sportsmanship that is encouraged while at Pev’s. This venue has given children and adults, who otherwise might not engage in school or team sports, an outlet that essentially exposes all ages to cooperative play. As for the noise, in MD there are also noise ordinances that allow for activities until 11pm in our neighborhoods.  Please be “team” players and consider all the positives, we have no vested interest in Pev’s, but would like to see it thrive especially in these economic times when families need employment and children need healthy activities at a fair price. Thank you.

As the mother of a 15 year old son and a 10 year old daughter, both of whom paintball, I have to say that I adamantly disagree with you, Diana.  I think paintballing is a constructive, skill-building sport.  My children have an amazing time playing and considering how few paintball fields there are in the area, I’m so glad Pev’s is available.  Regarding the environment, paintballs are non-toxic, non-caustic, biodegradable, and water-soluble.  I’m sure there are other causes more worthwhile that deserve your attention.

I feel Paintball is a great value to our children.It teaches teamwork, leadership and courage. Attributes our children need to make a better world. I have visited many Paintball fields throughout the country and Pevs is first-class. It is clean, well maintained well organized facility.

It seems like you were angry and got angry enough to see if there was something you could do about Pev’s but then gave up checking facts halfway through. As the owners and others have said, the park uses environmentally friendly paint. Plus… and this is the most important point… Pev’s is cool. That sounds like a simple-minded statment but it’s an attractive activity encourages people of most age groups to come out and have a good time. Instead of more inappropriate activities.

Pev’s has been a good environment for my friend and I to stay out of trouble.  We go almost every week.  I know we would be getting into trouble if we did not have this activity.  We don’t play other sports and we are great at it.  I have never been at Pev’s past 6pm, so I have no idea where the 11pm part comes from.  Why would someone attempt to take this activity away without obviously knowing the facts is the reason why we as young people don’t trust adults.  We do not believe that you really have anybodies best interest in mind but yours.  Paintballs are environmentally safe.  The noise you hear is families having fun.  This just sounds like a lot of selfishness because you don’t like the noise.

I think that its okay for her to voice her opinion but the real fact is that there is way too many people these days involved with paintball one way or another…..and we all know Pev has and always will do great things for the community….Im sorry I got to miss an amazing event.  Diane, maybe you should go out one day and gear up and shoot some people….u might enjoy it…mad love always to the PEV family….whens the next event?  Long live paintball!!!

I believe Diana is out of line here.  Pev’s is the most professional paintball facility I have ever visited.  She claims that the consequences of Pev’s operation are enormous citing that she has been working with wildlife biologists to preserve the environment from damage from paintballs.  Had she done her research, I’m sure she would’ve realized that Pev’s requires all participants at the park to only use Pev’s brand paintballs, which have been tested as being safe for the environment, water supply, and non-toxic in case of accidental ingestion by animals, humans, or otherwise.

As for Diana’s other concerns,

—-7:00 to 11:00 does not seem unreasonable.  Unless you live on the actual park itself, the noise from the park is negligible.  I have heard louder sounds living far from the shooting range in Bull Run than you could hear living close to Pev’s.  Furthermore, having frequented the park many times, I have rarely seen large activity after hours, and I have a hard time believing that noise was exorbitant when Diana claims to have heard so.  In the case of this professional event that occurred on the date of her complaint, this is an annual event at the park that only happens one weekend out of the year.  For fans of Paintball, this event is the equivalent of watching the NFL playoffs live in your hometown.

—-And finally, regarding trees…If Pev’s owns the rights to a particular plot of land that was purchased for their business, shouldn’t they have the right to decide how that land is used?  If they need to take down trees for their own purposes, that’s their right as owners of the land.  Pev’s has not done anything illegal here whether the trees were taken down purposely or died on their own.  If Diana, and other people are disappointed with the trees being gone, there is nothing stopping them (or their communities) from putting their own trees on their own land to block their view of the park.

All in all, Pev’s is the most professional business I have seen in this area.  It would be a greater detriment to the community to take away their right to entertain the public because of the overactive complaints of a overly angry bystander.  Setting a precedent by punishing Pev’s for obeying the rules would be bad for future businesses because local communities would hold the power to shut down perfectly good businesses at any time whether they operated within regulations or not.

I have been lucky to know the Pev’s organization and the Peverill family over the last 3 years. They not only offered me a job after I graduated college but have always kept the door open to employment if I ever would need it. On a personal note the family is as wholesome, caring, and loving as you could ever find. On a professional note Mike and Todd work long hours setting up everything by the books, I have never seen or heard them looking for ways to undercut or take shortcuts. On a community note they do so much for the local schools and are always willing to be apart of fundraisers for the community. On a environmental stand point the pellets that Pev uses are specifically formulated for the field and tightly controlled. I have dual degrees in Biochemistry and Neurophysiology and my natural curiosity led me to ask Pev what are in the pellets, they are made of completely biodegradable materials, they contain no heavy metals or harmful agents. In fact you could eat them, but I would recommend against it it tastes horrible!
Change is not always bad, change is not always easy. But you can either fight and focus on the “bad” points or you can get to know the organization and what it has done and is doing to be a fresh, active, and bright spot in the community.

Diana,
I am from out of town and drove 600 miles just to photograph and take part in the festivities at Pev’s last week. Why would I drive all that way and spend 9 plus hours in a car? The reason why is because Pev’s Paintball Park happens to be the best and well most maintained paintball facility I will probably ever go to.  I live in a town were anything fun seems to be not allowed by law (seriously there is a law that bands arcades, or any similar potential amusement). Which causes a lot of kids to turn to drug use and causing trouble because there’s little to do in the town.  After you hit 15 years old the town doesn’t offer fun after school activates or even town sports. Diana what you should do instead of having it out for Pev’s is embrace it, trust me I think youll go a lot farther with doing that then hating it. I’m sure Mike would accommodate you give you give you a tour the whole nine yards. I don’t know much about the legal issues that have gone on to have the business open up but they were a waste of time because the facility is a jewel in a otherwise fun less community (from what I could tell the place seems like my town).  You don’t know how good you have it until something is gone, so don’t make the mistake of going forward with your fight against Pevs, embrace the field and you will be much happier!

Look if you dont like Pev’s you are dumb
Just think if pev’s was gone.
Would ppl stop playing paintbll????
No There will Still play but instead of going to a paintball place like Pev’s to play.
They will play in any open field.
Will they pick up there ball after gomae is over? No
So you have to ask yourself would you like 20 fields with paintballs on them or just one, that someone picks up after and keeps clean.

Look lady if you don’t like Pev’s move and sell your land to pev’s. Cause i want the Pev’s in loudoun to stay.

While it is OK to express an opinion, this is really sad when someone becomes so selfish they fail to see the benefits of what this park has brought to the area.  My son and I have attended Pev’s fields for the last 5-6 years.  This new site is truly amazing. They have really grown into quite a professional operation.  We have seen them remove players for trying to fire paintballs that were not of spec, bcuz Pev’s reps inspect guns regularly throughout the day to ensure compliance.  There is a no tolerance set of rules on safety and environmental concerns that instill discipline in kids who nowadays need it because most parents are too worried about things that dont matter.  Am proud to hear that PEV’s is employing so many kids and teaching them importance of responsibility, business ethics, customer service, environmental caring, and proper social skills.  Not only this, we have a sound community business with a national reputation that brings in income from outside the county and state.  Pev’s will plant more trees.  Pevs has really done a nice job with the landscape - maybe if you asked Mike rather than blasted the reputable organization he has created he might be more ameniable to working with you….not that he hasnt been already.  Just one more thing, my son has turned 15 and has really developed the most competitive interest I have seen in him in years, in paintball tournamenting.  He has saved all his earnings to buy one of the best sets of equipment he could in the hopes of developing his skills and respect with other players so he could join a reputable team.  It has created a competition in him that we are proud of.  I think in life you need to be certain you ask alot of questions about a subject you initially find yourself so adamantly against, that way you can be sure to ascertain the facts and positions of many before you solidify your argument…hopefully this thread and the responses will be an education to the complainers.

Look if you dont like Pevs you ar dumb
Just thing if pev was gone would ppl stop playing paintbll???? No There will see play but instead of going to a paintball place to play. They will play in any open field. Will they pick up there ball after gomae is over? No

So you have to ask yourself would you like 20 fields with paintballs om them or just one.

If you dont like it Sell you land to pev i would love a BIGGER PEVS LOL

I personally don’t live near Pev’s but i was at the NPPL (the competition that you have been complaining about). This kind of big competition is only a one time a year experience for this place. The trucks you are talking about were for this big competition, and if im guessing right there gone by now?

As other peoples have already said, paintballs are non-toxic so there is not danger for the environment shooting these balls on trees etc.

Pev’s as said is operated as a business and pays tax just like other companies etc. Pev’s is also a big opportunity for the people around it. Jobs, helping kids stay of the streets is only a part of the good things this park have helped out with.

Last i would like to thanks Pev’s for a real good NPPL competition, everything was real good. The fields, the tradestands etc.

Thanks for an amazing NPPL weekend!

PEVs is a wonderful outlet for the kids tohave something to do, team building events, and clean family fun. We LOVE taking our son and his friends there becasue we know they are SAFE, active, not in front of a video game screen or TV and interacting with other kids.

I’d hate to see such a fantastic family activity that services MANY suffer because of the opinions of a FEW. 

Maybe PEVs can do a few things to become better neighbors, which a conversation with the right person might actually get accomplished.

For what my opinion is worth Pev’s paintball provides a great service to this community and the kids that frequent the park.  It helps provide a focus for kids, give employment to a lot of people and brings in revenue to the community.  My son is on a team that plays at Pev’s and I consider his dedication and enthusiasm towards paintball and reflection on Pev and what he has accomplished here in Loudon county.  My son is passionate about paintball and Im glad its this instead of many others things.  As for the paintballs, as someone stated in an earlier comment they are environmentally safe and are made of biodegradable products.  The impact to the environment is nill.

Trying to change an ordinance because of one business hurts many other businesses.  Please don’t be so short-sited.  Who will cut the grass in excessively hot weather if they can’t start early, when will construction get done,and oh, and what about all those roads?  How will those get completed if their hours are shortened because Diane has an issue. 

Pev’s is a great place.  My daughter had her 13th birthday party last there last year.  They embraced us like family and I was impressed with the time they took to include her cousin, also 13, confined to a wheelchair and destined for a short life.  It was the most fun he has ever had.  So, please Diana, realize that the benefits to many outwiegh the complaints of a few.

Diana, I believe Pev’s is great and professional business that has a positive effect on the community. They provide jobs, taxes, and a great experience for friends, family, and those of us who wish to enjoy time with our fellow colleagues. From my personal experience, small friendly games amongst friends, are remembered for a lifetime.

Pevs has always been trying to help the community there is no reason to start complaining about 18wheelers on there property. Millions of kids love paintball and the park in aldie,VA is very organized. I would like to thank pevs for their work.

Typical…folks complain that kids are sitting around playing video games all the time or causing trouble…a great place like Pev’s comes along to provide good, clean fun, outside activity, team work, great tax revenue and the list goes on, and here we are with the whiner patrol..making certain that all good deeds cannot go unpunished…sounds like Diane doesn’t have her facts in order anyway. Stop whining and let the kids have fun…they aren’t hurting you, the wild life, the trees or your property…

I’m sorry Ms. Twining but Pev’s is a great place.  It provides good clean fun for families and as mentioned above, environmentally friendly.  As always nobody wants a business right next door to their home but I’m sure you don’t complain about the flies and rodents from the agriculture and horse farms in the area.  Please continue to work with Pevs in resolving this because there are many of us that love the place.  and yes, I am a Loudoun County resident.

I am not from Virginia however, I would like to add that I have been involved in the paintball industry for many years.  From my experience, Pev’s Paintball is a professional operation and has done many positive things for the communities in which their businesses have resided.  I would think your community would embrace this business for what it brings, including employment, revenue, and most importantly, a recreational activity that encourages teamwork and communication.  This is the kind of environment that our kids so desperately need today to avoid negative influences.

Diana, I am a wife and mother of 4. My husband owns Pevs and we as a family are very proud of all he has done for the community to include keeping the kids off streets, providing safe activities, and supporting the local economy by employing over 50 people. Before the park opened, those 50 employees were jobless. Pevs pays lots of taxes every month and every year. Pev’s donates back to all the schools in the area every year. I encourage you to check with the elementry, middle and high schools who use Pevs to raise money every year for their schools when the county cuts the budget short. There are records of all this community support. If you think Pev’s is not supporting the community, you are wrong. I suggest you pick another battle to occupy your time instead of a battle that will hurt the community.

As for the enviroment, Pev’s ONLY allows enviromently friendly paintballs made from gelatin and vegetable oil. Pev’s controls which paintballs are allowed on the park to protect our enviroment because we at Pev’s have families too. As for the trees, only a few have died when we first openend and were replaced. Recently due to the severe summer drought and heat, Pevs lost a few more which will be replaced in fall.  We are a family based business that supports the local community. We have children too, and we aim to protect them. We have done everything by the book to ensure we comply with local ordinances. We work with the county. More than half of our customers are families with kids who come out to celebrate a Birthday Party. We must be doing something right for so many parents to return to our park for their childrens birthday parties.

The 2 large 18 wheelers you spoke about were there for 3 weeks as they were part of a National Tournmanent that is now over. The trucks are gone. However, Pev’s worked with Loudoun County on the event no differently then the Oatlands Horse Races, etc. Loudoun County pushed for he event because nearly $1.5 million dollars in revenue came into the county during those 4 days thru hotels, restaraunts, etc. So, I encourage Diane to verify her facts, as you will see the trucks are gone and Loudoun County Community benefited from the “out of towners” revenue.

Jim, couldn’t agree more. I’m quite certain that we would rather have our kids playing paintball than doing drugs, drinking underage, and loitering where they’re not supposed to. So I’d say it’s definitely a positive influence. And as someone who has been there and used those parks it’s a great time to hang out and have some good, clean fun.

Diana, didn’t kids use to smoke dope and drink beer in that field by your house?  I am sure that Pev’s is more of a positive influence on the environment. Also…its common knowledge that paintballs are non-toxic (through multiple studies) so don’t get your hopes up too much on the results of yours…don’t eat paintballs.  Jim don’t cave… Loudoun needs small businesses and youth programs that are not funded by our tax money.

If the tags are expired you can have the state do something about those trailers.  Otherwise, Loudoun’s useless noise ordinance allows almost anything between 7AM-11PM.  Start a grass roots campaign to have the ordinance changed.