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Slicing and Dicing Our Neighborhood

The plans unveiled at the April 3rd Countryside Community Meeting

We are "bellyaching" according to the Roanoke Times when we object to the slicing and dicing of our neighborhood. We have been charged with "bellyaching", "complaining", "negativity", "against change", and "against progress".

Let me be clear - we are protecting "our neighborhood", "our quality of life", "our property values" and we are for " parks" and "affordable recreation opportunity for the entire city". We have asked for a comprehensive study on the property to the point of being breathless and ignored.

I challenge the Roanoke Times to do a poll and ask whether Roanoke citizens think this "green space" needs to be developed or should it remain a golf course and park?

Signs, signs, everywhere signs ....

Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind ... do this, don't do that - can't your read the sign! PS: Our meetings are on MONDAY now - the second Monday of the month.

Roanoke city zoning as it applies to signs is virtually nonexistent. For those of you that don't know why I am bringing this subject up let me explain. There is a very, very, large political sign at the corner of Cove Road and Ranch Road in Northwest City. Our neighborhood comes and goes from this intersection that is already blocked on the left by a hill. The traffic engineer refused to give us more protection from speeding vehicles coming over the hill then what is there now - an "intersection ahead" sign. You have to put the "peddle to the medal" to get out of here.

Cove Road to the left of the stop sign

Cove Road to the right of the stop sign

Now on the right we have the very large political sign we must look at (and hope don't die from) until November elections is over. Now you say I should complain to the code enforcer? So I did that very thing online and received the response "unfounded" as the explanation. When I called I was told that if you moved up past the stop sign which you have to do to get a good look at the hill on the left you can see around the sign. What???

When I asked then this large sign being OK - our neighborhood could put up any size sign on our property we wanted like a huge "Save Countryside Golf Course" sign? The code enforcer answered in the affirmative. This being true .... send donations please for the biggest most obnoxious signs we can get.

I hesitate here to say the following but OK I will spill my guts! A City staff member confided that the interpretation of sign regulations depends on the Zoning Administrator. So exactly what chance do we have when development at Countryside comes up before the Zoning Board ... what's that I heard you say, "interpretation"? BINGO! You win a view of the alley of a retail store backing up to your house and the smell of a dumpster.

Here is the purpose for regulations on signs as the town of Huntersville, NC, sees it. What is wrong with Roanoke ... left to interpretation says it all. Here is Huntersville's statement on the purpose of regulating signs:

.1 To maintain public safety and traffic safety by ensuring that signs are properly designed, constructed, installed, and maintained;
.2 To minimize the distractions and obstruction of view that contribute to traffic hazards and endanger public safety;
.3 To protect existing development and promote high standards of quality in new development by encouraging appropriately designed, placed, and sized signage.
.4 To provide an effective guide for communicating identification through signage while preventing signs from dominating the visual appearance of the areas in which they are located.

Come on Roanoke, what's with "interpretation"?

Henh Ly Remembered Today - April 22nd

The Memorial Park Conservancy works to protect and enhance Memorial Park, one of the state's largest urban parks and a beloved outdoors destination - Houston, TX.

Henh Ly, the Roanoke resident victim of the Virginia Tech tragedy was laid to rest today. The inspiring story was again so beautifully portrayed to all in attendance at a noon service held in the William Fleming Auditorium. All who attended received white wrist bands with his name and the dates - November 21, 1986 - April 16, 2007. A slide show of pictures portraying his life from a very young lad to his days at Virginia Tech. Henh's inspiring graduation speech was played. His grieving family sat in front of his coffin. A large picture of a smiling Henh Ly with twinkling eyes stood beside the coffin. Each student told their stories of Henh Ly exuding both laughter and tears from the audience. Dignitaries came to pay their respects to this amazing young man's life. A life that brought him to American from Vietnam at the age of 5. All spoke to Henh Ly's hard work and achievement of academic excellence.

The Memorial Service is over. Will we forget? Let the end of the Memorial Service not be the end of his story. Let it be the beginning of a memorial that will inspire others in years to come. Again I ask for comments on what I/we as Roanoke citizens can do to honor this young man's life. What would be fitting as inspiration to all who come to America in pursuit of the American dream?

“Henh Ly Memorial Park” where now the sign reads “Countryside Golf Club”. On the plaque would be the words Henh Ly wrote in his 2006 William Fleming Yearbook, a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.” I envision the park to serve as an inspiration to us all for all the years to come. I will add more later as this was an emotional draining day.

Roanoke City Council Meeting April 16th

Mike Higgins gave our vision for Countryside Golf Course tonight. Mike closed his statement with "The Golf Course is a public good that should be explored as an asset to the quality of life to citizens and visitors alike. The benefits to the city and the region could be tremendous." Mike did an excellent job. However, there are still those on Council who are steadfast in their direction. That is the bad news. The good news is that three members of Council will come out to meet with neighbors and walk the course. We don't know what this will yield but we can only hope they have an open mind - Open to a thorough study of the potential for the property as recreation and a profitable attraction.

A big "thank you" to Dan Hale, President of Miller Court Neighborhood, President of the Local Chapter of the NAACP, and neighbor for coming tonight and speaking up for Countryside. He said he was able to get a promise from Mayor Harris to come out and walk the golf course with him. There were several women who spoke on the Mill Mountain Inn and the "amazing" quickness that a Request for Proposal was put out. I won't go into the spin that was put on that but I think we know how that came about. The first woman (I will have to get their names) spoke about Countryside and the Parks and Recreation Visioning Workshop where at each workshop the "voting" dots covered "Keep Countryside Golf Course". If you read my Commentary - I say again "don't agitate the dots". All who spoke were either Countryside or Mill Mountain and "green space" advocates.

I pontificated also and as usual I got carried away and committed the cardinal sin of actually asking for an answer to the outstanding questions about "airport land lease extension" and the "land swap between the city and the airport" saying we are unable to get a straight answer. Do you think we then received a straight answer? Then I just had to insult the developer's concept plan by referring to it being drawn by kindergartners that took all of 6 months to draw. Will I ever learn? It is a good thing Mike Higgins has more patience then I do.

I spoke on Item A -1 which was an overrule of the Planning Commission's vote to deny Shewels a proffer amendment on its plans for building adjacent to Ferncliff. I spoke primarily to make the point that - in conjunction with the Countryside development plan which has Ferncliff opening up all the way to Peters Creek a traffic study should always be required. I knew a proffer to not open up the road was not possible but it was just to make a point.

Per my conversation today with Rick Williams, Planning Commission member, who said they voted it down unanimously ... Per Mr. Williams "There are many things about the Schewel proposal that were unacceptable to the PC [Planning Commission] which is why we voted, unanimously as I recall, not to recommend amending the proffered conditions on the previous rezoning. Unfortunately, for too many people in this city, good planning takes a back seat to short term, unwise, and unsustainable so-called economic development." The only dissenting vote was Councilman Lea.

At the end Mayor Harris asked Ms. Burcham, the City Manager, leading questions on the RFP for Mill Mountain. A long explanation followed and I think I dozed off. Then Mayor Harris asked about the "land swap" and the response was the same as we have heard before. So now you know the answer to ... did we get a straight answer!

I saved the best for last. During my turn a bat I said "at the Nov. 20th Council meeting we were told it was going to be an 18 - hole executive golf course" and I asked "why did it shrink to a miniature 9-hole course now". Ms. Burcham actually denied ever saying that ... what? After the gavel fell I went to the Mayor and Council members saying "you looked me in the eye and repeated over and over an 18-hole executive golf course". How conveniently they say "I don't remember" and Ms. Burcham said "NO we never said that". Well, excuse me ... see the press release below:

ROANOKE, VA - On Monday, Nov. 20, Roanoke City Council granted an extension to the proposed developer of the Countryside Golf Course site. The development group, headed by Triangle Development Group, LLC, of Richmond, also includes the Victor Foti Company, LLC and Allegheny Construction of Roanoke, and Mike Morgan Engineering of Midlothian.

The development team has indicated that a new golf course concept, an 18-hole Executive Course, would be the centerpiece of the proposed mixed-use development. Executive golf courses are designed to provide for shorter length of time of play, and usually are comprised of a combination of par four and par three holes, with an overall course length of less than 4,000 yards.

The development team continues to refine site concept designs and has requested that they be given additional time to present a proposed overall design concept for the property to the city. The City Council granted such an extension until March 1, 2007.

Of course I sent it to them but I doubt I will get a response. Tomorrow, April 17th, Councilman Dowe will come to my home to talk about Countryside. I hope the weather is nice to take a walk around the clubhouse and pavilion. I'll give an update on any progress this visit yields.

I thank all the members who came tonight.

Dream Hole

Dream Hole

Randy King of the Roanoke Times has put together “The Dream 18” in the Sunday April 15, 2007 edition of The Roanoke Times. In the multimedia piece, Randy talks about the best 18 holes of golf in the Timesland area. The list is quite exclusive as it includes holes from Pete Dye’s River Course in Radford, Sam Snead’s Homestead, and other prestigious courses. Countryside is represented on the dream course with the fearful #16.

This hole is quite the challenge. King points out that you can’t miss it short and you can’t miss it long. I would also add that the only place to miss it is in the trap right behind the green or in a little flat area directly across the lake.

A golfer on this hole tees off from an elevated green and tries to hit a relatively narrow green down below on the other side of a fairly wide lake/pond. The X factor on the hole is wind. It always seems to funnel through the natural valley between the tee and the green most often blowing left to right. This really messes with club selection on a hole that its imperative to know your distance.

Randy has chosen wisely by putting this hole on his Dream 18. I think he could have chosen several other Countryside holes. Specifically, # 7 and 17.

Here’s what Countryside (take the “course tour”) says about #7

“At 510 Yards, #7 is one of the most difficult Par 5’s on the course. Your aiming points are the two fairway bunkers guarding the left side of the fairway. Your driver will do fine on this hole which features a fairway that slopes left to right. Ike’s Creek guards the right side of the hole, but really only comes into play up near the green. A solid second shot should leave you with a short iron into this elongated green. Favor the left side of the green because Ike’s Creek guards the entire right side of the green.”

Here’s what they say about #17

“#17 is a 450-yard par 5 with a lateral hazard all along the left side. Favor the right side of the fairway on this uphill par 5. The fairway slopes from right to left. You have a real chance to get home in two on this hole. If you do elect to lay up, you want to favor the left side of the fairway on your second shot. This will take the greenside bunker out of play and leave you with an easy pitch to this left to right sloping green. #17 is another real opportunity for a birdie 4.”

I think the description of the fairway as sloping “…from right to left….” Really undersells the effect. This hole kills me every time I play it.

Golf and Potential

Golf and Potential

The City of Roanoke wants to eliminate Countryside golf course in order to build some houses and unlock some retail space within the city limits. One of their contentions is that since annexation is currently blocked by the state, the city has little opportunity to grow. I completely disagree with the city’s strategy and plan, but that argument is for another blog. In this one, I’d like to share what I see as a great, untapped potential that’s waiting to be unlocked, Countryside Golf Course.

I believe that Countryside could serve two great purposes as a golf facility. It could provide the citizens of Roanoke affordable access to a top-flight golf course, and it could provide Roanoke City an extremely high quality and accessible destination for travelers.

In order to understand its potential as a destination, I believe you have to appreciate fully what Countryside once was. When the course was first designed and built in 1967 by Ellis Maples, it was a championship course with many distinguishing features.

The course was defined by water. Lakes or streams impacted play on nine of the eighteen holes. The second, sixth, seventh, and sixteenth holes all had lakes that directly impacted play. In addition, Ike’s Creek meandered through many holes on the front nine. Almost forgotten these days was a small stream that flowed from Ranch Road near the twelfth green across Mattiponi and below the tenth tee box. Taken as a package, Countryside boasted more hazard water than any other course in the area.

Unfortunately over time, many of these water features have been altered or completely erased. The pond next to the second green has slowly filled with silt to the point that it is now a mud flat, instead of picturesquely framing one of the most tempting holes on the course. The lake that guarded the sixth green and stretched to foot the seventh tee was filled in. The resulting affect was to make the sixth hole a lot less challenging. The small seasonal stream on the tenth and twelfth holes was rerouted through drainage pipes under the fairways.

In addition to water features, Maples was a master at utilizing the fairway bunker in his designs. Some of those original bunks survive in the course to this day. The classic bunker twins on the twelfth fairway are typical of Maples’ design. His bunkers were all beautifully shaped and positioned like spider webs in a garden. Over the years, many of the bunkers have been filled in.

Various other changes have happened to Countryside over the years. Most notably was the removal of key trees on the seventh and fourteenth holes. Also, the third hole was radically altered when Frontage Road was extended to Hershberger Road. The tee box was shifted and the hole was effectively shortened as a result.

I believe that if Countryside can be restored to near its original design, it can become an attractive stop for golf tourists and business travelers. With the airport nearby and many outstanding hotels within just a couple of miles, Countryside is poised to be a destination that can demand premium fees. Since Countryside is owned by the city, it would also offer the city the great opportunity to allow its citizens affordable access to the course. There is no doubt that Countryside as a golf facility, with people talking about its impending closure and with the course not being fully maintained, is still attracting huge crowds of golfers and making money.

I know this much, if Countryside is razed in favor of development, it can never easily unpaved. So much that was and could be would be lost forever in favor of ill-conceived and thoughtless notions, but that’s a blog for another day.

Green Trails vs Paving Trials

Green Trails vs Paving Trials

Countryside is a very special piece of property. As a child, I remember the old farmhouse located in the tall oak trees next to what is now Ranch Road. Behind the farmhouse, there was rolling pastureland extending all the way to Woodrum Field and small streams bubbling from springs near what is now Laurel Ridge Road.

When the golf course was opened in 1967, much of the original openness and integrity of the land remained intact. Ellis Maples, course designer, worked with the natural lay of the land to craft his beautiful course.

When the City of Roanoke bought the 127-acre Countryside tract, it bought one of the largest if not the largest piece of green space within the city. Now, that green space is threatened. Within that space are an amazingly diverse animal and plant population. I personally have stopped to watch deer, red foxes, and gray foxes slinking around the course. A variety of snakes, lizards, and frogs abound. All kinds of birds can be found, most notably red-tailed hawks and the scissor-tailed flycatcher. This bird is fascinating to watch with its abnormally long tail.

I fully understand the city’s belief that the land should be developed; however, I believe that in a valley where air pollution is an increasing problem, where water quality is always a concern, where increased pavement has caused storm water drainage problems; the Countryside tract should be preserved as a largely open space. I would like to see it kept as a golf course.

Since 1995 the Roanoke Valley has been involved in developing greenways across the valley. Much progress has been made. While not addressed in the conceptual plan directly, I believe that Countryside and especially the Frontage Road area offer some unique opportunities for greenway development. I envision a network of roadside bike and walking paths winding through the existing road network. Utilizing Frontage Road, a fitness trail could easily be laid out between Hershberger and Peter’s Creek Roads.

As the property stands now, people are already using the network of roads as running trails. What’s lacking now is a safety factor. Dedicated lanes would add a degree of safety.

A low environmental impact series of trails utilizing the existing road network would go far to providing a much needed recreation outlet. Preserving the existing green spaces in and around Countryside may be a difficult concept for some to consider, but I believe that it is vital to helping preserve the overall health and beauty of our valley, our home.

A Countryside Memorial

The following piece is part on of a three part series looking at Countryside Golf Course. Countryside will be closed and eventually paved into submission beginning this September. Why? Greed. The course is located on prime business real estate on the south side of Roanoke Regional Airport. Specifically, I will incoporate my own personal reflections with the official hole descriptions from Countryside. My memories of times on the course with my two older brothers, two sisters, and parents will be the primary focus of my recollections. Graphics, photographs and hole descriptions are used with direct permission from Countryside Golf Course's managing professional.

Built in 1967 on the "Old Kinsey Dairy Farm," Ellis Maples designed an 18 hole championship course that blends the natural beauty of the surrounding area with a unique and championship layout that still holds up today. Rolling fairways, undulating greens, scenic lakes, winding streams, and strategically placed sand traps are some of the many challenges that you will face during an enjoyable day at Countryside.

Hole 1 | Par 4 Maple Tees | Oak Tees | White Pine Tees | Cherry Tees 390 yds | 375 yds | 340 yds | 296 yds Countryside’s 1st hole is visually pleasing to the eye. You get a good look at the 375- yard hole that’s guarded down the left side by two small fairway bunkers. Some trees protect the right side of this generous fairway. If you drive the ball a little too far, a large oak tree may block you out. A short iron is all you will need into this funneling green. Play to the center of the green or else you may end up in one of the bunkers. A birdie is a real possibility to start your round.

A birdie is a real possibility to start your round. That’s really only half the story. In many ways the par four first hole at Countryside is about the easiest on the course as long as you can drive the ball straight. With any deviation from straight, you will find yourself in big trouble.

Early on, I made a living out of visiting the right side of the fairway. When you stand on the tee, you are faced with a beautiful, generous fairway way off in the straight distance. However, between here and there, a large, spreading sycamore tree guards the area. Without fail, in a group of four playing with me, someone would become intimidated by the Pebble Beach-like audience at the tee and duff their ball into the tall grass short of the big tree. Others would challenge the tree and lose. The tree was famous for slapping the ball back into your face. Still others would defeat the tree head on only to find that their ball had disappeared into the mundane tall grasses in the right rough or worse yet into the Olympic-sized pool guarding the right out-of-bounds. Clever strikers would know to push left of the tree, but that course would also lead to massive sand trap disaster.

If by some luck, you could make it past the tree and find your ball clear of traps, a birdie was a real possibility. However, you still had to deal with the annoying green guarding traps. Again, Maples rewarded a straight shot. Bumping and running the ball up was a smart play. Lofting and spinning the ball back to the pin was the sexy play. The green, however, played longer that it looked and was terraced making ball position in relation to the pin very important.

Hole 2 | Par 5 Maple Tees | Oak Tees | White Pine Tees | Cherry Tees 524 yds | 524 yds | 448 yds | 426 yds #2 is a dogleg right 524-yard par five that can play much shorter than its actual yardage. This can cause a dilemma of sorts for the longer players. You now have to choose whether to go for this semi-island green in two or to lay up short and leave yourself a short wedge into a fairly small green that slopes from the back to the front. Once again, a real birdie possibility to start your round.

Cross the road and visit the second hole. This hole has evolved over the years from a wild wallop-fest to a more exact target shoot. Still the basic premise for success prevailed through the years. A Par Five, the first shot looks a bit innocent. However first time players would be wise to talk with experienced duffers about first shot strategies. Being a dog-leg right, some would recommend gunning their initial drive over the mounded fairway bunker. That’s just what Ellis would have wanted you to do. Stalking close to the bunker is a fairway parallel out-of-bounds line running the length of the narrow right rough. Making a mistake on the drive meant losing a ball or busting an apartment window. Uninitiated safe drivers may pace their ball somewhere in the acres left of the fairway bunker. While safe and secure, positioning the ball in that spot almost guaranteed the golfer a bogey simply due to distance. Some long ball hitters were even further penalized by driving left and long. In recent years, the out-of bounds marker on the left has come into play as the Trane company has build a warehouse right on the OB marker. Any massive drive from a Big Bertha down the left side flirted with steel.

The second shot on this hole is really the picture shot on the course. In fact during drought years with water being rationed in the valley, this stretch of fairway was the only fairway irrigated, because it presented such a beautiful snapshot to drivers on nearby Interstate 581. It’s rather humorous that the official description claims that this shot is shorter than its actual yardage. In reality, the second shot plays longer than it looks. The reason is because just short of the almost island green, the land slopes gradually downward from quite an elevation and then back up. The optical illusion created is one of closeness while the distance is masked by the hollow. Ellis Maples used this same illusion with even greater success on the twelfth hole on the course.

Lurking to the right of the green used to be a small, but beautiful, lake. This lake was the home of all kinds of aquatic life from bass to evil snapping turtles. Of late, the lake has filled with sediment, sludge, and interstate trash and debris. The green itself was a fair surface with a slight tilt toward the fairway. It was always important to never go long past the green for a slimy, algae –filled creek lurked immediately behind down a steep slope.

Hole 3 | Par 3 Maple Tees | Oak Tees | White Pine Tees | Cherry Tees 188 yds | 162 yds | 137 yds | 110 yds #3 is the 1st of five Par 3’s on the course. This 162-yard tee shot plays uphill and usually into the wind. You must take at least one extra club so that you don’t end up short and in the bunker that guards the left side of this left to right sloping green.

Fears. This annoying little hole, perhaps the most unattractive on the course played to all of my fears: uphill, wind, water, proximity to previous green, and fast moving honking cars. This hole used to be a bit different when it was originally designed. I remember the tee being farther from the hole, but sometime in the 80’s wise road builders decided that the tee box would be better suited as part of the continuation of the frontage road. These wise builders were wowed by the seductive industrial offer for the property next door, and knew they had to provide clear frontage access between Hershberger and Peter’s Creek Roads. Since the original frontage road stopped just west of the third hole, these savvy developers pushed for the expansion. In a cruel twist of fate for these city developers, the main industry coaxed onto this prime industrial property, Innotech-makers of specialized contact lenses developed by Roanoke’s own Drs.Blum ‘n Newman, who promised thousands of Roanoke City jobs and loads of tax money for the city coffers, was sold first to Johnson and Johnson and then to some French company. Innotech was a company in search of a product and never really made a dent in the competitive contact lens market. Now, their beautiful flagship, a state-of-the-art building sits abandoned beside the repositioned #3 tee box.

Back to the hole, when the tee box had to be moved, the only solution was to move it closer to the number 2 green. Knowing how I play golf, I was always afraid that some golf hack like me would peg me on the tee box as he overshot the number two green. Hence, I was never comfortable on this new box.

This hole scared me from the time I was a pup. My father would sometimes let me play this hole when I walked a round with him. I always disappointed. Pressured by close followers and staring at a slow moving deep ditch creek within 20 yards of the box, I invariably duffed my first attempt into the creek. Feeling that I needed to hurry, I would quickly squander my second attempt off the tee. From there, my goal was to cross the creek and then burn my way to the top of the hill to the sloping green.

As I got older and better, the creek had less effect on me, but I became intimidated by the rushing interstate traffic and by the evil hill and facing wind. I found that I could never quite judge the distance right. When the wind seemed gentle on the box, it was a gale on the green, always in your face. If by chance the day was calm, my patterned memory always caused me to explore Trane Manufacturing’s office yard beyond.

Some people cursed this green. It was no doubt challenging because it sloped greatly from side to side and was especially hard to grip on the front and right sides. Unless you were able to get the ball pin high, you ran the risk of visiting the hill again. Luckily, I was usually playing from the edge of the green anyway and was usually able to place my shot closer to the pin. Beauty and charm: this hole had none. Annoyances: this hole had plenty.

Hole 4 | Par 4 Maple Tees | Oak Tees | White Pine Tees | Cherry Tees 390 yds | 380 yds | 340 yds | 309 yds The 380 yard 4th favors a little cut shot off the tee. Push your tee shot too far right and you will be out of bounds. If you go too far left, you will be in Ike’s Creek. A well-struck driver or 3-wood will set you up with a short or mid-iron into one of the biggest greens on the course.

Perhaps this is the most beautiful hole on the course. The fairways widen from the narrow chute at the tee box area. What the official description fails to mention are two of the most interesting features affecting the course, creeks and a road.

The course was served by one main creek, Ike’s Creek, that snaked its way through the course. Maples used it on many holes. On the fourth, he had the creek flow towards the golfer at the tee box. Generally the creek would be out of play except for fearful short right-hand hooks. Then creek crossed under the cart path just in front of the teebox and was joined by another creek, dry in summer, which ran parallel to the right fairway. Then the happy creek went on its merry way to mess with my dreams on number three and to fill the lake on number two. Creeks and ditches are always places to definitely have your ball avoid.

Aside from the amazing creek, roads definitely came into play here for some people. My brother, Jody, is most famous in my family for his performance on this hole. Jody was always a powerful striker of the ball back in his youth. He could crush a drive using the family’s vintage MacGregor driver. However, he was also known for mammoth slices. When Jody played this hole, his stroke became a potential lethal weapon. Holes three, four, five, and six 9to some extent) parallel a frontage road and Interstate 581. Number four is the closest in proximity to the Interstate, so when Jody powered off the tee, his blast frequently flirted with the six lanes of traffic moving at 60+ miles per hour. I once watched as he nailed a massive slice off the tee and his ball bounced in the first lane of southbound traffic, bounced high into the air, then bounced in the middle of northbound traffic before disappearing across the road somewhere near the airport runway.

The green on this hole was the most beautiful on the course. It was very possible to run the ball in close to the pin, but even if you missed the approach and landed somewhere else on this large green, it was reasonably possible to drain a long putt. With the green flanked by beautifil white pines, standing there offered a real sense of peace. A greater experience is standing there as a 737 landed. After the jet passed just a hundred feet above your head, a massive jet wash-a strong hot wind, blew across you. It was oddly refreshing for all of your senses.

Hole 5 | Par 4 Maple Tees | Oak Tees | White Pine Tees | Cherry Tees 410 yds | 400 yds | 365 yds | 323 yds The slightly downhill 400 yard 5th favors a little draw off the tee. Once again, if you push your tee shot too far right, you will be out of bounds. If you go too far left, you will have to deal with some trees. Here again, accuracy is the key, so you may want to hit a 3-wood for control. This will leave you with a mid-iron into another large green. Make sure to favor the right side of the green due to the bunker that guards the left.

First of all, this hole offered relief for the typical golfer. As you left the fourth green, you came to a water cooler filled with crisp, cool drink. Planted in a shady spot, this tee box was a great relief on a hot day. The fact that a stand of woods flanked the interstate side of the driving area, it also offered the first chance of other more pressing kids of relief. Strange little one paths dive about ten feet into the tangled woods beside the tee box and just stop.

The initial drive on this hole is blind. You really can’t see the green. The object is to place the ball atop the gentle rise just beyond the airport light towers. Perfectly placed, you can be set up for an amazing second shot onto the green. Tracking the flight of your ball as it heads slightly downhill and rolls onto the green is one of the most amazing feelings to have in golf.

If you get wild left, you would find that you were dodging white pines the rest of the way in and would have to approach the green from the evil left side. If you were wild right, then you can have a journey into another world. Seemingly the rough goes on forever before it gives way to the parallel woods. However, the rough tucks into a little forgotten zone a fair ways downstream. Balls go in, but rarely come out of this zone. Some of the greatest shots I’ve seen where blasted out of this dead dream zone and flailing blindly for green safety, escaping from the doldrums of the waving grass.

Hole 6 | Par 3 Maple Tees | Oak Tees | White Pine Tees | Cherry Tees 200 yds | 163 yds | 119 yds | 119 yds #6 is the second Par 3 on the front side. At 163 yards, this hole plays a bit shorter due to its downhill elevation change. Ike’s Creek runs along the front and right hand side of the green. Make sure to take enough club into this pie shaped green.

The sixth hole harbors one of the saddest stories at Countryside. When this championship course was first built in the late 1960’s, the sixth hole was a proud postcard. An elevated tee looking down upon a green guarded by a beautiful lake is what greeted the golfer. It wasn’t until I found a way to cross that lake that I felt I had gained acceptance into manhood. My brother, Greg, received his first birdie on this lake hole. He blasted off, but landed short right onto the frozen lake. His ball bounced high and skittered onto the green a few feet away and pin high. Nervously, he sank the birdie putt.

Somewhere, somebody at Countryside decided to drain that beautiful lake.

Reset and Focus

This short entry is sort of a quick resetting of this site.

If you are one of the two or three regular readers of the stuff here, you may have noticed that I didn't post anything new last week. There's a simple reason for that. I got swamped by deadlines. I was/am taking an enjoyable, but time consuming professional development class that has taken quite a bit of my free time. We had class project deadlines this week, and I felt the need to actually give an effort. I've also been dealing with a lot of seasonal issues in my role as vice leader of the Enlightened Teachers of Roanoke County. To top that all off, the IRS tax deadline is fast approaching, and I am trying to Turbo Tax my way through correctly interpreting the FASA/Education rules for the first time. I find it ironic that one of the leaders of FAFSA was forced to resign yesterday due to charges of corruption.

I should have my class done now and taxes will be completed by Monday. After that, I have a whole week away from my job and my fellow enlightened teachers. That means I can get back to my passion, writing for this lonely post. First up on my writing agenda is to compose two pieces about my neighborhood golf course, Countryside. For those of you outside the area, Countryside is a golf course beside Roanoke's Interstate 581 by the airport. For the past twenty years, the club, designed by respected championship course designer Ellis Maples, has gradually declined. The pool was abandoned and the tennis center is rusting away. On the course, tees have been moved, once pristine greens have become pocked, fairways have been ignored, and vital course obstacles have been erased.

The first insult happened a couple of years ago when the City of Roanoke bought the financially struggling club. Since then the city has been peddling the property to developers. They hope to turn this large expanse of green space into a housing development. The problem is the neighbors are against it and developers have largely steered clear. In addition, the airport, some of whose land the golf course transverses, has threatened to not renew the lease when it expires next year. This week, the city unveiled news of new development plans to transform Countryside in to a housing development and retail business area. The residents have met this new plan with a wall of opposition. Our local newspaper seems to have jumped in on the side of the development.

I suppose I came to be a staunch opponent on the city's dark plans honestly. I grew up across the road from the twelfth tee and spent many happy childhood days traipsing over that course and swimming in pool. I can't stand to see such a treasure simply bulldozed away.

In short, there are a lot politics going on here and much of that work is going on very stealthy way behind the scenes out of sight of the public. This kind of thing enrages me. So I plan several actions this week. I plan to finish a piece I began writing here last June, detailing each hole of the golf course. I've been given permission by the course to use their website images for my piece and I think I'm at a point in my life where I can extract my memories more clearly. I also plan on giving a detailed look at the matter and unveil a letter I received from the Airport Commission. Finally, I plan on constructing a short letter to the editor to be delivered to my local newspaper.

As I have begun fiddling with this topic again, the famous words of to modern American leaders keep popping in to my head. Ronald Reagan, in his 1980 Presidential debate with president Jimmy Carter kept using the phrase, "There you go again...." I think of that phrase every time I hear the city bring forth another irresponsible and greedy plan for the golf course. That line, of course, led me to YouTube looking for it. Instead of finding that clip from the debate, I found this forgotten piece by satirist Harry Shearer.



I also kept having the late Texas governor, Ann Richards speaking to me. Here famous line...
"Poor George, he can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth." [1988 keynote address, Democratic National Convention]...is a classic. Every time I think of the her words, I'm reminded of each ridiculous plan the city keeps trotting out. Of course, I searched YouTube to no avail for the clip, but I did find this classic Ann Richards story. Enjoy. Back soon.

View From the Outside

Countryside Golf Course in Roanoke, VA is under attack by a city bent on development. Several years ago now, the city purchased the financially struggling course and began a study of how to use the property. Since then, they have decided to pursue a housing/retail development on the grounds of the beautiful course. The city claims the development would be good for the city and provide needed middle income housing for its residents. What follows is a rebuttal to a Roanoke Times editorial that appeared in the newspaper last week. I posted the original in the public comment section of the newspaper’s website.

Countryside

It's all about opportunities; perceived, misguided, twisted, wonderful,and welcomed.

I remember very well when the house I grew up in on Garstland Drive across from Countryside was annexed by Roanoke City. Oh there were so many promises: parks...services...SIDEWALKS! What happened? None of that.

The one thing that the area already had was a most amazing family recreation club. Ellis Maples, highly respected golf course designer (Pinehurst), created a most challenging golf course. The founding organization put in Roanoke's only Olympic-sized Competitive swimming pool and a spacious tennis center.

I remember when it was being built and when it finally opened. We were all so proud of the whole complex. Many of the neighbors from Dansbury, Fairhope, Ranch, Garstland, Lynhope, Portland, Lewiston, and other nearby road joined the club. It became a true community center.

In recent years, the course has been somewhat neglected and it is a shell of its 1970's championship form. The once amazing pool is now an empty concrete hole and the tennis center rusts away.

Over the last couple of years, the city has worked on turning a misguided opportunity in to an irreversible reality, one that is short-sighted and tone-deaf to the pleas of the community.

When the city bought the property, I was hopeful that, after careful study, city leaders would realize that they had a rough cut gem in their pockets. Countryside, in its same basic configuration, has so much to offer. What would happen if the city improved the golf course, re-established the water features that made it such a challenging course with the public invited to play? What would happen if the city would restore the Olympic- sized swimming facility and allow the public access? What would happen if the city developed the tennis center and made it open to city residents? What would happen if safe and secure running and biking paths were developed along the network of existing roads for the public?

Here's what would happen. The city would gain a much needed recreation facility for all of its residents and especially those in the northwest section of the city who were promised so much so long ago.

In addition, it would have a facility that would be the envy of all surrounding towns, cities, and counties; even Salem. The city could market the course to business travelers flying in to Roanoke. Perhaps people would even begin traveling to Roanoke to play the great Ellis Maples course. Perhaps local swim clubs could sponsor regional swim meets. Perhaps the tennis center could host regional tennis tournaments. Perhaps the local community would find an anchor. The recreation and social potential is amazing.

All of this action would be a boon to the airport area hotel and food industry. Perhaps Delta Dental would even be able to rent out its modern contact lens factory (which was built by taking the original t-box for the third hole on the golf course). The vision is there, the city only lacks the desire to see it.

What about the airport commission's threat to refuse extending the lease on the central part of the course when the lease expires next year? Well, that's an interesting subject. When I first heard that idea floated a couple of years ago, I wrote to the airport commission and asked them why they were considering such drastic action. They told me that they wanted to keep the landing area secure and open, you know...9/11 and all that. The only other reason they gave me for non-renewal was that the trees in the landing corridor were too tall. In my mind, these were very weak reasons for such drastic action. First of all, the area in question is a golf course; a very open golf course through the landing corridor. That seems to me to work very well with a neighboring airport; a lot safer than a cluster of homes. As for the trees...why can't the city top them or take them out altogether replacing them with lower growing vegetation? It seemed to me in that letter I received that the airport commission was taking a stand that seemed irrational, defensive, and angered; almost as if it were providing cover for some predetermined deal or agreement and knew that its argument was weak.

Finally, I have to say that the Countryside editorial in the RT really upset me. I have spent most of my life on and around Countryside (Arrowood). Growing up beside it was a joy. After college, I moved away for a few years, but when I returned to Roanoke, I moved back to within a mile of the course. I know the course intimately. I understand what it means to the community and what potential it has a recreation facility. The RT has chosen to label the opposition of people like me as "bellyaching." I, however, prefer to call my opposition to the half-baked, vague plans that have been whispered as passionate advocacy.

In my opinion, the city has a gold mine. It doesn't need to some monster retail/housing development. It needs a recreation facility, and the blueprints for it are already there. They need to open their ears to the community and their eyes to the possibilities.

Thom Ryder
North Lakes/Roanoke County
(Being a county resident does not discount my passion)

A Place to Gather

This is part two of a blogoseries that looks at my views of how the Countryside property in Roanoke City should be developed. These are strictly my views and not those of any organization; however, if any organization would like to use any of these ideas in efforts to save the Countryside parcel from hideous development, you certainly have my wholehearted permission.

A Place to Gather

Abingdon already has it. Roanoke County is catching on. What is it? It is a community/recreation center. In many circles, such facilities are called multi-generational centers. Such a center would be an excellent fit for the Countryside property both esthetically and functionally.

Creating a community/recreation center would go hand-in-hand with the revitalization of the aquatics and tennis facility. The site of the old pool, club house, and tennis structure would be an excellent location for this new structure. It could even expand down to the corner of Ferncliff Ave. across from the new William Fleming High School.

Recently, the Roanoke Valley YMCA has greatly expanded its indoor recreation facilities in the valley. The new Kirk family YMCA is an excellent resource for the community. The same holds true for the new Salem YMCA. Each of these has managed to intertwine exercise rooms, pools, meeting rooms, child watch rooms, gymnasium, and walking track inside a physical plant that carries a relatively small footprint. The land space between the existing first fairway and club parking lot at Countryside is ideal for a similar facility.

The Salem and Downtown YMCA’s have proven that there is a true need for such facilities in the valley. Each center is heavily utilized by the public. Yet there is no such facility anywhere in the northwest city quadrant.

Having a community/recreation facility across the street from William Fleming will offer lots of positive, supervised opportunities for youth. That alone should be reason enough to develop this center at that location. Programs could be developed to attract all ages of participants making this center truly an anchor for the community.

A smartly planned community/recreation center need not compromise the integrity of the surrounding neighborhoods. In fact, it may be viewed as a positive, low impact development of property that has been long neglected. Couple that with the fact that the neighboring community would be able to access the buildings for community meetings of clubs and civic organizations.

Roanoke City, able to boast of such a facility along with the tract revitalizations and low-impact development suggested here, would be well-positioned to attract businesses and home buyers into the city core. It simply makes logical sense. It simply would be a wise investment in human capital.

Learn to Swim

Learn to Swim

Swimming is one of the finest forms of exercise and one of the greatest means to build character. A friend of mine once said, “Swimming builds good citizens.” I have found that to be true. Also, swimming is one of the few recreational activities that can be pursued by young and old alike. A swimming facility is an excellent investment and is one way I would like to see Countryside used.

In March of 2007, an update to the Roanoke City Parks and Recreation Master Plan was presented to the city. In the presentation, key issues relating to parks and recreation were highlighted. One of the issues brought forth was the need for a regional competition swim facility.

Currently, the city operates two community swim pools, Washington Park and Fallon Park. Both pools are fine facilities and serve the local communities very well. However, neither pool is designed with the broader goal of hosting local swim teams or regional swim competitions.

Right now in the Roanoke Valley, competitive swimming is becoming extremely popular. The valley is home to four year round competitive swim teams (Gators, Marlins, Salem Y, and Roanoke Y). The Gators and Marlins have well established programs that routinely train national caliber swimmers. Many of their alumni go on to attain full scholarships to universities all over America.

Within the past five years, high school swim teams have sprung up all across the valley. Patrick Henry and Cave Spring have long had successful programs, but they have recently been joined by Hidden Valley, Salem, Northside, William Byrd, Lord Botetourt, and William Fleming. These programs are all growing and becoming more and more successful on a regional and state level each year. Patrick Henry had excellent success at the state swim meet this year as did Hidden Valley.

The city also operates a “learn to swim” program through the elementary schools. Several weeks a year, students are bused to the Gator Aquatic Center for basic water safety lessons.

With all of this aquatic activity going on around the valley, the one thing that all of the programs need the most is the one thing that is in very short supply, a competition indoor and outdoor swimming facility. Right now, year round and high school teams have limited options for practice. They can rent the Gator Aquatic Center, The Carter Center at North Cross, The Kirk Family Y, The Salem Y, or Hollins University. With such large year round teams using the Carter Center and the Gator Center, the drain of the facilities is extreme. In addition, renting space is costly and inconvenient.

Soon after Countryside opened in the late 1960’s, the club finished a truly remarkable swimming pool. The original pool was the only 50 meter 8 lane competition pool in the region. Later, an inflatable bubble was designed to cover 25 meters of the pool in the winter. Countryside truly had a most amazing facility.

Perhaps it was a facility ahead of its time. It was built before the Gators and Marlins were in existence. The pool was ready to serve the community before there were any competitive high school teams. Times have changed. Swimming has exploded in popularity. The time for such a facility has come, and it would fit in perfectly with my vision for Countryside.

Coomes Recreation Center in Abingdon, VA

The new pool facility at Countryside should be a competitive 50 meter 8 lane outdoor pool coupled with an 8 lane 25 meter pool inside the community center/recreation facility next door. It could be built on the existing location of the original pool and clubhouse. The outdoor pool could be used by the community in the summer months. It could support a community swim team in the RVAA. The outdoor pool could support long course meets in the region for youth year round swimmers. Currently, such long course pools are rare. Abingdon, VA has one, and it hosts a huge outdoor competitive swim meet each summer for the tri-cities area. Competitive master’s swimmers could host regional meets, too.

An indoor pool would be an excellent benefit to the entire community and surrounding neighborhoods. The Salem YMCA’s new indoor pool is an excellent facility from which to model. It has a lap pool and a recreation pool joining a central bathhouse. Both pool segments receive heavy use. The “learn to swim” program could be regionalized with part of the city students going to the Gator Center and part coming to the Countryside pool. William Fleming’s swim team would have a place to practice and that program would then have the opportunity to grow as Patrick Henry’s has grown. All citizens of all ages would have the opportunity to utilize the pool for recreation and exercise purposes.

A well-rounded swim facility at Countryside makes such logical sense to me. While there has been some talk that Roanoke County will add a competition pool to their plans for a multi-generational recreation facility at Valley Pointe, there is still no strong support, yet alone whispers of consensus for that idea on the County Board of Supervisors. That paves the way for such a facility to be built at Countryside.

I have heard children here in Roanoke express to me that “there’s nothing to do around here.” Now I don’t buy in to that notion completely; however, I do feel that there is some validity to those claims. Developing Countryside as an attractive place for teens as well as older citizens to spend in productive pursuits will serve the community at large well. Teens that are occupied with wholesome activities are less likely to become involved in less wholesome activities. Also, a facility that caters to and cherishes all citizens will become a community focal point, a place where all generations can meet, learn, and grow. Countryside could become that stabilizing force in the community.

The Coomes Recreation Center in Abingdon offers the residents of that community the kind of services that a revitalized Countryside could offer. Developing Countryside as a fine golf destination, a regional swim complex, a regional tennis center, a cherished green space rich with walking and biking trails, and a community meeting and recreation center would be a fine investment for the future, both for monetary return and quality of Roanoke City citizens’ lives..

Next time, I’ll address the community center…but before I go, here’s a blast from the past.