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By Dianne Weaver
The Little Kanawha River Parkway Authority met last night in
Grantsville. Chairperson
Reta Kight presented the new parkway logo to be hung in the
courthouse, part of a
promotion to familiarize the movement to build the access highway
through the
neglected west central region of the state. Several local people
attended the
meeting.
Kight told the group the importance of moving ahead with plans and
announced a
charter bus trip to Washington to meet with Senator Robert C. Byrd.
Calhoun's
representatives on the Authority, Dan McDonald and Danny Law were in
attendance,
as were Calhoun's three County Commissioners, David Barr, Larry
McCallister and Bob
Weaver.
Ambrose Collins, a Grantsville Town Councilman, presented a Calhoun
Chronicle from
1976, where Darrell McGraw, a candidate for Congress at the time, said
the Parkway
would be built within a few years.
The proposed four-lane corridor would connect I-79 at Burnsville and
I-77 near Mineral
Wells, Wood County, opening up the interior counties. It would extend
through
Braxton, Gilmer, Calhoun, Wirt and Wood Counties.
One spokesperson said "Grantsville and Calhoun County are
regressing."
Gilmer County resident Jim Bailey said the LK Scenic Byway is not
connected to the
Parkway project. The Byway is an effort to pull tourists and others
off the interstate
system, using the Little Kanawha River, its natural beauty and the
area's cultural
qualities. He said it is called "Heritage Tourism."
Kight said Gov. Bob Wise met with the group on February 21st. "He is
very supportive
of the project," she said.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wirt County, according to Wirt
representative Steve
VanCliff of Burning Springs.
Reta Kight presents new LK Parkway logo
(L to R) Commissioners McCallister, Weaver, Barr, Dan McDonald and
others accept new logo
Calhoun Parkway members Dan McDonald and Danny Law, far left; Reta
Kight of Gilmer County
Several attend meeting at Senior Center
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