Clifton Forge Community Gathering Talks Water Line Projects, Street Paving, and Town Branding By Jennifer Bailey Staff Writer Clifton Forge, VA (Apr. 16, 2025)— It was a warm, albeit windy night for the Clifton Forge Community Gathering, which was held at the Historic Masonic Theatre this evening. The night was met with several speakers including Bill and Mott Atherholt, Chuck Unroe, Gayle Hillert, Mac Beard, Sandra McHenry, Autumn Morgan, and Lacy Meyer. Unroe was among the first to speak and give several updates on the progress of the town of Clifton Forge, beginning with the two water line projects. "The biggest one of those projects is the Smith Creek project... that project is on time to be completed by mid-summer," the town manager said. As for the Route 60 West water line, Unroe stated it was around 75% complete. The town manager also talked about the condition of the roads including Ridgeway Street and the ones impacted by the water line work. "That's [Ridgeway Street] a project that VDOT is funding through their state of good repairs for the town of Clifton Forge money. It will pave Ridgeway Street from Roxbury Street all the way to the town limits. In addition to that paving, Hammond Mitchell—who is the contractor on the water line— is responsible for paving every street that they have impacted with the water line installation." The town manager anticipates that all of the paving will be done at the same time. As for the roads impacted by Columbia Gas' work when the company was repairing and replacing gas lines during the winter, Unroe said that arrangements were being made with the company to work together and, ultimately, pave the roads curb to curb. The most disappointing update, perhaps, was learning that the highly anticipated "All Abilities Playground" in Clifton Forge would not be going through this year due to issues with government funding. However, the town will be reapplying for the grant next year in hopes of getting the project moving again. The theme of tonight's meeting seemed to be otherwise centered on the love and appreciation of living in a small town and the upcoming town branding project. "We [members of the Clifton Forge Community Gathering] want to give a sincere 'thank you' to our council members that voted unanimously to progress with our branding strategy," Gayle Hillert said. "...We've been working on that for a while." "We've been talking about branding," Unroe added during town updates. "Coming up with a brand for the town, how we want to be identified; and I, too, am very happy to say that council voted with a unanimous vote to support the branding effort and project, and also to allow us to apply for a grant in the amount of $15,000 to finance it." Additionally, Sandra McHenry, member of the Clifton Forge Community Gathering, gave a 100-slide presentation depicting numerous photos that she and others have taken of Clifton Forge. In it, McHenry discussed the numerous opportunities, events, and parades that locals can become involved in year-round. With a fixation on skeletons—her words, not ours— she included several photos of plastic skeletons sitting on a train, hanging out at a car show, and even sitting down at a local eatery.

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