Thursday, May 04, 2006

Four Oaks tackles image, destiny

Following in the footsteps of Waltham, Mass., and Cherry Hill, N.J., the town of Four Oaks, N.C., is hoping to remake itself into that of a quaint village with an "eye-catching" grist mill "rising above a pond," complete with a welcome center "offering country hams and jelly preserves," and -- for good measure -- a "row of bed and breakfasts." Also planned is a train depot downtown.

Currently, the majority of people who zip through (or by) Four Oaks on Interstate 95 notice very little other than some fast food restaurants. But the town hopes to change all that within the next decade.

On May 2, the town board adopted district rules for its interchange and downtown. The rules are aesthetic guidelines that should result in a "cohesive village rather than a hodge podge of businesses," according to the News & Observer.

The rules also say what the town will not allow: mobile home parks, batting cages, tattoo parlors, tarot card readers, adult establishments and more.

Mayor Linwood Parker explained to the newspaper that the town the town sprang up with the railroad. A depot could serve as a museum and meeting place.

No comments: