Little lovey
A Mini is a Mini is a Mini ["It’s a small world," Fishbowl, August 19]. I love my feisty little bulldog of a car!
Judy Brubaker
Crozet
Turn a Corner
As I was reading the "Best of" issue [August 5] I was struck by how unrepresented The Corner is, not only by the C-VILLE but by the City in general. It has been described as the "adopted step-child" of Charlottesville, and this issue typified it for me in print. I may be biased since I am a Corner merchant, but I chose to be here because of the beauty and diversity of this area of town. I was so happy to see Dixie Divas made your list (you go, girl!). But that Frank’s Pizza (for best slice) and Jefferson’s Gardens behind the Rotunda (for best place for urban reflection) didn’t make the list made me wonder—who votes for these things anyway? When I found out the voting is done in May, when the University is either in the chaos of finals, or everyone is gone, I understood the lack of representation of this whole area. If the voting was done in March, even if the issue still came out in August, I wonder if the results would be the same.
The Corner has some of the most beautiful architecture, gardens and homes, great restaurants and interesting shops in all of Charlottesville. The traffic isn’t bad—think of 29 North—parking is easy and free (most merchants validate) and I am convinced townspeople have a mental block against coming to this area, which is fed by the City and the C-VILLE’s lack of support. That so much funding by the City and as many articles by the C-VILLE encourage people to use the Downtown part of Charlottesville, and so little has gone to the University area—which is why this city was built—seems to confirm the "adopted step-child" theory.
The amount of money that has gone to "face lifts," highway signs and urban renewal (remember the Omni?) devoted to Downtown seems way out of proportion to where the tax base of this City is located. Between the hospital and the University, do the townspeople realize the vast resources in libraries, gardens, specimen plants, museums and history that are centered here? That so little energy and so little mention by the C-VILLE is put toward this jewel that is really the heart and soul of our City is just plain sad.
JoAnna Palmer
Owner
Trade Roots
Correction
In last week’s Ask Ace, Ace Atkins incorrectly reported that the City projected it would take three weeks to recoup the cost of the new parking meters at the Water Street lot. It will actually take three months.