I am always optimistic about the future of Pittsylvania County and this month has brought two more reasons to remain so.
Early this month, the Star-Tribune reported on the redevelopment of Dan River’s R&D buildings at the edge of the warehouse district in Danville.
The plans for its transformation look remarkable; I eagerly await this very positive project.
Dan River Mills left a divided legacy in this area. While it provided jobs for thousands of citizens, who nobly toiled in the several mills that once lined the Dan River, it also worked to keep its laborers under-educated and underpaid, as well as making sure that other major industries did not arrive to compete with the textile giant, and, thus drive up wages or diversify its workforce.
Danville paid a heavy price for Dan River Mills: at one time, the city was larger than Greensboro, but business and industry (and government) worked to insure the near- monopoly of the textile industry in Danville, and growth moved elsewhere.
Dan River abandoned thousands of loyal workers when it left for the greener pastures (and cheaper wages) of India; but it also left behind beautiful buildings, many of which have been already thoughtlessly torn down, but many of which still stand.
This latest effort to save the positive aspect of the textile industry’s presence in Danville can only be seen as a great leap forward in the area’s effort to shake off the doldrums that have gripped it for so long.
Another positive development of July was the meeting in the courthouse concerning uranium mining in this area.
I was proud to hear citizen after citizen articulate to the supervisors present clear and rational arguments against the presence of uranium mining and milling in Pittsylvania County.
Although they were passionate about their feelings, they acted politely and civilly in a public forum; it was an impressive display of democracy in action.
In addition to the voices against mining and milling, there were also a handful of proponents of the industry (one paper’s account was seven).
A couple of citizens opined about the positive economic effects of the industry’s potential presence here, but mostly the advocates were hired hands of the industry, dutifully waving colored brochures about, or lecturing us on the wonders of chemicals.
(I must admit I enjoyed the lecture just as much that evening as when I first heard it: in Mr. Kovach’s science class in 1966).
By all accounts, the uranium industry’s presence here would not even match that of Dan River Mills. It might last 50 years with some luck. And during that time it might just provide a few jobs – mining and milling dangerous ore – which just might give the county enough tax money to clean up the mess the industry makes.
But the legacy of the uranium industry would be far less grand than that of Dan River Mills. There would be no stately buildings to renovate, no White Mill or red-bricked buildings along the river to turn into shops, medical offices or museums.
Instead, the landscape of this county would be pock-marked with tailings ponds, to be tended at tax-payer expense for a long, long time.
Would agriculture return and flourish after the 50 years are over? Would the area attract positive growth, or would the industries here long established be gone forever?
These are deep, serious questions for all.
But I am heartened by the nature of the discussion and gladdened by the citizens who spoke on July 9.
Our legislators and administrators would do well to heed the words of those whom they serve, as well as ponder the decisions they make, which will have repercussions for very many people for very many years to come.
Richard Dixon
Chatham