The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. (VR) The spirit of a community looking forward while honoring its traditions was on full display at the recent Clifton Forge Community Gathering and Community Forum, held on Oct. 16. Residents, local officials, and civic leaders converged for a discussion, planning session, and candidate forum — all with eyes set on ensuring a vibrant future for the small Alleghany Highlands town.
Thursday’s Community Gathering blended optimism with small town character, as Town Manager Chuck Unroe along with Amanda McGee, joining virtually, offered a comprehensive overview of the ongoing Clifton Forge Community and Economic Development Strategic Plan.
“This is a focused planning effort,” McGee explained, emphasizing the short one-to-five-year window for actionable results.
The plan, she noted, emerged from stakeholder meetings, with input revealing Clifton Forge’s well-known strengths; historic character, a vibrant arts community, and outdoor recreation, as well as its most persistent challenges, notably housing affordability, underutilized properties downtown, and infrastructure limitations.
McGee encouraged residents to participate in a community survey designed to help set priorities.
“Please take the survey,” she said. “If it doesn’t sound right to you, you have the opportunity to provide input.”
Survey results will guide next steps and possible grant applications, incentivizing partnerships with developers and pointing the way to tangible projects. While economic planning took center stage, tangible progress was evident in municipal updates.
Unroe gave a town update explaining that the town’s paving operations continue, promising smoother streets, while a newly installed third phase of uniform, wayfinding signs part of the Allegheny Highlands project, guides visitors and residents alike.
“Due to some inappropriately configured posts… the completion for the main area of downtown will not be until the end of October or very first week of November, as they rebuild those posts,” Unroe noted, also reassuring that brush will be cleared to ensure visibility.
Chuck Unroe took time to recognize local contributions “A big shout-out to Garland Humphreys and his group at Highlands Realty LLC. Not only did they identify and fully fund the project to brighten up our entry into town, but they hired the contractors and bought the paint.”
Three new businesses, including the Hawt Stuff Coffee Shop, Wicked Wieners, and Tiny Treasures Boutique, are recent businesses adding to the beauty of the town and the streetscape, signaling a revival of the downtown corridor, while more restaurants and specialty shops prepare to open their doors.
Major news punctuated the meeting — the town finalized the long-anticipated purchase agreement for the historic CSX yard office building, with plans to develop it into a boutique hotel.
“We have completed the purchase agreement through the EDA and with the support of the town council,” Unroe said, outlining the due diligence and pre-development phase now underway. The hotel project was lauded as a huge step forward for economic development and downtown activity.
Director of Planning and Community Development Maria Saxton announced progress on several additional projects, including a branding initiative, a planned downtown master plan (pending grant approval), new business spotlights, and substantial grants for public restroom facilities and the stabilization of historic buildings. A housing needs assessment is also underway, addressing affordability and accessibility, critical issues for many residents.
“We’re just on the cusp of some great things happening in Clifton Forge,” Saxton said.
Beyond planning and updates, the gathering featured festivities and reminders of the town’s culture of volunteerism. Attendees were encouraged to mark their calendars for the November “evening of thankfulness,” which will feature local organizations such as the Boy Scouts and Boys Home, all integral to the fabric of Clifton Forge.
The Community gathering shifted to direct democracy, as candidates for two open seats on the Alleghany County Board of Supervisors participated in a public question-and-answer session. The evening’s discussions were wide-ranging and intense, delving into how to balance economic development with the community’s small-town charm, revitalize downtown while protecting historic character, and attract younger residents with good jobs and affordable housing.
The write in Candidates for Alleghany County Board of Supervisors Courtney Howard, Patty McAnnally, Shannon Miller Brantley, and Dominique Washington repeatedly cited the importance of supporting small businesses and local entrepreneurs, with consensus around the need for grants, public-private partnerships, and infrastructure improvements.
“If we make opportunities for the kids, they will not only want to be here, but they will be the engineers to engineer this areas new ideas,” Candidate Miller Brantley said, echoing the community focus on youth retention. Tourism, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation emerged as twin pillars for future growth.
As candidate Washington observed, “A lot of people come here for the outdoors. They’re not coming here to look at industry. We don’t want to infringe upon the natural beauty that we have.”
Others pointed to planning models in cities like Southern California, where a tech-savvy population is drawn to affordable housing with abundant outdoor amenities — a possible path for Clifton Forge’s evolution.
The candidate conversation was marked by mutual respect, even when policy proposals diverged.
Infrastructure, especially water, sewer, and broadband, was a recurring topic, as was the call for more county support for the town’s revitalization efforts. “Without decent computer services, we can’t attract new businesses,” Candidate McAnnally said.
Others highlighted the need for open communication, regular civic engagement, and transparency, from town forums to a possible community service app that would keep residents directly informed about everything from water outages to board meeting decisions.
The event concluded with a call for civic participation: “Remind your friends, remind your family, to go vote. Just get out there and vote who you think would be the best fit for you.” Amid local pride and forward-looking resolve, Clifton Forge charted a hopeful course for the years ahead.
