Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 5, 1990                   TAG: 9004040350
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: FLOYD                                LENGTH: Medium

CLUB TO HELP GIVE TOWN NEW LOOK

The old courthouse will be garnished with lanterns, benches and shrubs. And trees will be planted throughout the downtown area.

"I thought, `This is my home,' " said Shelby Kingrea, chairwoman of the club's beautification committee. "I've lived here all my life. [The beautification] is just something I've wanted to see done.

"Visitors like to come into a town that looks nice. I know that if I'm traveling and come to a nice-looking town, I'll stay and shop some."

From this thought has come a project that involves government, businesses and clubs.

The woman's club has started fund-raising for the project. It plans to hold several square dances and other special events during the spring and summer. The effort begins with a square dance at Floyd County High School Saturday night at 8.

The first phase of the beautification project centers around the county courthouse at Main Street (U.S. 221) and Locust Street (Virginia 8).

Four lanterns will be placed on the courthouse and four more on standards in the courtyard. Seven of them are being donated by Little River Lighting of Floyd. The electrical extensions are being provided by Little Mountain Electric & Plumbing of Copper Hill.

The woman's club is donating the eighth lantern and the poles for the four in the courtyard. And they are seeking support from other businesses and civic groups to help buy benches.

The county will see to the planting of shrubs and trees on the courthouse grounds. The Board of Supervisors approved the project on March 19 after a presentation by Kingrea.

Competitive bids for the work are due April 13. The woman's club estimated the cost of that portion of the project at $3,245.

The town portion of the project centers around planting trees along the major downtown streets.

Councilman Robert Shelor has coordinated the town's project. He said an order for 56 to 60 trees was placed Monday at an approximate cost of $3,500.

The trees will be placed mostly along Main Street in the utility strips - unpaved areas between the sidewalk and the curb.

These trees are being planted first because they will not require reworking the sidewalks. Trees will be placed in areas without utility strips in a later phase of the project, he said.