Roanoke is adding more LOVE to its already thriving downtown historic district.
The Virginia Museum of Transportation and the Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau worked with the Virginia Tourism Corporation to have Virginia’s newest LOVEwork installed in a prime location in Downtown Roanoke.
LOVEworks spell out L-O-V-E and can be found at over 20 tourist destinations throughout Virginia. Roanoke’s LOVEwork is approximately 9 feet wide and 5 feet tall and ties into Roanoke’s rail heritage and Virginia’s tourism message that “love is at the heart of every Virginia vacation.”
The LOVEwork was designed by well-known Roanoke artist Eric Fitzpatrick and was inspired by a train theme.
“At its heart, Roanoke is a rail town,” said Beverly T. Fitzpatrick, Jr., who happens to be Eric’s older brother and is the Executive Director of the Virginia Museum of Transportation. “The LOVEwork is a nice addition to the nearby Railwalk and will certainly appeal to train lovers who travel to Roanoke to see the iconic locomotives created by the tradesmen of Southwest Virginia.”
The LOVEwork is on display for one year at the base of the Market Square Walkway entrance on the corner of Norfolk Avenue and Market Street. Visitors are encouraged to take photos in front of the artwork and share it with family and friends on social media. “The photos will lure potential visitors to vacation in Roanoke and Virginia’s Blue Ridge, doing the things they love to do on a great metro-mountain vacation getaway,” said Gary Jeffrey from the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation encourages everyone to post their LOVE pictures at www.facebook.com/Virginiaisforlovers <http://www.facebook.com/Virginiaisforlovers> and on Twitter @visitVirginia using the special #loveva hashtag.
The Roanoke Train LOVEwork was made possible by Twist & Turns of Roanoke, Budget Signs of Roanoke and a grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Downtown Roanoke, Inc. and the City of Roanoke, including the Parks and Recreation Department, were also instrumental in the installation of the LOVEwork.
