The Grandin Court Neighborhood Association has made the following proposal for preserving and maintaining the caretakers cabin in Fishburn Park that Roanoke City is seeking to sell to a private developer:
GCNA Proposal for Caretakers Cabin in Fishburn Park
1) Roanoke City removes the land and building for sale and signs an agreement not to advertise or sell the land for an agreed upon time (suggested 20 years).
2) GCNA leads fundraising effort to raise $20,000 in one year to repair the exterior of the building to protect the integrity of the building and to make the porch useable. Establish a Fund for the Friends of the Caretaker Cabin.
3) The porch and area in front of it will provide a place for music and building community. Food trucks can sign up to be there at high volume times to help support local businesses. Similar to the community atmosphere at Sweet Donkey on Friday nights or the Music on the Mountain series.
4) Fishburn Park is accessible by public transportation and is a valuable amenity for the entire Roanoke metropolitan area. A taste of country in the city.
5) Within the next 20 years the city should be making another major investment into Fishburn Park similar to the one they made back in 2015 for $278,000. The GCNA, surrounding neighborhoods as well as the rest of the city deserve to be involved in the next major investment in Fishburn Park to determine if they want to restore the log cabin inside the house and open it up to the public.
In the meantime the Friends of the Caretaker Cabin may have raised funds to already accomplish this goal with the option to ask the city to extend the period of time or to establish a more permanent arrangement to preserve the cabin for the enjoyment of the public.
Proposed by Freeda Cathcart, President of the Grandin Court Neighborhood Association
May 9, 2017
