Dear Roanoke City Council
I listened to every word at your Monday’s council work session, in particular the budget and it helped me grasp the difficulty of what council must deal with. I have a renewed respect on how difficult it is for city staff to complete this challenge.
I had a soap opera on in the background as I started writing this and a line stuck in my mind when I heard it. The line was referring to a fashion line being developed by one of the characters, it was called, “Hope for the Future.” I can’t help but relate that to some of council’s fine comments in summing up the budget presentation, and in particular those of Vice-Mayor Rosen.
I have to wonder about the expense involved on the issue of the platform needed for future train service. This past weekend’s recognition of the 100th anniversary of Grand Central Station in NYC brought to mind another similar slogan (from Old Southwest), “A past with a future.” I can’t help but think of the grandeur and beauty of our own beautiful, most rare, unique landmark passenger rail station designed by world renowned industrial designer Raymond Lowey. Somewhere along the line this man’s greatest associated with our old rail station, seems to have fallen beside the tracks.
One has to wonder why we wouldn’t look to capitalize on this historic landmark for our future use in passenger rail service? Of course, I know nothing about the logistical needs relative to track availability etc, but it seem $6 Million could go al long way in building the needs to accommodate future rail service if we utilized the beautiful and historic resources we already have. Imagine the awe inspiring comments from business and visiting travelers as they pass through the unique grandeur of that beautiful lobby. No fork & Southern just announced a two billion planned investment in improvements. This would be a great time for the city work with them on track issue so the old building could be used again.
Sure, there might have to be some reshuffling with the museum rooms, but when you look at Lynchburg and how much is done at track level, perhaps the same could be accomplished here. How many cities of our size even have a standing historic rail station designed by a world renown designer? What an incredible opportunity to revise rail service for the future.
Vice-Mayor Rosen said, “Think of where we want to be in 20 yrs . . .” Will building new facilities to accommodate passenger rail service be what the city will want and be proud of in twenty years and beyond? Let’s go back to the future and use what we have.
E. Duane Howard