Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 15, 1995 TAG: 9508150033
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA FARMER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
I recently purchased the Cloyd house and in researching deeds and wills, I learned a great deal of information on Greenfield. I was amazed to discover the rich history of the land located behind the black mailbox with the white cow on it. I have driven down that lane everyday since learning of the historic connections between the Cloyd, Preston and Stover families, imagining what might have actually taken place there more than 200 years ago. My family and I have trekked through the streams and woods, and have marveled at the huge, ancient trees that dot the property. In doing so, I realize the great travesty that would result if this ``green field'' were paved over.
As I left there one day to pick up my daughter and nephew at Loch Haven in Roanoke County, I realized that with all Botetourt County's natural beauty, there's no public place to swim. Basically, I realized, there's no public park at all.
I grew up in rural upstate New York, and we had many parks, public lakes, hiking and picnic areas. We had commerce and industry, too, but they were contained in a certain part of the county and didn't infringe on rural areas. On our excursions through Greenfield, we discovered many small creeks sufficient to fill a lake. On 900 acres, there's more than enough room for hiking and horseback-riding trails, recreational fields and even a school. We tell our children ``just say no,'' but we don't give them alternative things to do.
Our Board of Supervisors has hoarded nearly $20 million, unbeknownst to county residents, for an industrial site, but supervisors claim they can't afford to renovate schools or spend the money on what it was at least allocated for. Wouldn't it be great to give our kids an alternative to the mall? Wouldn't it promote quality family life in our area to provide a place where we could all go for after-dinner walks or even a spur-of-the-moment picnic, since we wouldn't have to make a two-hour round-trip drive to Douthat Park or Smith Mountain Lake? I believe this would be a better long-term investment for us to make in our community than another industrial park.
And if the Board of Supervisors doesn't think the revenue coming in from a plan like this would be enough, then let's create our own version of Explore Park. Take the buildings that are being burned or are falling down and move them to Greenfield to create a village similar to the American Frontier Museum.
Why is it that we, as a county, are the last ones to realize that what we have here is special, and is worth keeping here in our own back yard? What a wonderful way to teach our children about their heritage as citizens of historic Botetourt County. I assure you people would come from far and wide to visit such a place. We moved from upstate New York to live in such a place!
We need to look at our county and our natural resources, and use this area's beauty and history as a way to draw revenue instead of banking totally on industry. If people are willing to move here to enjoy what this county offers, surely they'll visit it for the same reasons.
In a recent brochure from the Chamber of Commerce, I read the following slogan: ``Botetourt County - honoring the past; searching the future.'' It seems to me that the Board of Supervisors' interpretation of this might be: ``Botetourt County - paving over our past to make way for the future.''
Let's keep Greenfield green!
Lisa Farmer, of Troutville, owns a gift shop in Fincastle.
by CNB