Merchants decry ‘wall of shame’

Owners of much of the property and businesses in downtown Waynesboro spoke Monday before the City Council, asking why a city-owned wall they call unsightly along a pedestrian mall hasn’t been repaired in 15 months.

“It’s hard to bring business down here and attract new merchants and new clients when the ‘wall of shame’ just sticks out like a sore thumb,” Waynesboro Florist owner Weber Payne told councilmembers. “The city does such a nice job bringing the flowers in, but we have the eyesores and nothing is happening.”

His comments were echoed by nine other speakers and in one submitted letter, all spurred by recent downtown merchants’ meetings and an e-mail from Eileen O’Rourke of River City Art & Wine Emporium, who asked that business owners impacted by the fenced-off wall make their voices heard.

In April of last year, a work crew tore down some bricks from the 37-year-old wall, which city public works had deemed unsafe. The city-owned wall, erected in 1971 along the side of the building now owned by Paradiso Properties LLC, was built following the demolition of a building that once occupied the space now used as a pedestrian mall.

“I got fed up,” O’Rourke said, describing the wall as a deterrent to tourists, shoppers and hikers who walk downtown.

“It is unsightly and it looks seemingly unsafe,” she said.

Other speakers called the wall “iconic” — in a bad way — and said it makes for a poor first impression. Many also asked when the City Council would address its stalled streetscape project.

That project began with a 2001 grant to improve sidewalks, lights and pedestrian amenities, said Len Poulin, business owner and board member of Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. After a bidding process attracted no viable companies to do the work, city work crews started the project. Eventually, grant money was redirected before completion of the first of three phases.

Poulin told the council he lost at least one tenant in a downtown building because of “eyesores,” the wall and ever-present construction barrels.

Other speakers asked that the city finish what it started.

“We’re not asking for a handout,” said Blue Ridge Christian Fellowship Pastor Joshua Micah Akin.

His congregation meets in the building joined to the wall.

“Our efforts are being hamstrung not just because of the eyesore, but the safety hazard that is right next door to our building,” he said.

Councilwoman Lorie Smith said the unity of speakers was refreshing. She and others promised to make repairing the wall a priority.

“I’m very disappointed that we have not finished it,” Councilwoman Nancy Dowdy said of the streetscape.

Vice Mayor Frank Lucente said the wall should never have become a city problem in the 1970s and has grown more bothersome every year.

“We have been, in the last couple weeks, intensely negotiating with ourselves and hopefully soon with Paradiso to get this done,” Lucente said. “I think council now knows this is a priority.”