ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 20, 1997 TAG: 9704210070
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JENNIFER HUANG THE ROANOKE TIMES
Dogs, children and adults climbed the winding, 3-mile route along city streets.
Under a bright blue sky dotted with puffy clouds, surrounded by acres of woods, a tan German shorthaired pointer trotted up the walkway pulling 2-year-old Ada in her baby carriage, just like a sled dog. Ada's parents broke into a jog behind them to keep pace.
Their destination?
The top of Mill Mountain.
They were participants Saturday morning in the first Roanoke greenways walk, which led up the mountain to Earth Day activities and Mill Mountain Zoo's Zoobilation! festival.
Between 200 and 300 walkers and 30 to 40 cyclists, from all over the Roanoke Valley, turned up for the trek. Dogs, children and adults climbed the winding, 3-mile route along city streets that cover part of the planned greenway up the mountain.
The walk's sponsor, the Roanoke Valley Greenways Steering Committee, hopes it will become an annual tradition and increase support for greenway development in the city.
Liz Belcher, the Roanoke Valley greenway coordinator, hopes the walk also will become a community-building event.
"Earth Day is a day for us to remember that we have to live in harmony with the Earth," she said.
Tony Perez, Ada's father. brought along his wife, daughter and dog for the walk.
But on Saturday, some walkers just wanted to enjoy the surprisingly pleasant weather.
"It's a good day to get the whole family out and take the dog for a walk up the mountain," said Roanoker Tony Perez, Ada's father.
"The weather's pretty and we want to be outside," said Jo Poff of Vinton. "We love this mountain."
James Breakell of Roanoke carried his 22-month-old daughter, Courtney, on his shoulders as he slowly pushed her empty stroller up the incline.
"Every Saturday and Sunday, we look for fun things to do outside," he said.
Breakell said he supports the idea of more greenways as long as the costs are balanced with the number of users.
Other walkers also liked the idea of additional city greenways.
"It would be great so you wouldn't have to huff and puff when you do do it once a year," said Maxine Lee, a former Roanoke resident who was visiting from LaGrange, Ga.
Twelve seventh- and eighth-graders from North Cross School volunteered to carry orange trash bags along on their walk to collect litter. The students are participants in an outdoor education program that sponsors 42 trips throughout the year to instill environmental appreciation.
``The kids have asked, `Why can't we just do this every weekend?''' said Peter Benedict, the program coordinator. ``They've had a blast, and they really enjoy themselves.''
Atop the mountain, Earth Day activities included about 20 booths selling goods or distributing information on local organizations, seven bands, food vendors and face painting.
Mill Mountain Zoo's Zoobilation! festival also housed many exhibitors and a band. Several environmental groups held presentations in the zoo's amphitheater. At her booth, Betty Field, who has walked more than 29,000 miles on Mill Mountain, sought signatures on a petition to keep the mountain free of commercialization.
"I feel that this mountain doesn't belong to us; it's too beautiful," she said. "We're just visitors here."
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/THE ROANOKE TIMES. Saturday is perfect for aby CNBtrek up Prospect Road to the top of Mill Mountain, where Earth Day
festivities and Zoobilation! await. Between 200 and 300 walkers and
30 to 40 cyclists joined in. color.