Results tagged “Byways” from Getting to Know Joe
Just finished putting together a new website for the Alabama Byways Program. It will continue to grow as more information is added, but here's a start. Designed in Wordpress!
Check it out: www.alabamabyways.com
What a beautiful day yesterday was. I had a meeting just outside of Fort Payne, Alabama about the Lookout Mountain Parkway corridor management plan I'm working on with the Alabama Association of Regional Councils. Left early so I'd have a little time to explore downtown Fort Payne before the meeting.
After the meeting, we all drove the 5 miles on to the Little River Canyon National Preserve to see the 23,000 square foot JSU Canyon Center building that is currently under construction. I was very impressed (it isn't slated to open until early next year). The construction is really impressive--they are using geo-thermal heating and cooling and will have some really nice features. The construction really reminds me of some of the great National Park Service structures out west. One of the nicest things is that it was designed to really blend in with the environment around it. After that, I drove along a short section of the Little River Canyon rim. If you haven't been, you really should.
After the meeting, we all drove the 5 miles on to the Little River Canyon National Preserve to see the 23,000 square foot JSU Canyon Center building that is currently under construction. I was very impressed (it isn't slated to open until early next year). The construction is really impressive--they are using geo-thermal heating and cooling and will have some really nice features. The construction really reminds me of some of the great National Park Service structures out west. One of the nicest things is that it was designed to really blend in with the environment around it. After that, I drove along a short section of the Little River Canyon rim. If you haven't been, you really should.
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Lots of good stuff going on with Alabama's Scenic Byways program. Yesterday, we met to review grant applications for five projects and rank them according to a combination of factors. Very exciting to see the projects we've been working on since 1999 taking root in the local community and moving forward. Byways have some of the best potential to generate quality tourism in Alabama, particularly in the more rural sections. We also approved a logo for the byways program. Similar design to what I originally did, but we added an additional pine cone. Interestingly enough, in doing research on branding destinations, I've found that the general consensus is that people spend the most time and effort on developing a logo and a logo is one of the least important features of community branding.
Today, I'm off to Marion, Alabama to talk to the Cahaba Trace Commission about their interest in a scenic byway along their route. We're up to seven state scenic byways and three national byways, now, so the pressure to build the program is still there, but not as great as it was when we only had one. While in Marion, I'll take advantage of the trip and do a little photography of some of the architecture and landscapes for potential use on the Southwest Alabama Regional Tourism website: alabamasfrontporches.org.
Today, I'm off to Marion, Alabama to talk to the Cahaba Trace Commission about their interest in a scenic byway along their route. We're up to seven state scenic byways and three national byways, now, so the pressure to build the program is still there, but not as great as it was when we only had one. While in Marion, I'll take advantage of the trip and do a little photography of some of the architecture and landscapes for potential use on the Southwest Alabama Regional Tourism website: alabamasfrontporches.org.
