| 116th Year, 36th Issue | Thursday, April 14, 2005 | Sparta, North Carolina |
On Thursday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m. in the Blue Ridge Electric Community Room, the citizens of Alleghany County are invited to a public forum to assist in identifying community initiatives for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA). President George W. Bush signed into federal law legislation designating the 25 counties of western North Carolina as the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) on November 10, 2003. The wealth of cultural, natural and historical resources in Northwestern North Carolina contributed to the passage of this legislation. The BRNHA seeks to preserve, interpret, and celebrate the cultural , historical, and natural resources of the region — music, craft, agricultural and Native American heritage — while also encouraging economic revitalization.
To fully realize the potential of this designation and the important role of heritage tourism in the area, each county is preparing a 10-year heritage tourism plan for the BRNHA. Plans will include an inventory of current community assets, as well as community heritage tourism development initiatives.
The Alleghany Heritage Council has been organized to work with the community to develop and implement its plan. This public forum gives the community an opportunity to assist in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your local heritage sites and attractions, as well as identifying potential community initiatives for the county and Northwest North Carolina.
The forum will be facilitated by Helen Ruth Almond, the new Heritage Tourism Officer for the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development. The offices of Blue Ridge Electric are located 1.8 miles south of Sparta on US 21.
For more information, call the Alleghany Chamber of Commerce at
372-5473.
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