On Thursday, June 1, Freeda Cathcart and Roni Sutton submitted a formal proposal (attached) to the Roanoke City manager and the Roanoke City Council to renovate and maintain the house in Fishburn Park. They were inspired by the philanthropy of Blair Fishburn and his vision that resulted in the creation of Fishburn Park.
The Roanoke City Parks and Recreation Advisory Board sent letters to Roanoke City Council in 2018 and in 2022 asking them to remove the house from sale and to place it back in the Parks and Recreation Department so arrangements could be made for the renovation.
In December 2020, Cathcart and Sutton had been in dialogue with Bob Cowell, Roanoke City manager, about their offer to renovate the house. Cowell’s last email stated that he would take their information to Roanoke City Council and that either he or someone from his department would get back to them. Instead of following through with his promise, the economic development department sent out an e-blast asking for proposals. Cathcart and Sutton didn’t receive the e-blast and were unaware of the call for proposals.
In April 2023 the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted unanimously to oppose the sale of the house and land in Fishburn Park to the vanBlaricoms.
On May 15, Roanoke City Council voted 6-1 not to rezone the park. The vanBlaricoms zoning application was significantly different from their proposal that the contract was based on. In less than 24 hours after the council’s vote, Cathcart submitted a request to city management asking for the next steps to be able to submit a proposal. She received an acknowledgment from the city manager and the director of the Parks and Recreation Department that the request had been received but there were no instructions on how and where to submit a proposal. To date, she has received no response from the Economic Development Department or Chris Chittum!
Their proposal is to access private wealth and grants to renovate the house to benefit the public. Their proposal is in alignment with the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the new 2020-2040 City Comprehensive Plan. Their proposal differs from the vanBlaricom’s effort to purchase an acre of parkland and the house for $10 to use as equity to launch a private commercial business using the public’s wealth for their private enterprise. The vanBlaricom’s proposal was not in alignment with the Parks and Recreation Master Plan or the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
If Roanoke City decides to create an ordinance to allow private vendors to have concessions in park buildings, then their proposal would allow for the possibility of a future coffee shop in Fishburn Park.
Cathcart and Sutton have the experience and the ability to successfully renovate and maintain the house. They know what’s involved to complete the project to repurpose a blighted house to a place for nonprofits and the public to enjoy.
