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

DATE: MONDAY, August 7, 1995                   TAG: 9508290068
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEW CENTURY COUNCIL'S IDEAS?

AFTER 21 months of brainstorming and fine-tuning, the New Century Council has produced a 250-page, 20-year strategic plan for the future of the Roanoke and New River valleys and Alleghany Highlands.

Some 1,000 volunteers from across the region were involved in writing the report, which includes "vision statements" of where our region should be two decades from now, and "strategies" for achieving the vision.

Among the proposals: a new name and slogan for the region; a regional leadership council that would include representatives of business, higher education and government; a global air cargo facility in Dublin; 10,000 acres of land set aside for office parks around the region, with costs and revenues shared by local governments; a network of bikepaths and walkways; rail transportation between the New River and Roanoke valleys.

Also: an entrepreneurial institute; a national center for transportation research; a regional umbrella organization for economic-development marketing; year-round schools; a single planning district for the region; model school programs benchmarked to world-class standards; a regionwide electronic village, with schools, homes and businesses wired to computer networks; a unified toll-free telephone-call area.

Also: a campaign to cut the teen-pregnancy rate by 50 percent; a regional sports authority; a comprehensive land-use plan for the entire region; cluster development to preserve open space; ridgetop protection ordinances; a health-care training center; a leadership institute; a formal system of benchmarks to measure and monitor progress.

What do you think of some of these proposals, or of the New Century Council effort generally? We'd like to hear your opinions. We will publish a selection of your responses.

Please send in your letters, of 300 words or less, by Wednesday, Aug. 16. Include your address and (for verification only) a telephone number where you can be reached during the day.

Mail: Readers Forum

Roanoke Times

P.O. Box 2491

Roanoke, VA 24010

Fax: -(540) 981-3391

E-mail:responseinfi.net

by CNB