
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 8, 1994                   TAG: 9404080203
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: PEARISBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS BEGINNING FOR DEVELOPING GILES GREENWAY

A series of public workshops begins Monday to develop a greenway plan for the New River in Giles County. The first session will be held at 7 p.m. at Giles High School.

Other sessions will take place Tuesday, 7 p.m., at Eastern Elementary School and on April 18, 7 p.m., at Narrows High School.

Additional meetings will be scheduled as the plan takes shape.:wq!

The workshops will give county residents a voice in the plan's development.

The greenway plan would take advantage of underused aspects of the New River through stretches of open space connecting separate recreational, cultural and natural areas. A new organization, Partners for the New River, is leading the greenway effort. The Giles County coalition includes residents, representatives of local government, the New River Valley Planning District Commission and the National Committee for the New River.

The greenway project will seek to enhance the quality of life in Giles County by promoting enjoyment of the unique resources and beauty of the New River, providing a family recreational environment, and encouraging economic development that sustains the county's resources.

To start the process, Partners for the New River has come up with some preliminary ideas for a series of parks along the river. These would include the existing Glen Lyn town park - which would be further developed - and places that already are used informally for river access, such as in Bluff City near U.S. 460 and Pembroke at the Virginia 623 bridge.

Other proposed elements include reopening the Manual's Hollow Overlook on an abandoned section of U .S. 460 near Rich Creek, a 75-acre park on the New River near the confluence of Walker Creek and designation of scenic roads as bikeways. Among other activities, the greenway could provide for fishing, canoeing, swimming, biking and picknicking.

Three rounds of workshops will be held over the next few months to hear from county residents. Dates and times for subsequent workshops will be announced. Anyone who uses the New River for recreation, lives on or near the river or values its magnificence, is encouraged to attend these sessions.

by CNB