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156 Mr. Henry Weinschenk, 500 Ivy Farm Drive, a downtown businessman, asked Council to have some courage and approve the Parkway. Mr. Weinschenk said the Parkway could be a gateway to downtown, and agreed that he does not warn it to be a bypass. Mr. Weinschenk said the road will help the vitality ofdowntowr[ Mr. George Lade, t07 Tally Ho Drive, said the Meadowcreek Parkway is needed now, and noted that every Council for the lastthirty years has supported it as part of a regional plan. Mr. Lade said the Parkway will contribute to the goal of bringing high technology businesses downtown, and will provide faster emergency response to the north and safer access. Mr~ Larie said the Parkway will have no impact on the watershed and no houses will be taken. Mr. Larie supported Mr. Rieley's four-lane, 35 mph version, and replacing the parkland. Mr. Peter Sharman, 1753 Blenheim Road, said it is time to makea decision and he thinks alt the ideas suggested have been good and should be taken into consideration. Mr. Sharman supported a four-lane Parkway with reduced speed. Mr. Marshall Stayton, Vice Chair oftheCity's Planning Commission, 706 Nelson Drive, speaking on his own behal[ supported a two-lane version of the Parkway which wilt provide access, but will be easier to cross-by pedestrians. Mr. Slayton said access to the park will be improved if the Parkway is built. Mr. Slayton suggested having a round- about at the intersection at 250 Bypass as well as at Preston and Main Street. Mr. Stayton suggested that the City analyze closing of Perry and Nelson Roads if either a two-lane or four-lane road is built. Mr. David Heilbronner, 534 Park Street, speaking also on behalf of his wife, supported a four-lane, 35 mph Parkway. Mr. Iteilbronner said no funding is available for light rail. Mr. Heilbronner supportedpreserving as much parkland as possible and incorporated bike lanes. Mr. Heilbronner said that the George Washington Parkway in Alexandria is a good example to model. Mr. Clive Bradbeer, 130 Stribling Avenue, opposed the Parkway. Mr. Bradbeer said new roads do not solve traffic problems and preservation of open space is more important. Mr. Bradbeer said traffic calming is needed on Park Street. Mr. John Conover, t04 W. High Street, agreed with comments made by Dick Howard, Richard Moore, and John Pfaltz. Mr. Conover said the Meadowcreek Parkway wilt do some good for Park Street but to the detriment of the conmmnity. Mr. Conover said parkland is irreptacable and a four-lane parkway wilt diminish the 250 Bypass. Mr. David Paulsen, 2578 Hotkham Drive, supported the Parkway to improve safety and to relief the burden on neighborhoods. Mr. Paulsen said a gateway will still be needed todowntown even if eastern and western bypasses are built. Mr. Paulsen said he would like to see bikepaths to downtown. Mr. William Fitzgerald, I03 Cavalier Drive, supported a four-lane Meadowcreek Parkway. Ms. Linda McRaven, Free Union, a professional environmentalist, said she does not want to see nature destroyed, but she does support the four-lane Parkway to relieve Park Street and provide access to doWntown. Ms. McRaven said she does not think the Parkway will become a thoroughfare. Ms. McRaven said the George Washington Parkway is beautiful and she thinks that could be done here. Ms. Camille Wilson, Chair of the City's Parks and Recreation Committee, said that the Committee feels that VDOT's design for the road would have a substantial and adverse impact on the park, and ifb~t, should use the Rieley plan. Ms. Wilson noted that the road will only be 150 feet from the CHS stadium fence. Mr. Bob ~Stroh, 1412 Kenwood Lane, supported hhe Parkway to. improve access to downtown. Mr. Stroh said Mr. Rieley's working plan addresses most concerns of the ¢ommunity~