Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
CHRISTIANSBURG- The Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg proposed two potential street closure routes for their Wilderness Trail Festival during the Christiansburg Town Council meeting Tuesday April 20, 2024.
The Kiwanis Club’s Wilderness Trail Festival will be held Sept. 21,2024 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The proposal of two different closures is due to downtown construction that may impede the previous site of the festival.
The first route proposed would be from Main Street (between Dunkley St and Pepper St.), Franklin Street (Between First and Commerce), Hickok St (From Commerce to First St.) and Marvin Jarels Circle. The second proposed route would be from Main Street (From 39 W. Main to Montague St.), Marvin Jarels Circle, Pepper Street ( From Hill Street to Montgomery County Courthouse Pepper Street Parking Lot) and parts of Roanoke Street (from Main St. to First St.). The proposed areas would be blocked to prohibit vehicular traffic during the time of the event and keep community attendees safe.
The Kiwanis Club hopes to use their first proposed route as they have in previous years and that has been approved by the council in previous years. The club asked for both routes to be approved in case they need to make a change during their event planning.
Council Member Timothy Wilson moved to approve the request. Council member Samuel Bishop seconded that motion. When the floor was open for questions, Council members Johana Hicks and Casey Jenkins had concerns for the proposed routes in terms of flow of traffic for downtown businesses.
“In reference to the possibility of a direct effect on my business in downtown Christiansburg, I want to abstain from this vote, but I will most likely, because I will probably be most likely the one business that may be affected by the closure of these main streets, I would like to, out of town council, have a conversation with you guys to possibly be able to work on something that can possibly be a working something with that business so we won’t affect it,” said Hicks. “This is just as a citizen and as an owner that I am speaking about this.”
Jenkins also abstained from voting on this issue.
Council member Kim Bowman had concerns about protecting the businesses downtown from potential loss of business due to lack of vehicular traffic during the event.
“Is there a way to protect the businesses?” Bowman asked. “We’re working to bring business to downtown. I think at the same time, we’re doing some things that are harmful for downtown business. Is there a way that we could guarantee that these businesses are not going to have loss due to events that are regularly going downtown?”
The Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg members reassured that they have spoken to and worked with business owners downtown before and are happy to discuss with business owners about alternate ways to promote and run their businesses while these events are happening.
The council voted to move forward with the approval of both routes with a vote four to two.
