A Restaurant on Mill Mountain: Our “Natural Amenities”

Since the election, and really for months before, decision making regarding a potential restaurant and event site on Mill Mountain has slowed considerably. Certainly, this was and is a hot issue for our city and one in which several candidates in the recent election certainly took some sides. In my mind, this has been a very healthy debate. There have been meetings, printed commentary and letters to the editor, forums and the dialogue on both sides has been mostly civil.

We can quickly approve fire stations, police academies and civic event centers that cost millionns with little fanfare, but it is the sexy, feel good, fun projects with potential economic and tourism benefits that often get the most attention. There are many understandable reasons for this- we can all envision them, we can all use them, and perhaps they are “extras” that will change our landscape and something we “may not need”, or these issues offer many options of how to get it done and therefore there are many opinions. The market building, the stepped plaza, the amphitheatre all fit this category. The mountain though does offer some differences. Second to perhaps our downtown market area, it is our greatest asset and I believe it is quickly followed in third place by our river.  The city is correctly expanding the use of these natural amenities with greenways, hiking and biking trails and ways to link them together which are getting regional and national media exposure. People take visitors to the mountain, enjoy weekend picnics or gatherings there, or have weddings on the star overlook (turn the starcam on now).

There is also history here: an old inn and theatre was once there, the Mill Mountain Zoo still operates there and offers great family entertainment in an awesome setting. Those who grew up here have fond childhood memories of the mountain. The Discovery Center has become a great addition and offers another place to visit and learn about our local environment and nature and hopefully entices visitors to come on into the city. Parking is spread out with perhaps too much asphalt but it is often full on weekends.

So do we leave well enough alone? For as long as I can remember, about every 7 or so years I have heard people and groups make a major effort to discuss the possibilities of having a restaurant on the mountain- a place to take friends, sit, enjoy the view, listen to accoustic music, have breakfast/coffee, have events/meetings/weddings,  or just take a rest from a hike or bike ride. If done right- evironmentally friendly, small footprint, cool wood and stone architecture, LEED design, consolidate parking and lose some asphalt- it would certainly at first glance make sense to me and a lot of people for that matter. Valley Forward has put together a solid proposal and has been very reasoned in my mind in its approach to this debate. The respondents- the Keep Mill Mountain Green and Natural Read more

Claude Moore Education Complex Serves Community Needs

Just over the new MLK bridge from the Hancock Building sits the Claude Moore Education Complex which officially had its ribbon cut last week. This is a great example of a vital community organization seeing a need for growth, partnering with an excellent school and finding a way and an appropriate place to make it happen. This time the City Read more

Historic Flair Found at the Hancock Building

Just a few weeks ago the historic Hancock Building that last housed Grand Piano Furniture Company opened its doors. While a very difficult renovation with equally difficult financing, this building reportedly came in on time and on budget. It now provides 58 apartment units to the growing mix of downtown residential opportunities. On the first floor it

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Technology keeps you in the know

While not getting much attention, for years the City of Roanoke has offered citizens access to myroanoke.com email updates. This innovative approach to keeping citizens up to date on big matters, such as crimes, to little matters, such as street closures continues to receive enormous accolades from users of the service.

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Support for the Concept of Regionalism

Another goal of mine and probably for most council members is to strongly support the concept of regionalism. I believe the concept is supported by those in government in the county and in Salem. The rub has always been which project, how and why. A recent article in the times made it appear that the city was not being regionally minded in its decision to review the shared fire and EMS services with the county at Clearbrook. This is a review of need, quality and cost effectiveness that should at any rate be undertaken as Read more

The Amphitheatre is Hanging Around My Neck

While the amphitheatre has moved forward at multiple times with anywhere from 4 to 7 council votes, this one seems to be hanging around my neck! To me the amphitheatre is a micro-issue for our city but obviously has vocal contingents on both sides. We can build a new firehouse or police academy with little comment and much more expense. Perhaps ongoing debate is because this is a visible, feel good project that all will hopefully use. Perhaps it is lingering sentiment from Victory Stadium. As we all should know this Read more

And I thought I could sit this election out!

While I certainly supported Nelson Harris’ bid for re-election based on all the good accomplishments he has participated in for this city over many years and his progressive viewpoints, I am excited to get to work with this new council. One thing that clearly seems positive to me at this point is that there are no camps, no automatic majority and no clear predictability. I feel this is healthy for us on council and for the citizens, though I am very aware of behind the scenes attempts, even by those who lost, to form such camps which is unfortunate.

 

As for myself, I plan to continue as I did when I first got on council though hopefully a little more mature and aware of Read more