ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, July 28, 1996 TAG: 9607300016
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: LETTERS
I am responding to a letter that was entitled "Bethel Backers need to know the facts." I would like to respectively challenge some of the "facts" that were presented by the author of that letter, Mr. Eddie Stike.
Mr. Stike stated that the "Bethel community is a thing of the past." I strongly disagree. The community has changed but nonetheless still exists with the school serving as a hub. Moreover, since the school system advocates the use of schools as community centers, it makes little sense to pull our children from Bethel School.
Furthermore, Mr. Stike speaks of the impact of Radford Community Hospital and the development of "numerous" subdivisions and trailer courts" in the Bethel area. It appears to me that with these developments, there is ever more reason to keep Bethel School open as an elementary school.
Mr. Stike asks, "Where were [the Bethel Backers] during two years of planning" by the FUSS committee? My response is that there has been inadequate communication with Bethel parents and community members. I have only been a Bethel parent for the 1995-96 school year. No information was sent home at the beginning of the school year on the status of the Auburn strand building program.
I did attend a meeting the second day of school in August 1994. At that time, the options were presented regarding the building program. But it wasn't until March 1996 that I was aware that any definite decision had been made to consolidate the elementary schools. And I learned of this through the publicity given to the purchase of the land at Riner by this newspaper.
It has been cited that Bethel School has "minimal recreation facilities." The School Board needs to make a commitment to maintain all of the county schools and to continue to upgrade them. The FUSS study showed that Bethel School is in "good overall condition." There is ample room to build a gym. Furthermore, Mr. Stike states that "expansion is out of the question." If there is room for six mobile classrooms, why isn't there room for permanent classrooms?
Mr. Stike states that the bus ride will be "approximately 10 minutes longer." Can he guarantee this? I live within three miles of Bethel and about 10 miles from Riner. But I can envision a bus route that would take my children and Mr. Stike's from our homes on a daily ride to and from the Pulaski County line, next to the Floyd County line along Little River and then to Riner. I can guarantee that this will be more than 10 extra minutes.
Mr. Stike expresses concern about the four-lane highway that runs alongside Bethel. How can this be a greater concern than two-lane Virginia 8?
Does Mr. Stike know the VDOT facts concerning Virginia 8? There are 6,000 vehicles per day that travel Virginia 8, there have been 200 accidents on Virginia 8 since 1990, and 23 of these accidents have been at the intersection of Union Valley Road/Virginia 8/Fairview Church Road.
Will the buses traveling from Virginia 8 to the new elementary school turn at Fairview Church Road? [At Bethel, there have only been five accidents since 1990.] Moreover, there are no specific plans to widen Virginia 8. Can these roads at Riner handle the possibility of 1,000 students attending Auburn High, middle and elementary schools? What are the facts?
In conclusion, it is my belief that as I have sought to become informed, that there are others like myself from both the Riner and Bethel communities who feel that there has been a lack of communication.
The chairperson of the School Board stated that the planning committees and the school principals were to seek broad-based community input. It appears that this was not the case.
With this in mind, I believe that the School Board is obligated to look at the school building program again. I strongly encourage the option that involves the building of a new middle school for the Auburn strand and upgrading and expanding the Riner and Bethel Elementary schools. There are too many facts that have been ignored to do otherwise.
June S. Walker
Christiansburg
New River|
is city treasure|
Locate the city of Radford on a map of Virginia and look at our gift. We are virtually surrounded (embraced is a better word) by the New River. The only city in Virginia with that claim. And not just a river, but the second oldest watershed in the world, a rarity that flows north - important in the settlement of our country. With an abundance of history within our city limits, from Mary Draper Ingles' The Long Way Home to Bissett Park and one of the largest Native American archeological finds in our state.
Better yet, put on an old pair of tennis shoes and go down to the river. It comes to us from the mountains of North Carolina, through no cities or factories, flowing clear and clean. Fresh water clams and caddis fly are abundant, two species well-known as pollution intolerant. Even the geography is kind to us, the majority of Radford's shoreline is no more than knee deep for the first 100 feet outward.
We have been embraced by a national treasure. We need to promote the New River, not to exploit, but to clean its bank, better the access, educate children and adults to its history, its wildlife, its dangers and its beauties. It's our gift to share.
H. Wilson Rankin
Radford
LENGTH: Medium: 95 linesby CNB