Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 14, 1995 TAG: 9507140051
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Roupe didn't take long to regain his composure.
``Well, we could put the lake in over there next to the mountains,'' he said.
Lake?
``Sure,'' he said. ``We're going to need one with all these tourists that will be coming through.''
Tourists in Shawsville and Elliston?
``It'll really help Montgomery County with taxes,'' he said.
Certainly, that's the kind of forward-thinking talk visionaries of the New Century Council hoped to inspire with the 20-year economic plan they released this week.
The New River Valley, along with Roanoke and the Alleghany Highlands, was the region the council had in mind with its plan. If you ask Roupe, the Elliston-Shawsville area is ripe to move into the 21st century.
``We even use e-mail,'' he said.
Roupe may use e-mail, but he pays no taxes and casts no vote. Those privileges are reserved for those who are older than Roupe's 10 years. Some of those folks have a less enthusiastic view of the type of visioning done by the crystal ball gazers of the council.
``Where does the money come from to build it?`` said Jackie Harless of Elliston as he a took a minute or two off spray-painting a new outbuilding he's putting up behind his house. ``All it's going to do is raise taxes. My mother lives in Roanoke County and that new Spring Hollow Reservoir over there is about to do them in with the taxes.''
Down the road at Wilson's Restaurant, another taxpayer had a different angle on the proposed palace.
``You can't do anything about progress,'' said Kenneth Wilson, one of the owners. ``Either you go with it or get run over by it.''
Presumably, Wilson could sell more of the ham sandwiches, cups of coffee, and plate lunches that his family has been serving satisfied customers since 1941 if such a coliseum would open.
``If I have to build a bigger place, I will,'' Wilson said.
Another business owner didn't share Wilson's futuristic zeal.
``It's crazy,'' said Faye McDaniel of Elliston Food Mart. ``This is a nice peaceful little community. If I wanted to move to Roanoke, I would.
``Besides, I don't think they'd get the land for it. Not unless they wanted to spend beaucoups of money."
The real estate availability issue also had Harless worried. We already knew where he stood on the fiscal issue.
``This here is a small county,'' he said. ``Now if they want to take all that farmland they have over there in Floyd County and build them a new sports arena, fine.''
That of course is the classic not-in-my-peapatch attitude that many futurists frown on. Regardless of the philosophies of the futurists, other naysayers were frowning at other issues.
``I like it out here the way it is,'' said Lisa East of Shawsville as she vacuumed her sporty red late model. ``I'd just as soon live out in the woods and ride a horse where I needed to go. The only reason I haven't done it is because I have children and it wouldn't be fair to them.''
Not that East is a totally back-to-nature type. She can appreciate certain aspects of modern life.
``An hour either way and you can go to a race. Two hours south and you can be in Charlotte at a big race. They have two civic centers in Roanoke. What do we need with another one here?''
Those sentiments were shared by Joyce Wilcher of Elliston.
``We don't need it,'' she said. ``Why don't they spend the money on something else?''
Wilson offered an answer for that one.
``Build it,'' he said. ``The two they have now are almost maxed out with bookings. They're always people who are going to say "no." Look at the Hotel Roanoke.''
When it came to saying "no" about an arena in Elliston, Linda Edwards of Riverside joined the chorus.
``I think it'd be a big flop,'' she said.
by CNB