THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 21, 1995 TAG: 9506210557
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: COLUMBIA LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
Members of the Northeastern North Carolina Regional Economic Development Commission will see what happens today when an Albemarle Sound community decides to beautify its waterfront.
The tourist division of the Economic Commission has been developing an ``Harbortown'' plan that calls for high-speed marine transportation for tourists among waterfront communities in the Albemarle area.
Columbia, a Tyrrell County community on the Scuppernong River where it empties into Bull Bay and Albemarle Sound, is completing a waterfront renovation that includes a new visitors center close to U.S. Route 64.
``We have a foot trail and many other attractions including a large new boardwalk area around the waterfront,'' said J. D. Brickhouse, Tyrrell County administrator.
Brickhouse will welcome the N.E. Economic Development Commission members and other state officials when they tour the area beginning at 1 p.m. today.
When the commission meets in Columbia High School for a regular monthly meeting at 2 p.m, the members will consider 1995-96 budget proposals.
When the commission was created by the North Carolina General Assembly two years ago, it began operations with a $2.4-million pump-priming budget provided by the legislators.
So far, the commission has been slow to fund large projects, with the exception of a $200,000 appropriation to help launch the Babe Ruth World Series next summer in Manteo. The baseball tournament is expected to draw thousands of players and spectators to the Outer Banks.
The Northeastern commission has not yet been told by the General Assembly how much money it will get for the biennium that starts this year. by CNB