The story below is from our July/August 2015 issue. For the full story download our FREE iOS app or view our digital edition for FREE today!
The new library, renovated storefronts and recent economic development are just the beginning of what’s to come in Vinton’s bright future.
“I’m very excited about what I’ve seen so far,” says Jason Peters, Roanoke County Board of Supervisors chairman representing the Vinton Magisterial District. “We are working to determine how to maintain what is so great about Vinton—the quaintness, the sense of community—while embracing the potential and the possibilities.”
Peters, a native of Vinton and graduate of William Byrd, is helping to lead the charge in terms of taking advantage of Vinton’s proximity to Smith Mountain Lake. “Vinton is the gateway to Smith Mountain Lake,” he says. “People pass through our town all the time. Now we want to find a way to make them stay.”
One exciting step in the right direction is the plan to convert the old William Byrd High School into an upscale living facility. “A beacon on the hill,” according to Peters.
“People want downtown living,” says Peters. “They want to live within walking distance of the heart of downtown. It will be a great asset to the Vinton area.”
Additionally, Peters has big plans for the War Memorial. “It is a great venue. I want to see it become a campus, where businesses can hold summits and have places to stay and eat all in one location.”
Peters admits that he is a very visionary person. Having lived in Vinton his whole life, spending 22 years working with the Vinton Fire and Rescue team and currently working as a senior financial services representative at the Vinton Branch of First Citizens Bank, his plans and decisions are greatly influenced by the residents themselves.
“We want community input,” Peters says. “We’ve always had great support from the chamber. This is an opportunity to find out what the town wants to see in the future.”
