Town of Lake Lure,
North
Carolina
Town of Lake Lure, North
Carolina
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THE
LAKE LURE TRIBUTE
1927-2002
75
YEARS OF PROGRESS Mayor:
Jim Proctor Commissioners:
Blaine Cox, Lea Hullender, Dick McCallum, George Pressley, Town
Manager: H.M. “Chuck” Place MARCH
2003 Published
by Town of Lake Lure, P.O. Box 255, Lake Lure, NC 28746 Newsletter
Editor & Coordinator: Monica Stofer Telephone:
(828) 625-9983
Fax: (828)
625-8371 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ MAYOR’S COMMENTS by Jim Proctor
Schools
in Lake Lure
Believe it or not, Lake Lure and the rest of the Chimney Rock Township
has been home to several schools. From
one room cabins to one of the best high schools outside the county seat.
The records of schools for Rutherford County before the Civil War are
slim and sketchy. However A. L.
Rutker wrote in his autobiography, "The public school
system was born in 1842, but was limited to terms of two or three
months in which the salary of the teacher ran from $10 to $16 per month.
These furnished the only means of securing a rudimentary knowledge
of reading, writing and arithmetic, which embraced the entire curriculum
of that period." Mr. Rutker
further noted that these one room school houses were typically made of round
logs that were left bare in the summer for ventilation and then chinked closed
in the winter time. Because of the
Civil War all schools closed in 1865, and for the next several years most
schools did not operate.
The first recorded meeting of the Rutherford County School Board was in
1879. Because of the small schools,
there were 106 school districts in the county (81 white and 25 black).
In 1880 the county appropriated 52 cents for each student (black and
white the same). In the early
1900's the state for the first
time set up a fund to help rural counties with their schools. The goal was for
each school district to run for at least four months per year.
The number of schools in Chimney Rock Township is not clear, but in 1920
Mack Whitesides pushed for the successful vote that created a special school tax
and a plan to consolidate the Chimney Rock Township schools.
This same year the school year was increased to six months.
The new state highway 20 (now US 74A) was under construction so the new
school had to wait until 1922. The
school had three class rooms and an auditorium.
It was built in what is now the middle of the lake.
Two trucks were purchased to transport the students.
This school was used until the Lake Lure development started at which
time the school met first at a building near the municipal golf course and then moved
to the Logan Inn.
In 1926 a magnificent building was constructed at a site just north of
what is now Doctor Burch’s office. In
keeping with the Spanish Colonial style of buildings
in Lake Lure at the time, the Lake Lure School had stucco walls, a red tile roof
and arches. With a large auditorium and ball fields the school was
one of the focal points of the community. At
first the Lake Lure School was only for elementary students but in 1933 the high
school was established. At
this time a gymnasium was built.
Mrs. Ann Wilson started teaching at the Lake Lure School in 1951.
She remembers that there were around five hundred students at that time.
Ann recalls
that the ball teams performed very well for a school their size.
The school had baseball, basketball and football teams.
Ann’s husband Paul, longtime mayor of Lake Lure, was not only a
graduate of the school he was one of the first student bus drivers in the state.
I heard from several former teachers and students that the food prepared
in the cafeteria was especially good.
All was well at the school until 1960 when the county decided it would be
best to consolidate schools. The
Lake Lure school was closed. This
left the Lake Lure and the rest of the Chimney Rock Township without a school
for the first time since the mid 1800's. The
abandoned and neglected school never again saw students and the area lost a
vital community focal point that is surely missed.
Currently several folks are lobbying the county to build an elementary
school near Lake Lure. As I heard of these efforts I was surprised to find that
west of
Cove and Maple Creek Roads there are almost six hundred students.
I was further amazed to hear that the county thought there were less than
two hundred.
If you are interested in
establishing a school near here please call Bill Frykberg (828-625-8020).
TOWN
MANAGER’S REPORT by
H.M. “Chuck” Place III, AICP
Pedestrian Pathway Approved
I’m very pleased to announce that our application for enhancement funds
under the TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century)
program for the “Lake Lure Town Center Walkway - Phase I” has been
approved by the NC Board of Transportation.
This should amount to $94,801 in federal funds, assuming all of Phase I
was approved.
The Town Center Walkway will be a pedestrian pathway that will
eventually run from the Chimney Rock Village limits (where it will connect with
the village’s River Walk project) through the Lake Lure town center to the
Post Office. Phase I runs from Boys
Camp Road to the ABC store.
The pathway will consist of a combination of asphalt and concrete
sections and will run along Memorial Highway to the boardwalk, then along the
lake on the boardwalk to the Lake Lure beach house and then on to the ABC store
as an asphalt path along the fence being constructed by Lake Lure Tours. There will be several crossings of the highway which will be
done in embossed asphalt having the appearance of terra cotta paving stones.
Included in the project will be landscaping and several drinking
fountains and benches.
We also requested funding for Phase II running from the ABC store to the
post office, but that was apparently not funded.
We will apply for that phase next fall.
Construction dates are not known at this time, but I will announce the
schedule as soon as additional information is released by the state. Town
Hall Woes
Last month, our public works crew noticed a water stain on the ceiling of
the council chambers. After
inspection, it was determined that the flat roof over
that part of the building had developed a sag and was leaking.
We immediately contacted SpacePlan, the architectural firm that designed
the building and asked them to investigate.
The construction manager for SpacePlan, and a structural engineer with
Sutton-Kennery & Assoc., spent considerable time examining the roof of town
hall to determine the extent of the damage to the supporting structure.
They inspected the entire flat-roofed portion of the building as well as
the area over the council meeting
room. They did not discover any problems with most of the trusses
in the building, but the ones over the council room were found to be
experiencing progressive deterioration.
Those trusses are
constructed of wooden 2x4's and the span is
longer than standard boards, so the top and bottom chords are made of 2x4's that
are butted together and connected with metal splice plates. An examination of
the bottom chords of many of the trusses shows that the splice plates have come
loose, allowing the 2x4's to
separate, which has caused the center of the roof and ceiling to sag as much as
one inch. This is a very hazardous condition and the engineer designed a 6x6
temporary shoring system which was installed by our maintenance crew and we had
the AC unit removed from the roof over that part of the building to reduce the
load.
The engineer is designing a repair for the trusses, but says that more
inspections will be needed. His
initial opinion seems to be that the “existing parallel chord roof trusses are
not adequate to safely support the existing dead load and minimum live load in
addition to the mechanical unit AC#3 in its current location.”
But he also notes that “several of the failed splices where located
where the weight of the mechanical unit would not have contributed to the
failure.”
After we receive the final report and recommendation from the engineer, I
plan to have a licensed contractor to do the repairs.
TOWN
COUNCIL ACTIVITIES by
Town Clerk Mary Flack, MMC, CTC
REGULAR MEETING: The regular
town council meeting was held on Tuesday, February 11, 2003, 7:00 p.m., at the
Lake Lure Municipal Center.
Under the “consent agenda,” Council: *
approved the minutes of January 14, 2003 (regular meeting) and February 4, 2003
(special workshop meeting); and *
approved request from Sharon Theiss on behalf of the Hickory Nut Gorge Youth to
waive the community hall rental fee on February 14, 2003, from 7:30 p.m. until
10:00 p.m. for a “Valentine’s Day Sock Hop”.
In other activities, Town Council: *
ratified approval of a temporary interim agreement to operate the Chimney Rock
Village water system; *
approved contract with Southern Soil Builders, Inc. for sludge removal; *
approved the lease agreement with Alvin Coggins, Classic Custom Golf, to use a
portion of the Lake Lure Municipal Golf Course club house; *
revised the boat permit fee for commercial boats to include a $50 surcharge to
only apply for motorized boats; and *
scheduled a water system officials training class, sponsored by the North
Carolina Rural Communities Assistance Project, to be held in the municipal hall
of the Lake Lure Municipal Center, 2:00
p.m., on February 25, 2003 or March 4, 2003 (tentative dates).
COMMUNITY
POLICING NEWS by
Chief Mike Bustle
With our entire nation recently placed on “high alert” for potential
terrorist activity, many of our folks are interested in how do we best prepare
and do our local part here in the Hickory Nut Gorge.
Our newly established Department of Homeland Security has launched a
website detailing just those preparations: www.ready.gov. In the words of Secretary Tom Ridge, “Terrorism
forces us to make a choice. We
can be afraid. Or we can be ready.” As
our elected and appointed officials
work hard at strengthening our
Nation’s overall security and stopping terrorist activities before they occur,
we must begin a process of learning
about potential threats and preparations so that we are prepared to react
to whatever may occur.
Most importantly, we must realize that we must remain calm and that
preparing makes sense. The provided
common sense framework offers knowledge
regarding citizen preparedness. With
these simple preparations, you can be ready for the unexpected.
For the most current information and recommendations, go to www.ready.gov
or you may telephone 1-800-BE-READY (23-73239).
I am pleased to announce that the Lake Lure Police Department has been
selected in a nationwide donation program to receive a free six-wheel drive John
Deere Trail Gator utility vehicle. In
an effort to support our nation’s emergency service workers, the U.S.
Smokeless Tobacco Company chose to recognize the service of the Lake Lure Police
Department and provide a versatile, practical vehicle that will enhance
emergency response capability in our remote areas.
Acknowledging our need to serve and protect in these remote areas, the
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company will be delivering the Trail Gator in the next
several weeks. This donation program has done
much across the nation to enhance search and rescue efforts from urban centers
to remote small towns at the community level.
We look forward to receiving this highly versatile vehicle and know it
will serve well in our community!
We would like to congratulate Sgt. Rick Tullis of the Lake Lure Police
Department in his new career choice as an instructor at the North Carolina
Justice Academy in Edneyville. Sgt.
Tullis was selected to serve as a police tactical applications instructor for
police officers all across North Carolina.
Sgt. Tullis will begin his new position on March 1st, but will
remain a reserve officer for the police department.
Sgt. Tullis’s selection by the Justice Academy is indicative of the
professional caliber of officers employed by your police department.
He will be sorely missed on a daily basis, but will serve the State of North Carolina and her law enforcement officers
well!
GOLF
COURSE NEWS by
Charlie Greeson, Pro Shop Clerk
Spring is quickly approaching, even if it doesn’t feel like it at this
writing. The new season brings with
it new improvements to announce. The
interior of the pro shop has been rearranged to provide a smoother flow
particularly for entrance and exit. Also
Alvin Coggins and his business, Classic Custom Golf, will now be located in the
pro shop offering club repair, swing analysis and lessons. On your way into
Alvin’s portion of the shop you will notice
we no longer have those loose, uneven (maybe even once dangerous) porch.
They have been replaced with
nice, smooth, even precast concrete steps.
These new steps lead from the new pad that we had poured to use as a
gathering place for tournament functions and just a general patio kind of place
for our golfers to enjoy their lunch on those days fit for such.
The men’s bathroom has
been relocated. It’s next to the
ladies bathroom in an area where both can now be heated.
The pro shop is not the only place that has been improved. The cart barn
has had some interior expansion by way of removal of stuff in a corner that had
been “junked-up” to a fare thee
well. It also got a pad
poured to expand the landing area making it easier for us to service the carts
and more of them at any one time. Enough
about the buildings. Let me tell
you about the improvements on the course.
At the first tee box, we have finally accumulated enough dirt, leveled it
out, and the expansion is near complete. All
that remains is for it to be sodded and the tees relocated to include some
yellow tees put in for the seniors. This
will increase the distance from the blues enough to make it like a real par 5.
On hole number 3, the trees and undergrowth surrounding the green have
been cut out to provide more light and greater air flow.
We should see great improvement for the green conditions there this year.
Chris is still striving valiantly to improve the quality of the fairways.
This is continuing effort to recover from last year’s drought.
Maybe this year will have more water.
The winter rain and snow certainly helped in that regard, even if we
didn’t have a lot of play during that period.
Now let’s talk prices. As
announced previously, we are going to hold the line on any price increase and so
will keep the same rates as we had last year for the March through November
season. Here they are: Weekdays
Cart(w/tax)
Greens Total Mon.-Thur. 9
Holes
$ 6.40
$ 8.00
$14.00 18
Holes
$10.45 $11.00
$21.65 Extra
9 Mem $
5.33
$ 5.33 Ex
9 NoMem $
6.40
$ 6.40 Seniors
- 55+ Mon.-Thur. 9
Holes
$6.40
$7.00
$13.40 18
Holes
$7.50
$8.00
$15.50 Extra
9 Mem $3.75
$ 3.75 Ex
9 NoMem $6.40
$ 6.40 Weekends/Holidays Fri.,Sat.,Sun. 9
Holes
$7.50
$10.00 $17.50 18
Holes
$11.75 $14.00
$25.75 Extra
9 Mem $
5.88
$ 5.88 Ex
9 NoMem $
7.50
$ 7.50 Practice
range available- irons only- balls $3.00 per bucket.
Rental clubs-$5.00 plus tax per nine holes. Memberships
Single
Fam of 2
Additional Annual
$200.00 $300.00
$50.00 Semi-Annual
$150.00 $200.00
$40.00 Prices,
terms, and conditions, subject to change without notice
NEWS
AROUND LAKE LURE
Lake Lure Newcomers invite
those who are new residents in Lake Lure (24 months or less) to join them in
various activities which include: potluck, gourmet, out’n about, theater,
bridge/poker, book club, and hiking. Anyone
interested in becoming a member, call Hugh or Nancy Pinney at 828-625-0867.
Lake Lure Lakefront Owners Association (LLLOA). If
you are interested in Lake issues and concerns and own
lakefront property on the
shores of beautiful Lake Lure, the LLLOA invites you to become a regular member.
Associate memberships are
also encouraged for those who are interested in our Lake.
Each year members receive a directory of members, informative Muse
Letters, and a first class mailed subscription
to the Town of Lake Lure monthly newsletter, The Lake Lure Tribute.
Members meet at the Town
Community Center socially
at least annually to meet neighbors and discuss issues.
Annual dues are currently a modest $17.00. You may pick up an application
for membership at the
Municipal Center or call Chuck Watkins, Pres. at 828-625-2122 or Hugh Pinney,
Treas. at 828-625-0867 for an application or any questions you may have.
Lake Lure Beach and Water Works is
closed for the season and will reopen the second weekend in May.
Interdenominational Outreach Task Force Group will
meet on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Lakeview
Restaurant at Lake Lure Beach & Resort.
For more information, please contact
Mary Ann Ransom at 828-625-8338 or email: maryann@wehostnc.com.
Garden Club - Lunch and Orchids
- what could be better! Join us for lunch at the Chalet Club on April 7th
at 12:00 noon, followed by a presentation by Master Gardener, Dr. Ralph Coffey.
Dr. Coffey owns and operates the 1889 Whitegate Inn in Asheville where he indulges his
favorite pastime, the growing of orchids. Over the past 15 years, Ralph has been
a member of both the Charlotte and Asheville Orchid Society.
He is well versed on a variety of horticultural topics and often lectures
on behalf of the Asheville Men’s Garden Club.
Ralph will bring several varieties of orchids with him and will discuss
the care and upkeep of each. He
will also have examples of orchids gone wrong and will discuss how to bring
these sleepers back to life. There will be orchids available for purchase after
the presentation. Space will be limited so call either Jean
Hoffman at 828-625-1631 or Joanne Phillips
at 828-625-8498 by March 25, 2003 to register.
The cost will be $11.00 and that includes the meal, tax and gratuity.
PS: For those interested don’t forgot the annual Orchid Show at the
North Carolina Arboretum March 14,15 and 16. Remember
you are automatically a member of the garden club if you love to garden, or just
think flowers are awfully pretty.
NOTICE For
comments about the operations of the Lake Lure Tours, call 828-625-0077. The deadline for newsletter articles to be received at Town Hall for the April issue is March 19, 2003. |
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