Sunday, April 09, 2006
Roanoke residents weigh projects
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Shanna Flowers is The Roanoke Times' metro columnist.
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A new, state-of-the-art museum?
A comprehensive network of greenways?
A museum and greenways?
As a Roanoke Valley resident, which do you value more?
"They're both necessities," said 17-year-old Cyndle Hash of Roanoke. The International Baccalaureate art student at William Fleming High School added that her personal preference is a new museum but said she understands that the region needs a variety of social and recreational amenities if it is to thrive.
Last week, the Art Museum of Western Virginia made headlines because it needs dollars, and the valley's fledgling greenways system made headlines because it received dollars to keep its projects moving forward.
Cyndle is right. In both an enhanced art scene and the greenway project, the valley would offer the type of quality-of-life perks that give it an edge over other communities trying to persuade corporations, young families and single professionals to put down roots.
"A repositioning of Roanoke, that's the kind of thing that you want," said Robert Spekman, professor of business administration at the University of Virginia. "You don't want to compete with Bayonne, N.J., for factory town of the year. You want to portray a city that has amenities for people."
But in a random sampling of Roanoke Valley residents last week, support of the projects varied.
Shirley Motley, a retired office manager, said both a new museum and a network of greenways would bring added value to the Roanoke Valley.
"It's the opportunity to attract young people," said Motley, who lives in Roanoke County and walks the Hanging Rock trail nearly every morning. "This draws business."
"Anything to make things better, the way I look at it," added Curtis Dillon, 77, also of Roanoke County, who said the community needs to support both projects.
However, April Leavens said the region should give greater priority to completing the greenway system.
"We use it all the time," said the mother of three, who lives in Vinton. "It's a good way to get the families out."
The greenway project, which has been limping along since it was first proposed in 1997, received a quarter-million-dollar infusion from Novozymes Biologicals as a way to inspire government, corporate and other leaders to jump on the bandwagon.
In nine years, only 16.8 miles have been built, far short of the 51 proposed walking and bicycle trails covering hundreds of miles.
Even though Ashlee Murphy is a musician, the 18-year-old Botetourt County resident agreed that the greenway system should be the immediate priority.
"I would love to have a nature trail near my house. I think that would attract people to the area," she added.
Museum officials announced that they need another $20 million -- because of the rising cost of construction materials, opening expenses, a variety of fees and furniture -- pushing the price tag to $66 million.
A woman who wouldn't give her name complained about "spending $60 million" for a museum, saying that Roanoke schools need textbooks. When I reminded her that the museum was being built largely with private dollars, it didn't change her opinion of the museum.
Spekman said that many residents who gripe about the price of recreational and social amenities don't understand they are a valuable investment in the community.
"I think these kinds of things are important," the professor said. "Roanoke is never going to be Northern Virginia, but certainly it can put a stake in the ground that says, 'This is a damn nice place to live.' "
"If I were advising Roanoke, I'd say, 'You go, girl.' "
Shanna Flowers' column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
