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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 26, 1994                   TAG: 9410290018
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY  
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI                                  LENGTH: Medium

PULASKI THEATRE HAS AT LEAST A 2-YEAR REPRIEVE, GROUP TOLD

The former movie house in downtown Pulaski will remain safe even after the two years, if the Friends of the Pulaski Theatre have started on a restoration program by then.

More than 40 people crowded into the board's meeting room Monday night - more than had been attending movies nightly in the Pulaski Theatre before it closed several years ago - seeking clization as its agent regarding the theater building which had been given to the county after it closed. But last month, the board agreed to study the possibility of demolishing the building for downtown parking space.

``We cannot ask people to donate any more money to us when, in 12 months, this may be a parking lot,'' Friends spokeswoman Lydia Hickam told the supervisors. ``I've got more to do than work on this building if that's going to happen. ... Gentlemen, we have the wit and the will to create a wonderful thing for this town and we hope and we pray that you will agree with us.''

That closing sentence drew a standing ovation from the audience, which included Pulaski Mayor Andy Graham.

``First, I think it should be said that the official position of this board has not changed,'' Chairman Jerry White replied. ``There has been a misrepresentation of the action that was taken. ... We still stand by the position that we made to the Friends of the Pulaski Theatre one year ago.''

White said the county is a major property owner in downtown Pulaski, not only with the theater building but the Old Courthouse, the new brick courthouse, the county library building, a parking lot and other acreage.

Supervisor Bruce Fariss had made a motion to demolish the theater at last month's meeting, but it got no second and Fariss agreed on the decision to study that along with an overall plan for the county's properties in downtown Pulaski.

The discussion alarmed the theater organization, which already has the promise of a $30,000 foundation grant once it raises its first $100,000. A faculty group at Radford University is considering an offer of its services on the project.

Robert Henderson of the Friends group noted that it took about a decade for the city of Bristol to complete restoration of its Paramount Theatre, and that it could take several years for Pulaski to do something similar. ``We need an indefinite period of time,'' he said. ``It's easy to get sympathizers. It's not so easy to get workers and givers.''

Pam Chitwood read a letter from Rhonda Welsh, director of the award-winning Pulaski County High School drama program, in support of saving the theater. Dr. Don Miller cited other communities where restored theaters or other landmark buildings had served as catalysts for reviving communities.

White said the theater discussion had nothing to do with the war memorial and other issues that have come up lately between the town and county. He said there was no dissension between the two governments, although there might be disagreements.

``My wife and I have disagreements. My friends and I have disagreements,'' he said. ``There's been a lot of talk, a lot of commotion this past month and, I might say, unnecessarily ... I know of nothing I can say beyond that.''

Henderson said his participation in the project over the past year has seemed like a full-time and thankless job. ``You ought to try and sit up here for a while,'' Supervisor Fariss said.