Wednesday, April 05, 2006
City's plans snuff neighborhood's wishes
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Valerie Garner
Garner, of Roanoke, is chairwoman of the Countryside Neighborhood Alliance.
Let us just see how miserable we can make life for Roanoke citizens aged 55-plus. I guess we just don't contribute enough to the tax base to merit any quality of life whatsoever. Do you think if we all left that the young people would flock into the city? If you do, you are dreamin' or on something the '60s generation was smokin'.
Why do our children leave Roanoke? Fear of the answer is keeping residents divided and deceived.
Before graduation day our children began looking for the entry-level career move that would best propel them into the field they had chosen. They were not looking for a stadium; they were not looking for a home to buy (no money yet). They were not looking for an amphitheater or museum or a trolley car or a state-of-the-art library. Living and working near family and friends would be their first choice, but alas, not an opportunity to be found.
A lucky few may find career opportunities in Roanoke. Others look to Northern Virginia, Charlotte, Atlanta and even farther. Maybe some will be able to move back to their hometown in later years, that is, if Roanoke wants them. They may be too old then.
Remember, Roanoke wants only the young people. If this is the case, let's just put up a sign at the Roanoke city limits -- "55-plus citizens need not apply."
I am among the more than 100 residents surrounding the Countryside Golf Course who planned to retire here. Some are first-time city residents, and some have lived here all their lives. Some have lived around the golf course for three years and some for 30 years. We are for the most part at least 50 years old, with grown children, and are looking forward to a peaceful retirement in this beautiful, open, green-space community. We are taking care of our elderly parents, taking care of children and grandchildren, holding down full-time jobs, and now struggling with the increased tax assessment on property we cannot sell for the appraised value since the future of the golf course is in jeopardy. We are not wealthy, and our homes are our only asset.
While city administration drools over tax dollar generation, they are quick to brush off the citizens whose quality of life will be affected by chopping up the Countryside Golf Course.
This Northwest City community has been without recreational space promised for 30 years, as Roanoke's own Peters Creek North Plan illustrates. Are these plans used only when the city finds them convenient? The golf course that was formed in 1967 was established by citizens who were disgruntled at Hunting Hills Golf Course and wanted a more affordable golfing community. The Countryside golf course is profitable, no matter what certain government officials try to tell you. Countryside is host to many charitable events like the upcoming Miracles for Children Classic on April 28th.
The city administration squeezed the former owners by influencing the Airport Commission to refuse to renew the lease of the airport property where some of the fairways reside. Assuming the owners wanted to sell the property no matter what ... there was no chance of its being sold as a golf course without the airport lease being renewed.
I quote from a memo from Ed Hall and Associates dated Dec. 16, 2002, to the city manager: "The tenant [Countryside] could ask the Airport Commission to extend the lease at any time. ... Otherwise they do not have a golf course. ... be sure that the city's representatives on the Airport Commission do not enter into any negotiations to extend the lease beyond Nov. 2008."
Just keep pushing us out, Roanoke. Who will live in a city that does not respect its middle-age citizens -- the citizens who keep those coveted tax dollars rolling in for you.
Roanoke is pulling a "Soylent Green" on us, and we will not go quietly into the night as did the "Solylent Green" character when he finally succumbs to despair and relinquishes himself to a government euthanasia center, glimpsing a (Roanoke's) lost legacy.
In this world, the average person only sees blue skies and green forests via canned video during his last 20 minutes of life in a government euthanasia center.
