Council Tables Amphitheater; Lisk Honored

Gwen Mason discusses her reason for voting against a new amphitheater.
Gwen Mason discusses her reason for voting against a new amphitheater.

Roanoke City Council had second thoughts Monday, voting to remove the Elmwood Park Amphitheater from its capital project list. Not long ago it had appropriated $1.2 million in funds for an engineering study, a precursor to the $13 million project itself.

Councilman Court Rosen had asked council to reconsider the recent vote to move ahead, something he also discussed on his blog. “I simply do not believe that Roanoke can afford such a luxury at this time,” he wrote several weeks ago.

By a 4-2 vote, council voted Monday to table the Elmwood Park project for now. Mayor David Bowers, who, along with Rupert Cutler, were the only council members to vote against the motion to table the proposal said the on-again, off-again vote “harkens back to [the debate over] Victory Stadium.”

David Trinkle, who was unable to vote while away on vacation and has championed the cause of an outdoor facility to serve Roanoke, was clearly shocked and dismayed by the Council’s action in his absence. Although Trinkle himself took the same tact when calling for a vote on the proposed Riverside amphitheater location when then Councilman Brian Wishneff, who opposed that site, was absent.

In response to this week’s vote Trinkle stated, “Two weeks ago the A and E design phase for an amphitheater was approved 6-1; today without any new information and in my long planned absence it was voted down 4-2. I am disappointed that it won’t happen but I am also disappointed that my colleagues on city council who had promised me they would table it so we could ALL be present to debate it did not do so . . . If I knew then what I know now, I honestly do not believe I would support the tearing down of the obsolete Victory Stadium. If I knew how hard it was to start bold capital improvement projects in Roanoke, I would have supported a renovation of Victory Stadium to present day usage- namely an outdoor performing arts venue. I ran- with current council member Mrs. Mason on this issue. I supported Mr. Rosen and Vice Mayor Lea who said they supported the concept. Kudos to our leaders from long ago who actually built a 20,000 seat stadium that was well used and had an economic impact for decades.”

At a news conference on Tuesday, Councilwoman Gwen Mason defended the councils decision to vote saying that Trinkles presence,” would have just resulted in a 4-3 vote in lieu of a 4-2 vote.”

Rosen simply stated that moving ahead with the amphitheater at this point in time was, “not in the best interest of the taxpayers…people are struggling out there.”

Lisk honored: “He gave up a job to remain in Roanoke and gave up his ascension to mayor in order to promote racial healing.” Those were some of the remarks made about the late David Lisk, a former Roanoke City Councilman and past executive director of Roanoke’s Sister Cities organization.  Lisk, who passed away in late May, was honored with a resolution Monday.

Lisk’s son, Tim, and members of the Roanoke Kiwanis Club – Lisk was a faithful attendee, were also on hand.  A pilot/flight instructor in the U.S. Air Force, David Lisk came to Roanoke in the early 1950’s and never left, even foregoing a job with Burlington Industries when they wanted to transfer him out of town.  He was “known for his outspoken advocacy,” read the resolution passed by City Council.

“I certainly learned a lot from him,” said council member Gwen Mason, who noted that until Lisk fell ill, “he was there,” at numerous local civic events.

Mayor David Bowers ticked off a list of Lisk’s accomplishments: he helped found the civilian police department, he worked with more than a dozen non-profit local agencies, and he “embraced…the Sister Cities International movement.” In 1965 he helped Wonju, South Korea, become Roanoke’s first Sister City. “Mr. Lisk never gave up his dream,” said councilman Rupert Cutler. His “final vision,” added Cutler, was the new “Sister Cities Corridor” at the Roanoke Civic Center.

When Mayor Roy L. Weber died suddenly in 1974, then-Vice Mayor Lisk was in line to succeed him.  Instead, Lisk stepped aside, allowing Noel C. Taylor to become Roanoke’s first African-American mayor.Bowers characterized Lisk’s gesture, which paved the way for Taylor’s 17-year tenure, as “very noble.”

By Gene Marrano
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