JTI Fountain Groundbreaking

The fountain and plaza are part of the second phase of streetscape improvements in the River District. Construction began in April with the shift of downtown bridge traffic and installation of a storm drainage system. Since then, a pedestrian walkway with brick pavers has been put in place from Craghead Street and Memorial Drive to Bridge Street.

The plaza’s most notable amenity, however, will be a multi-stage fountain that will be 40 feet in diameter. In the upper stage, seven water jets will shoot water vertically. The seven jets represent the Tobacco Warehouse District’s seven blocks, from the Carrington Pavilion to the new fountain.
Below the jets will be scuppers that will allow the water to flow into the lower stage. Spills will be placed at each end. The fountain also will feature programmable color lighting.

The fountain will be the focal point of the pedestrian plaza under construction in front of Lou’s Antiques, Jake’s on Main and Amburn & Co. Salon and Spa on Main.

JTI donated the money to pay for the materials and construction of the fountain to symbolize the legacy of tobacco as an economic engine for Danville over a span of four centuries. JTI buys tobacco from farmers and processes it at its Danville facility. The company is a division of Japan Tobacco Inc., headquartered in Switzerland.

Mayor Saunders thanks Steve Daniels on behalf of the City of Danville.

 

The fountain is expected to be completed in about 4 months.

Downtown Danville Association Moves Forward

Posted: Friday, August 9, 2013

Work It, SoVa newsadvance.com

The Downtown Danville Association welcomes three new officers and five new members to its board of directors, as a result of elections held at the recent annual meeting.

Elected to fill the slots of president, vice president, and treasurer are Jeffrey Bond, Dewberry; Wendi Goods-Everson, Danville Regional Foundation; and Richard Phelps, National Guard. They join Corrie Teague of the Danville Office of Economic Development, who continues as secretary. The new officers replace Robert Brooks, Dale Hutchens and Peggy Wright.
 

Joining the DDA board of directors are Cara Burton, Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History; Marietta Sanford, Averett University; Robin Jones, Vintages by the Dan; Barbara Seamster, 1045TheDan & Co. Legends 103.7; and Varun Sadana, The Launch Place.

Board members who will continue to serve include Jerry Amburn, Amburn and Co. Salon and Spa on Main; Robert Brooks, retired; Steve Farrar, retired; Phillip Hayes, Noblis; Dale Hutchens, Wilkins & Co. Realtors; Kelvin Perry, First State Bank; Earl Reynolds, City of Danville; Serena Rigsby, First Citizens Bank; and Peggy Wright, Averett University.

"The DDA is at an exciting juncture in its history", said Bond. "As a result of grant funding from the Danville Regional Foundation, we are working with a consultant to improve and enhance the organization and its positive impact on the River District." Added Brooks, "I am very confident that our new officers and board members will continue to move the organization forward, so we can serve a vital part of Danville's future."

Founded in 1999, the Downtown Danville Association is a registered non-profit, established with the goal of promoting and advocating for the city's traditional core downtown area. It currently has nearly 100 members from across the city and the region.



From Left to Right: Richard Phelps, Jeffrey Bond, Wendi Everson, and Corrie Teague 

 

Imagination Playground debuting at Danville Science Center

Posted: Wednesday, August 7, 2013
By DENICE THIBODEAU

Photo courtesy Tom Moore/Imagination Playground

Enormous lightweight blocks in a variety of shapes will be the centerpiece of a new interactive children’s exhibit at Danville Science Center set to premiere from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The Imagination Playground can be set up indoors or out, and Science Center Executive Director Jeff Liverman said the weather will dictate where visitors to the center will find it.

“If it’s raining, it will be set up in the Community Market,” Liverman said. “If it’s nice out, it will be outside.”

Children can build whatever inspires them and play on their creations afterward.
All of this “play” is a cleverly disguised effort to reinforce principals of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) sciences in the young participants.

The block system “allows children of multiple ages to have access to productive and collaborative play while experientially integrating concepts of physics, math and engineering,” according to a news release from the Science Center. “With the full dome theater expansion project slated for completion by the end of this year, our campus at The Crossing at the Dan will include more outdoor areas.
Through this project, not only will STEM learning and cooperative play be enhanced in our community, but as a designated site in Danville’s ‘Play City’ initiative, these new exhibits will nicely support the city’s work in expanding and promoting economically and physically accessible play spaces.”

While the blocks — “There are a whole lot of them,” Liverman said — will be stored at the science center permanently they will not always be available.

“We’ll bring them out for special events. For instance, they will be out at the Carrington Pavilion for children to play with during (the River District Festival, Oct. 3-4),” Liverman said.

Click here to access the original release

Click here for more photos