Welcome to the inaugural posting of our new column, entitled “Radically Radford.” In the months to come, this column will serve as a forum to identify, determine, and discuss our community and empower its citizens to become better.

OK, I am sure I have gotten your attention, but I am still too vague for you, I can tell. So let me see if I can more clearly define my scope for you to eliminate any confusion about what “better” means.

The world around us is changing, and changing rapidly. Although change has historically come at a slower pace to the regions of Appalachia than in more metropolitan areas, it is nevertheless upon us and requesting our immediate attention.

A more digitally interconnected world coupled with global issues that affect us all has created a worldwide sense of inclusion in something bigger than our towns, cities, and region. Now we are global citizens, whose local choices affect our region, and contribute to the state and national picture as we represent. All this has been aptly summed up in the mantra “Think globally, act locally.”

As we come to consciously embrace this new sea change, many communities in Southwest Virginia, and specifically the New River Valley, are mobilizing to reshape themselves; to become more malleable as they adjust to the new way of things. Of course with change always comes resistance, but this time there is something different. This time there is a sense of urgency to participate or be left behind. This time, it is not an alternative or a choice.

As we look around the Valley and the region, a few communities have worked hard to create positive identities for themselves so that they can continue to draw tourists, funding, business and new residents. Shining examples of this are Floyd County as a location for art, music, and heritage; and Fries, which has reinvented itself as a recreation paradise for weekend warriors.  

Others, such as Roanoke City, and Giles and Pulaski counties have mobilized the troops and redefined their strategies. The goal is to make our communities more appealing, diverse, and adaptable to the new climate of change. Though each community has varying amenities, histories, and attractions, each faces the task of making themselves economically viable, attractive, and interconnected so that they can move forward in the new paradigm.

In the middle of our morphing Valley and the entire region lies Radford, the most central of all places. Geographically, it lies in the epicenter of the NRV with Pulaski County to the West, Giles to the North, Montgomery to the East and Floyd to the South. Even historically it was known as a geographic middle point, originally named Central Depot, as it marked the halfway point between Lynchburg and Bristol on the Virginia-Tennessee Railway, before adopting the formal name of Radford in 1892.

In the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, Radford served as the bustling hub for transportation, manufacturing and education. Along with Radford University (then Radford College), and the Radford Rail Yard, it was home to companies that manufactured soda, shirts, stockings, automobiles, steel pipes, rubber, hardware, armaments and other various sundries.

Though the majority of large-scale commerce and industry has left Radford, our geographic significance has remained central to the Valley and should be something we embrace and look to build on. We have the most beautiful and scenic city on the entire New River, to go along with two exits off I-81, one of the busiest highways in the country. These are important foundational assets that we need to embrace as we move forward.

In the months to come, I will be making the case that the ongoing development and growth of Radford is one of the most important issues in the regionalized efforts to unify and connect the entire New River Valley. We’ll examine our community assets and resources. We’ll discuss the City Council’s 2020 vision to advance Radford as a progressive city. We’ll discuss how to energize and involve our citizens to assist with that goal by contributing their time, intelligence, and creativity. And we’ll discuss the obstacles and challenges that impede our collective progress along the way, and how we can work together to overcome them.

I am looking forward to the exploration and creativity that goes into effective community building and doing it here, with you, in Radford and the entire NRV. Most of all, I look forward to hearing from you, the voice of our readers, about all the topics and subjects that you value as important to discuss and explore as we endeavor in this process. Your letters to the editor, interactive comments and VoiceMail are not only welcome, but a necessary part of the process.

Ian Fortier sits on the Radford Tourism Advisory Commission and serves as the Executive Director of the Radford Heritage Foundation and the Glencoe Museum.  He has more than 15 years of experience in community activism, sustainable communities, and nonprofit work. His passions include movies, vegetables, guitar-driven rock ‘n’ roll, grape-flavored Flintstone vitamins, Crock Pot cooking, and his dog’s happiness.