Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 30, 1993 TAG: 9311300180
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Now, Scott Light and Nathan Likens have a new proposal.
What about a park for skateboards, roller blades and mountain bikes?
They've even come with a name for the park - The Extreme. That would be the name of the toughest of three mountain bike trails - fast, hard and steep.
The two students at James Madison Middle School said the park would meet a "desperate need" for a place for youngsters to ride their skateboards, roller blades and mountain bikes.
"There are so many sports in the area that children like, but they have no place to ride so they have to sneak onto private property," they said in a letter to City Council.
But the two students might have a tough job selling their idea to the city.
The Mill Mountain Development Committee reacted cautiously Monday.
Several members raised questions about the plan and whether it would be permissible under the restrictions placed on use of the land, which was donated by the Fishburn family.
Lynn Vernon, the city's parks planner, said he will respond to the students, pointing out the design guidelines for development atop the mountain.
"We get letters like this from time to time," Vernon said. "They would have some problems in meeting the design guidelines for the mountain," he said.
"We need to listen to young people such as these, although we might not be able to do what they want," said Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles.
Also Monday, the Mill Mountain Committee approved in concept a plan for a $2.8 million parking garage, which is part of the Mill Mountain Zoo's expansion plans.
The zoo says it needs 300 parking spaces to accommodate its expansion.
The two-level garage would have a tower and would be heavily landscaped to blend with the natural scenery.
Vernon said it would be built in phases. The first phase would have 183 spaces and cost $1.6 million. The second would provide 127 additional spaces and cost $1.2 million.
The garage would be constructed on the current parking lot near the zoo.
Mayor David Bowers also urged the committee to ask Blue Ridge Parkway officials to erect signs on the parkway directing motorists to downtown Roanoke and other points in the city.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.