Luanne Traud:

Roanoke plans to place Mill Mountain's slopes in a conservation easement. How protected they will be from potential development, like roads, trails and inclines, is to be determined. City Council is ducking a discussion about what, if any, type of further development should be allowed on the top. What would you want?

The land beneath the city of Roanoke has been assaulted, subdued, and made to conform to many uses over the years, but one geographical feature within the city’s boundaries has managed to successfully resist most of the efforts of those who would bring it under the heavy hand of commercialization.

The pristine slopes of Mill Mountain have been scarred somewhat by such man-made features as roads, towers, houses, theaters, a zoo, an inclined railway, and even a gigantic neon star, but through all these insults the mountain has retained its dignity and lies among us as comfortable and familiar as the family dog, patiently enduring the insults of the children who pull its ears and rub its coat the wrong way.

Mill Mountain looms large over the city and while many of us take it for granted, it’s impossible for others to ignore. Something about it seems to beckon developers, and from time to time an individual or group will present some grand plan for putting the mountain to what they see as a better use. These plans invariably involve alteration of the natural terrain to some degree, and most of them would corrupt the mountain’s natural beauty and leave it scarred and polluted.

Our beautiful Mill Mountain already has about as much development as it can comfortably stand and still retain its attraction as a place to enjoy nature. Those who visit it are usually drawn there by a love of some aspect of the natural world, so it would seem best to preserve it as close as possible to its natural state. We have a unique treasure lying among us, a treasure which we can enjoy for generations with our five senses, but the worth of this treasure will decrease whenever we touch it with anything else.

 

 

Marvin Foster:

Actually I would not expect hunting to be allowed (and would not suggest it) that close to a heavily populated area.

Hey, Marvin:  Deer hunting has been allowed within the city limits before and may also be taking place right now.  The hunters are G-men (I forget which agency), and they discreetly hunt selected areas.  Without these hunters, flower and vegetable gardening would be a lot less profitable within the city. 

The subject of hunting within the city reminds me of a call I went on last week for a report of man laying on the ground and not moving behind a house.  Calls like these can mean a serious medical event so that's what I was anticipating as I ran around to the back of the house.  I approached the man and could see that he was lying prone, but his upper body was obscured by a bush.  As I got within 10 feet or so, I called out, "Hey!  Are you okay?" (Normal procedure to establish responsiveness).  At the sound of my voice the man whirled over onto his back, and that's when I saw the fully armed crossbow.  A couple of tense seconds passed as my brain quickly weighed the "fight or flight" options.  Just as I settled on the "flight" option, the man relaxed and explained that he was hunting a groundhog in the vacant lot next to his house.

Most of the color has returned to my face now, and I only have a few more days to be razzed by the guys at work, but I think I can watch "Braveheart" now with a new appreciation for the awfulness of those old weapons of war.  Something about looking down at that tightly-strung and armed crossbow awakened a primeval terror within me that extended all the way back to some ancestor of mine in medieval Europe. 

Clonnie Yearout:

 There's a lot of history attached to the mountain, and there have been efforts in the past to commercialize it, such as the passenger rail incline.  For pictures of it, go to

http://members.cox.net/oldroanoke/

If Norb remembers the Harvest Bowl being played at Victory Stadium he'll probably like the pictures at this site -- if he hasn't already visited it.  Come to think of it, Norb might be in some of those old pictures.  Just kidding, Norb.  You know you're my favorite big-government guy.

 

Clonnie,

Thanks for the picture site, but when I saw 110 shots, and counting, I spooked. My balky computer takes eons to show one photo, so I would have to spend weeks to see them all. I may be retired, but I do have a life outside of the on-line segment. Like today I will watch the U Va - Miami football game -- but maybe that's not too good of an idea.(unless one is a masochist).

Yes I did enjoy the Harvest Bowl games, and the Corps and Keydets parades before each game. Great pageantry. I also remember seeing the Tech vs Wake game at Victory Stadium, with Brian Piccolo starring as running back for Wake. He was the top in the nation in 1964, and was the subject of the 1971 movie Brian's Song which was made after he succumbed to cancer, and was based on his friendship with super-star Gale Sayers while they both played for the Chicago Bears pro team.

Game time. Got to go.

Norb

 

Hold on there now, one gadfly on this panel should be enough!  How dare you steal by most dubious distinction of the Roanoke Times City Gadfly?  At first I was offended by the reference, but they love to call me that so I have become humorously flattered, given my Webster’s Dictionary of its meaning……..So let me pick up your winged, fury in being a buzzing menace to Bob Christianson of his misunderstanding of why and what I’d like to see happen to the top of the Mountain.

 

Bob Christenson:

However long it’s been, for those of you who will recall, that the organization called Valley Forward proposed building a Restaurant, meeting facility and a Rustic lodge on top and slopes of the mountain?

If my memory serves me correctly, someone conducted a survey where, I thought the majority wanted to see a restaurant in some form or fashion.

As much as I would like to see the mountain preserved, I am among those who think a restaurant would have potential.  I am totally opposed to taking any more green space for such a purpose.  The Zoo has been and will always be a financial drain on the city.  The nine million expansion proposal is insane.

When was the last time anyone, even with binoculars, looked up at the Mtn. Top and saw buildings of the Zoo?  The only thing one used to see was the original red and white overlook.  The Zoo is like the Taubman, once you been there and seen it, very little, let alone affordable, reason to return.  The best attraction at the zoo from the day it was put in was the Zoo Choo!  Get rid of the zoo and there is enough space to build and have any number of buildings that would not be seen from the ground, short of maybe a revolving restaurant which could be as big of a draw to the top as is the Neon Star.

 

E. Duane Howard:

The Zoo is like the Taubman, once you been there and seen it, very little, let alone affordable, reason to return.

Ah, Deb.  Where are you, dear?

Clonnie Yearout:

Just as I settled on the "flight" option, the man relaxed and explained that he was hunting a groundhog in the vacant lot next to his house.

That man needs a big dog.

Clonnie Yearout:

If you've never traveled to the top via the old road, I suggest you do so sometime.  The road winds past Rockledge, former mayor Ralph Smith's former home, but you can close your eyes as you pass it.  There's a lot of history attached to the mountain, and there have been efforts in the past to commercialize it, such as the passenger rail incline.

I've driven up the old road, past Ralph Smith's former chalet on the Mountain.  It's not wise to close one's eyes while driving, especially on a curvy road along a mountain (are you trying to kill me?), and I don't dislike Mr. Smith.  Borrowing a play from your game book, last night I mentioned the brilliant idea of a historial theme park on Mill Mountain, or maybe a war memorial, but I know It lacked your talent for sarcasm.  Many people have hopes for a revitalized Roanoke, and I think much can be done downtown, but I don't believe a mountaintop circus is the answer. 

Commercial development has ruined many nice places.  Of particular interest to me are Civil War battlefields not protected by the National Park Service.  I belong to a group called the Civil War Preservation Trust.  We do what we can to keep gambling casinos, Wal-marts, etc. away from those hallowed grounds.  We win some and lose some. 

Dr. Dave..."Commercial development has ruined many nice places.  Of particular interest to me are Civil War battlefields not protected by the National Park Service.  I belong to a group called the Civil War Preservation Trust.  We do what we can to keep gambling casinos, Wal-marts, etc. away from those hallowed grounds.  We win some and lose some."

Fine Doctor, I admire your time management abilities, and your worthy efforts. Considering your full time mission of stamping out stupid historically speaking, and your canine doings...wait...you have a twin or clone thing going on? Anyway sir, we had your back today, and guarded your hallowed ground north forty @ the race track. My pups had a blast, and all pups were on their best behavior. The guys that drove them there were high stepping it as well. Next time I hope. My "top o' the mountain to YOU!" part is this...let the animals out to run City Council, and put the City Council monkey's in the zoo. Just a thought. Gip

Norb..."Yes I did enjoy the Harvest Bowl games, and the Corps and Keydets parades before each game. Great pageantry. I also remember seeing the Tech vs Wake game at Victory Stadium, with Brian Piccolo starring as running back for Wake. He was the top in the nation in 1964, and was the subject of the 1971 movie Brian's Song which was made after he succumbed to cancer, and was based on his friendship with super-star Gale Sayers while they both played for the Chicago Bears pro team. Game time. Got to go."

Mr. President, the above should be saved to file and used as part of your first "fire side chat" to the nation. If you don't shed a tear watching Brian's Song, check for a pulse. My father and his brother were both in the Corps at VT, in that VMI vs VPI era, played at Victory Stadium. It was an intense rivalry and big event the way I hear it. My uncle was shot in WWII toward the end, and is on the memorial wall at Tech. Lucky for me, my Dad was a younger brother and missed WWII. You could get our troops home for us Norb, war is for idiots. Back to football, the game is less violent today, with the pads and real helmets. Those boys back then were rough folks and the opposite of sissy is my guess. They didn't need no stinking face mask. 

 So, anyway, have you kicked around running for president enough to date, to where you now understand your country needs you? The "Truth" ticket Norb. Do it for aunt Sally, little Biff, his puppy, and the rest of the country. Considering one would have to really try hard daily to screw up the country worse than recent memory, you are a shoe-in to have a real nice state of the art library named after you. That would be fairly satisfying I would imagine. I have fun with the Norb for Prez thing, but you really are one well read, educated, field tested, and quality man by any standard. Gives me something to strive for when I grow up. So, if you would be so kind, draw us up a spec sheet rough draft to scale, of a nice geo-thermal heated, solar paneled, greener than green, go-to place for the top of the mountain. I would be curious to know what Roanoke City Council is kicking around...if they are kicking it around. We should come up with a government, where the elected one's actually represent and work for the people who elected them. They sure do seem to talk any chance they get when campaigning for our much desired vote, and if they win, they appear to lay low, and mumble to the people. What's with that? Gip

Norb for President!

 

Dave Hanson:

Commercial development has ruined many nice places.  Of particular interest to me are Civil War battlefields not protected by the National Park Service.  I belong to a group called the Civil War Preservation Trust.  We do what we can to keep gambling casinos, Wal-marts, etc. away from those hallowed grounds.  We win some and lose some. 

You have my admiration, sir.  We need to do as much as we can to preserve those sites and the memory of those who hallowed them.  I love to tour battlefields and I feel very American when I stand where so many gave so much.  

One of the factors that limit the feasibility of major development atop Mill Mountain is the expense of providing services at that altitude and distance from center city.  Rockledge Inn, which used to serve as Mill Mountain Play House, burned down in the 70's largely because there was very little water available to us up there.  Any kind of major construction would probably require construction of a larger water main up the mountain as well as a large water storage tank on the highest elevation of the mountain.  

I applaud the easement and efforts to preserve this beauty for future generations.  Frankly, after the heartbreak of Victory Stadium, I have no faith that the City will do right by the mountain.

 

I would enjoy seeing a Conference Center with a restaurant, meeting rooms, banquet halls and verandas.  Something with multi uses from a quiet dinner for two up to a “wedding on the mountain” or a “star reunion”.  A real presence but nothing more developed than that.  The beauty is the mountain, the trails and the nature must be preserved to the fullest extent possible.

 

Note to Edward:  I am not disappointed in President Obama, but I am deeply disappointed and ashamed of the Americans who refuse to support his efforts and meet him half way to solve the problems we face.  I spent 8 long hard years being chided and insulted by those who insisted it was un-American and unpatriotic to complain, protest or disagree while I felt we were heading downhill like a snowball headed for hell and now many of those same folks are screaming, protesting and storming the halls of Congress to prevent and derail any effort to pull us out of the ditch we were driven in to.  I cannot say Obama or the Dems have all the right answers but they certainly deserve more support and compromise than they are getting.

 

Gibson Brown:

 Back to football, the game is less violent today, with the pads and real helmets. Those boys back then were rough folks and the opposite of sissy is my guess. They didn't need no stinking face mask. 

 

 

 

Yes and no. I only played high school football, not college. We had less protective gear, but I think less injuries. There was a rule against piling -on at the end of a play (5 yard penalty). Nowadays it seems as if the whole team gets behind the runner and tries to push him forward before the ref can blow his whistle. And the guys were smaller then, so the impact of mass times velocity when you got hit wasn't as bad as when the behemoths of today hit somebody. And the helmits were leather with some give to them; The hard rocks of today are lethal weapons. But we played both ways; there was no offense, defense, and special teams split - and when I played there there were limited substitutions, if you had to go out, you couldn't come back in in that half(so the quarterback was often the kicker too).

I did my undergrad at U of Cincinnati. In the offseason the football team played pick-up basketball in the gym. I got mowed down a few times when the 5' by 5' linemen ran interference for the dribbler running down the court. i can vouch for the fact that they were tough cookies. Elbe Nickel, the left end, was the captain of the Pbgh Steelers for 10 years after college. I remember when we played Georgia, and all-American running back Frankie Sinkwich put his head down and plowed into Elbe's chest, helmit first -- It was like running into a wall, and he bounced back on his butt and looked up at Elbe with that look of what the Hell did I run into?

And on the President shtick, Jerry Ford played some for Michigan. Lyndon Johnson had a famous comment, which was something like "Jerry is a nice guy, except that he played football without a helmit too many times."

Clonnie Yearout:

http://members.cox.net/oldroanoke/

 

 THANKS for the GREAT link.  That was very enjoyable!!

Dave Hanson:

Commercial development has ruined many nice places.  Of particular interest to me are Civil War battlefields not protected by the National Park Service.  I belong to a group called the Civil War Preservation Trust.  We do what we can to keep gambling casinos, Wal-marts, etc. away from those hallowed grounds.  We win some and lose some. 

 

 You have my thanks and admiration for your work on this.  Being someone who enjoys studying Civil War history, I too am disturbed by the loss of those battlefields to development.

My only concern is that you, Clonnie, Gip and I (and probably a few others) are all in agreement here.  To quote Gip, I'm just saying...an interesting group of allies.