THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 7, 1996 TAG: 9601050150
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Ida Kay's Portsmouth
SOURCE: Ida Kay Jordan
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
The cover story this week focuses on a Portsmouth man, Ron Pack, who made Smithfield come alive. He's done for that community what Portsmouth hopes someone will do for it.
He took a chance when he started his Smithfield Station complex, and obviously it has paid off. He has expanded as far as his land holdings and the law allows.
He did it with the encouragement of the people of Smithfield and the surrounding area. Not only have they recognized him with special awards. They have given him support in many ways.
Local support definitely is the clue to success anywhere.
An ad placed in the program for ``Phantom of the Opera'' by the City of Norfolk says very succinctly what it's all about.
The ad features a picture of tickets to the Virginia Stage Company, opera and symphony and the Chrysler Museum.
One line of type reads: ``It's like buying stock in the city of Norfolk.''
Support for activities in the community is indeed like investing in the community. And outside investors must have that kind of support for any project before they put their money in it.
We cannot have successful activities or happy investors unless the citizens of Portsmouth are among the first to support them.
The Children's Museum is a good example of what committed support can do. Although many visitors are from elsewhere, Portsmouth people have been excited about the facility. They have talked about it, taken their families and friends to see it and generally let their enthusiasm spill over across the area and beyond.
But for some strange reason, not understood by me, local folks do not give the same committed support to other things - things like Willett Hall, the art museum, Community Concerts, many local restaurants and shops.
Most city facilities and private businesses have to struggle to keep going until people from other places find them. Generally speaking, folks here do not provide the important backbone of support needed to make anything successful.
When Pack received a Chamber of Commerce award last summer, he noted that his facility was only part of the picture. To make the project work, all the business owners in town had to be part of a changing Smithfield, one that would be attractive to visitors - especially those who come by boat and spend a day or a weekend at Pack's Smithfield Station.
Basically, Portsmouth is trying to accomplish that by emphasizing Downtown as an ``arty'' place. It's coming along, as well as the completion this spring of several businesses - including antique shops and an artist's studio - in the 600 block of High St.
That block's activities from London Boulevard to High Street are all part of the Vision 2005 plan, which also will create more ways for boaters to access Portsmouth.
One of the important aspects will be the development of some materials to tell boaters and other visitors about this wonderful city and its long history. In addition, local citizens must become volunteer ambassadors for Portsmouth.
Portsmouth folks who own boats need to talk up the city when they go elsewhere.
Those who shop for art or antiques need to spread the word among people elsewhere with similar interests.
Those who go to cultural events and art shows in Norfolk need to talk to people there about similar events in Portsmouth. There are a lot of people who do not know what we have here.
Those who go to the Naro for a movie need to tell folks in that audience about the Commodore. After all, the only two really decent places to see a decent movie are the Naro and the Commodore!
Citizens need to do the same thing for other attractions and businesses that we have done for the Children's Museum. In addition, we need to support businesses that will be attractive to visitors.
What does all this have to do with Ron Pack and Smithfield?
Smithfield has become an attractive stop for people because it has all the elements needed to satisfy visitors. Pack said he provided two of them: a place to sleep and a place to eat. Others in the community had to provide places of diversions where visitors would spend their money.
The fact is, however, that no matter how many boaters or tourists come to town, businesses also must have local support to survive.
By supporting local events and local businesses, we are investing in our city. Those who make a good living here and who enjoy life here must think of putting something back.
As the Norfolk ad says, ``It's like buying stock in the city.'' And the investment will pay dividends if we all stick with it.
We not only need to spend our money here. We need to put our mouth where our money is! by CNB