Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 17, 1995 TAG: 9502180034
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Since 1987, participation in the programs has more than doubled, and so has the number of programs the town offers its residents. But no new facilities have been added to accommodate the programs' popularity, and existing facilities are inadequate to meet the demand.
The problem is symptomatic of a community that has seen more growth in commerce and population than in quality of life or planning for the future.
Christiansburg, Virginia's fastest growing town, needs now to give its parks and recreation the kind of attention and support it's given to economic development - which incidentally is not unrelated. Good recreational facilities are among amenities that many businesspeople consider when thinking of relocating or expanding employment in a community. Overcrowded is not part of most people's definition of good facilities.
To their credit, members of the Town Council recognized two years ago that Christiansburg needed to catch up with residents' interest in parks and recreational activities. Council ordered a 10-year master plan, which was based in large measure on surveys of residents' wants and requirements. With that plan now in hand, the town can and should move forward to upgrade and expand facilities.
The price tag, of course, is not insignificant. Fully implementing the plan will cost an estimated $6 million. That would cover, among other things, a new and much-needed recreation center, new basketball courts, indoor and outdoor swiming pools and various park improvements.
One new park would be built basically from scratch - and somewhat ingeniously. The town's old landfill at Wades Lane would be turned into softball fields. At another site, the old sewage-treatment plant would become a children's playground.
Doubtless, the plan will have to be phased in. Its recommendations reasonably assign first-things-first priority rankings. But the investment is befitting the town's growth and necessary for an overall quality of life that residents, present and future, expect.
It's an investment, too, that serves taxpayers' interests. As a volunteer basketball coach in Christiansburg recently observed, young people in particular need organized recreational activity. If a community doesn't offer it, restless teens may find less wholesome ways to spend time and energy. The results may be more costly than basketball courts.
The master plan isn't perfect. Some revisions would appear in order. For instance, it makes no provision for parks in the Belmont neighborhood on Peppers Ferry Road, a fast-growth area since the town annexed it in 1988. Generally, though, this is a well-conceived and realistic blueprint for meeting critical parks and recreation needs. It deserves residents' as well as the Town Council's support.
by CNB