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Volume 1, Number 23
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d/b/a Northern Virginia Media Services.
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2013. All advertising and editorial
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AILEEN M. STRENG
REPORTER
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KEVIN SULLIVAN
CIRCULATION
ksullivan@princewilliamtoday.com
June 14 - June 20, 2013 • www.insidenova.com
Against the lush green backdrop of Manassas
National Battleield Park, Del. Tim Hugo, R-40th, this
spring declared war against the proposed Bi-County
Parkway, calling it the “next battle of Manassas.”
The ight against the parkway – and the North
South Corridor project it’s part of -- has gathered
steam in the past few months. Nearly 700 people
turned out at a recent meeting to speak against the
45-mile stretch of roadway that would link Dumfries
to Loudoun, ostensibly to alleviate congestion along
major commuter routes.
And then there was the April press conference at
the battleield’s Stone House, where politicians and
protestors toting homemade signs spoke passionately Rendering of state fair attraction at Disney's America. DISNEYDRAWINGBOARD.COM
against the project while traic whizzed by on Va. 29.
Finally they all joined forces – backed by the National
The scenery and the sound bites accompanying this next
Historic Trust – into a group called, Protect Historic America.
“battle” sound familiar, and ofer us a chance to look back at
The group included distinguished historians, novelists, acwhat might have been.
tors and even ilmmaker Ken Burns, creator of PBS’ ‘The Civil
In November 1993, Disney held a news conference to anWar’ series.
nounce plans for a 3,000-acre theme park in Haymarket, at
After a year of battling star-studded opposition and wranthe edge of the Manassas National Battleield.
gling for millions in perks from the county and state, Disney
Disney’s America would chronicle the nation’s history – in
had enough.
amusement park manner – with a native American village,
In 1994, the company backed out. The movie stars and
a Civil War town, a hall of presidents, an early 19th century
famous names put away their picket signs and disappeared.
“state fair,” a working farm, a tribute to Ellis Island and a
And urban sprawl crept in.
“military base” paying homage to service members.
Today, on more than 2,000 acres of what was once going
It was estimated that more than 6 million people a year
to be Disney’s America and its accompanying campgrounds,
would visit Disney’s America, bringing riches to Prince Wilhotels and supporting retail centers, there are now thouliam County with $680 million in tax revenue over 30 years
sands of homes – in Dominion Valley, Heritage Hunt and
and more than 2,700 jobs.
Piedmont Club.
Gov. George Allen, who was elected the same month
Nearby there are strip malls by the dozen, chain restauas the announcement, pledged millions to the project to
rants, Target and Walmart.
improve Interstate 66 and build exchanges to accommodate
And there is gridlock. U.S. 29 and Interstate 66 have
the increased traic Disney would bring to already congestbecome so clogged, state leaders are now pushing the
ed commuter thoroughfares.
North-South Corridor – planned since the 1980s – with a
As state and local oicials scrambled to help Disney any
renewed vigor.
way they could, opposition groups were ramping up to save
Opposition to the North-South Corridor project echoes
the battleield and the bucolic way of life in the Piedmont.
that of the anti-Disney movement. Opponents say the road
Environmental groups and preservation councils soon
project will endanger the battleield, infringe on long-time
garnered national attention, “bankrolled by generous gifts
property owners, and bring unwanted development to
from such prominent families as the Mellons, du Ponts, and
areas clinging to the last vestiges of rural life.
Mars (of candy bar fame),” the National Park Service wrote in
In yet another battle of Manassas, will a determined
group of protestors win again?
a history of the ight against Disney’s America.
JILL PALERMO
REPORTER
jpalermo@princewilliamtoday.com
AMANDA STEWART
REPORTER
astewart@princewilliamtoday.com
20
Echoes of Disney in North-South Corridor fight
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YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT...
School pools
Prince William school oicials recently unveiled plans for
an aquatics center at the county’s 12th high school, at an
estimated cost of $1.5 million per year. Here’s what readers
on our Facebook page had to say about the plan:
Dawn Tzina: That's a big waste of money. Wow. Apply it somewhere more important.
cost for the pool is coming from construction costs - it
won't get pulled out and put towards teacher salaries
or instruction.
Christina Herold: Um...unless they are paying for
construction and maintenance via other means, the
public would already be paying for it. No thanks!
Johnnie Prospect Oakes: Must use very special
water!? Funny how a tax-dollar funded project is almost
ive times the cost of a privately funded and built one.
ShelbyLynn Stoner: Unnecessary expense.
Rebecca Dugan: I grew up using a high school pool.
It was where I took swimming lessons and spent many
summer days. It was cheaper and more convenient
than the community center, and less crowded and better supervised than the water parks. In my experience
with PWC’s public pools, it would likely be the same
case with these. Giving more kids access to pools can
only be a good thing, starting with teaching more kids
to swim, which is a life-saving skill that EVERY child
should have.
Kris Amoroso Sallade: Yeah, I suppose it is more
important to spend it on a top of the line football ield,
or auditorium that the public will not get to use. The
Damon Moritz: My family will join.
Beverly Joyce Samuels: Can't imagine the insurance
costs. I know they don 't support hockey as a sport due
to liability and cost of equipment. Hockey is considered
a "club." Will the schools be liable for injuries, drownings? I said it. There are risks at pools.
Ronnie Crigger: $1.5 million a year, when you do not
have money to pay teachers, downsize classrooms and
take care of the schools? Really, approve the pool and I
say next election vote all the school board out. It is that
simple.
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