THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 28, 1996 TAG: 9607260198
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: AROUND TOWN
SOURCE: LINDA MCNATT
LENGTH: 82 lines
A lot can happen in 12 years. And a lot can simply stand still.
That's what seems to have happened in Suffolk.
I left this fair city more than a decade ago to work for The Virginian-Pilot in Isle of Wight County. Anyone who ever read The Citizen, the community news section that is no longer published, must know that I enjoyed every minute I spent there.
But I'm back in Suffolk now, and it's time to start again.
I started by driving downtown streets, from one end of Suffolk proper to the other.
When I left, there was so much excitement about the city's potential. One group of citizens worked hard to bring Historic District designation to downtown. There was talk of reviving the downtown area.
The restoration of Riddick's Folly was firmly off the ground. Renovations had begun. The cookbook that helped to begin that effort still bears my name as a helper. It's still being sold today. Some things go on.
And some things simply stop.
Every time I visited Suffolk from Isle of Wight, I noticed that nothing was happening here. It still isn't.
Sorry, folks. I certainly don't want to put a bad taste in anybody's mouth with a first column for The Sun. But if I wake somebody up, it's worth the risk.
On my ride, I saw on Bank Street a home whose owner, I remember, was so excited about finally getting historic landmark designation for his property. The lovely old house sits now with its paint peeling, somewhat neglected. Wouldn't years just add to its importance? Should appearance be allowed to detract from that?
I went searching for the cemetery that residents of the Rosemont/Lloyd Place community were so involved in getting cleaned up as a tribute to the community and to those residents who have passed on. I couldn't find it.
The crew of a U.S. Navy ship, I understand, came out once and cleared the cemetery. It's been allowed to grow up and fill with dense vegetation again. Where did the pride go? Is there anybody left who still cares?
And downtown - well, even the pastry shop is gone. That was the one thing that continued for so many years to still make it downtown Suffolk. Most of the businesses that were in downtown have been replaced with pawn shops and thrift stores. Legitimate business, certainly. But there could be a mix, if anybody cared. A few specialty shops, maybe. Some seem to be surviving on Main Street. Why not Washington?
And - why, I couldn't believe it - the Professional Building was closed and locked. Where had I been, co-workers wanted to know. Hadn't I read about Suffolk and what was going on?
I missed that one. I guess I never thought somebody could do something so horrible to such a wonderful old building filled with marble and memories. I understand now there's some plan going on to renovate the building. Is anything happening?
And City Hall, or the new court complex - is it really about to get off the ground? I hope they didn't forget what was in that same place at one time. The old town hall was such a beautiful building, a wonderful reminder of when Suffolk was actually in its heyday as a peanut capital.
What a sin to have ripped it off the face of the Earth. Did anybody think about the old town hall when the new courts complex was designed?
Thought has been put into the design, but there's certainly no similarity there. Hey, can we at least get a town clock? Can we make it that much like what once was here?
And will Suffolk take just a hint from Isle of Wight?
If there's one element I've seen lacking here for years that I never saw lacking there, it's the working together of the citizens, all for the good of the place they call home.
A couple of examples: Take a ride through downtown Smithfield sometime. Attend the county fair this fall. How do things come together out there?
It's simple, really. Everybody cares. Neither race nor religion is a factor when there's a job to be done in your neighboring county, dear Suffolk. The people work together as people with a common cause, a common interest.
Oh, I believed 12 years ago that something good could come of Suffolk. I still believe that today.
Something as simple as painting fire hydrants to look like Mr. Peanut could get the excitement going again. I mean, hey, if Hershey, Pa. can have street lamps shaped like chocolate kisses, would peanuts be out of the question on our main street?
Something - even if it is a little silly - could go a long way.
Don't be surprised if you see me on my next trip around town with a paint brush in my hand. by CNB