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

DATE: THURSDAY, May 13, 1993                   TAG: 9305130502
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

VALLEY NEEDS TO KEEP THE GREEN

I HAVE had a hard time understanding the Explore Park project, but finally the light dawns. If we support Rupert Cutler and the plans that are in place now, this beautiful rural land that I visited when I was a child will look the same to today's children as it did to my generation and earlier.

There will be things to look at, displays to work and touch, buildings and animals. But to me, the most important part will be the open spaces. We need places to think, rest and talk to other people. On Mill Mountain, you can see a smaller example of this idea. If more space is available, more people can take advantage of it.

The Fishburn family helped build this city. Many of the buildings of stone and brick were developed by them and their associates, but of equal importance is the green spaces they left to us. The largest city in the country has acres of green in the middle of skyscrapers, and this could be our Central Park in the middle of the Roanoke Valley.

To the people who are worried about idle land, I would say that this child, who long ago loved this section of the valley and the open spaces of Mrs. Dyer's farm in Ballyhack, stays in her hometown and contributes tax revenue every day. Our rejuvenating land has a great deal to give to its citizens and others who will come either to work, rest or play. Once land is lost, it is very hard to reclaim, so we must keep it now before it is too late. SUE COLLINS ROANOKE

by CNB