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

DATE: TUESDAY, November 2, 1993                   TAG: 9311030404
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

SCHOOL BOARD MAY TURN CANNERY INTO CLASSROOMS|

In a move to save money and create more classroom space, the Montgomery County School Board will consider a recommendation today to close the community cannery at Blacksburg Middle School.

Despite repeated pleas from cannery users at a series of budget hearings in September and last month, school officials have recommended that the board close the Blacksburg operation, leaving one public cannery: at Auburn High School in Riner.

The Montgomery School Board meets at 7:30 p.m. today in the basement of the administration building at 200 Junkin St. in Christiansburg.

The recommendation comes after four months of study. Among the findings listed in support of closure are:

That the state no longer financially supports canneries.

That 57 people used the Blacksburg cannery through Oct. 18, and they could be handled by Auburn with expanded hours.

That the operation does not support itself.

If the cannery is shut down, the board also will decide what to do with the space at Blacksburg Middle School. Administrators have presented three options for replacing, rem

oving or disconnecting the cannery building's 42-year-old coal boiler.

They've also provided two options for increasing classroom space at the school. One is to spend $23,877 for a portable classroom; the other possibility is to renovate the cannery into classrooms at a cost of $5,600.

The School Board is also scheduled to consider a revised capital improvements program after postponing it last month for more work.

by CNB