ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 29, 1996 TAG: 9611290063
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRISTINA NUCKOLS STAFF WRITER
To Roanoke County water customers, the Spring Hollow Reservoir means higher water bills. Rates have doubled over the past five years to pay for the utility project.
To county officials, the reservoir is a secure water supply for the future and an opportunity to provide public water to hundreds of county residents with failing wells.
But when Pete Haislip looks at the reservoir, he envisions paddle boats, mountain-bike trails and fishing docks.
Haislip, Roanoke County's director of parks and recreation, will present a proposal to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday for what could become the county's largest park. The plan calls for the development of hiking, biking and equestrian trails on more than 700 acres surrounding the reservoir, located in the Glenvar area near Dixie Caverns. Other features being considered include picnic areas, a welcome center and a marina for paddle boats and canoes.
The estimated cost of the project, which would be spread over 10 years, is $2.9 million.
Right now, the mountainous tract's only recreational use is as the home of Camp Roanoke. The county has been making improvements to the camp over the past three years, attracting more than $150,000 in cash and volunteer donations.
"We view that as the first phase of development of the Spring Hollow reservoir," Haislip said.
He said one of the first steps in developing a park would be to provide road access and parking for similar volunteer projects.
There's already interest from local sporting groups.
Dick Howard, a Salem mountain bike enthusiast, said he and other cyclists are interested in helping to develop trails for their sport.
"There aren't any places here where people with mountain bikes can go and ride on designated mountain bike trails," he said.
Many cyclists use fire roads or trespass in the land around Carvins Cove, he said. The Spring Hollow land could easily accommodate a dozen miles of trails, he said. If that happens, he predicted Roanoke County could attract national mountain bike events, aided by the reservoir's proximity to Interstate 81.
The perimeter road circling the reservoir also could be used for foot races, Haislip said. That road goes right across the top of the Clifford D. Craig Memorial Dam, and Haislip envisions that as an opportunity for a spectacular stretch to the finish line.
He believes the park could become a year-round tourist attraction drawing several hundred thousand visitors annually.
Haislip said roads - the biggest expense associated with the park - could be paid through recreation access money available through the Virginia Department of Transportation. If they approve the park, supervisors will have to decide whether the rest will be paid through bonds or out of the general budget.
There's disagreement among those who fought the reservoir over whether they should support the park proposal.
Charles Millican, who ran against Johnson in 1993 because of his support for the reservoir, said one reason he opposed its development was that it would not serve all county residents, many of whom rely on private wells. The park, on the other hand, would be open to everyone, including people living outside the county.
"I see that as a little salve on the wound," said Millican, who has moved to Bedford County.
But fellow reservoir warrior Don Terp said the county can't afford another park. He said supervisors should spend money instead to maintain existing parks and schools.
Supervisor Chairman Bob Johnson acknowledged that the county will soon be spending millions of dollars on school construction needs, but he said that doesn't mean county parks should be put on hold. At their annual retreat this summer, all five supervisors agreed that increasing the amount of park space in the county should be a higher priority. With a citizen committee studying and planning for future school needs, Johnson said it's appropriate to be doing the same with parks.
"We can have our cake and eat it too, but you have to plan for it," he said.
There are two special considerations county officials will need to address before the park can be developed, Haislip said. One is the water in the reservoir, and the other is the road that is the only access to the property.
Although other reservoirs have been used as the centerpiece of public parks, they do create unique demands.
"We're obviously dealing with a very sensitive area," Haislip said. "The No. 1 priority is protecting the water source."
Because the water in the reservoir could end up in someone's drinking glass, no gas motors, swimming or other body contact is allowed. Boats also would be restricted to the west end of the reservoir, away from the dam.
Construction of fishing docks and the boat marina also are scheduled late in the park's development so the county's utility department can have more time to study fluctuations in the water levels.
Dry Hollow Road could prove to be a more complicated problem. It is narrow and features a single-lane, blind curve that runs beneath a Norfolk Southern railroad trestle bridge. Residents who live along the road are angry that the curve hasn't been fixed, and the prospect of increased traffic is far from welcome.
The situation creates a quandary for Catawba Supervisor Spike Harrison.
"I represent two different factions," he said. "I represent the sports people of the county who love all this stuff. I also represent the residents along Dry Hollow Road who don't want any more traffic on that road."
Doris Blankenship, who lives on Dry Hollow Road, said her neighbors also are upset that they weren't consulted about the proposed park until plans were already under way. They were asked for ideas on how the park should be developed, but weren't asked if it should be developed at all.
But Blankenship, who was invited to join a planning committee studying the proposed park, said changes in the development schedule that have pushed up road improvements from late in the project to the very beginning should make it more acceptable to Dry Hollow residents.
It will not be easy to fix Dry Hollow Road. Removing the blind curve is expected to cost $500,000. Even if the road can be improved, it won't be able to handle the anticipated traffic once the park is being fully used. Plans call for a new road to be constructed in the fourth of fifth year of development. County officials hope they can build it through adjacent property owned by American Electric Power Co. AEP officials know about the park project, but Haislip said those plans are not yet "a done deal."
County officials admit they have a number of complicated issues to resolve before the park proposal can become reality. But Wayne Gauldin, the Catawba District's representative on the Parks and Recreation Commission, thinks the alternative would be short-sighted.
"I'd hate to see the reservoir sitting up there, especially as beautiful as it is, and not be used except for just water," he said.
LENGTH: Long : 126 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: FILE OCTOBER 1995 A proposal coming Tuesday would makeby CNBSpring Hollow the biggest park in Roanoke County. color
2. map Spring Hollow Reservoir STAFF