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Preservationists ask Walmart CEO to reassess company’s stand on Wilderness development Date published: 8/26/2009
Heritage groups are taking their battle against a Walmart store at
the Wilderness straight to Bentonville, Ark.
The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition is appealing to Walmart Stores Inc. President and CEO Michael Duke. Leaders of the coalition’s eight member groups wrote a letter to Duke late yesterday saying they remain “gravely concerned” about the retailer’s plans to build a Supercenter in eastern Orange County at the entrance to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved the store site on Tuesday. Rob Nieweg, director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Southern field office, said the coalition will continue pressing Wal–Mart to protect the Civil War battlefield and the park. “Wal–Mart is not obligated to build on the approved site simply because Orange County has given them a green light by approving the special-use permit,” Nieweg said late yesterday. “Big-box construction on this site would harm the battlefield and radically urbanize the gateway to the national park. Ultimately, the fate of this historic place is in Wal–Mart’s hands.” The coalition said it is not opposed to a Walmart in Orange County--just one at the Wilderness, where generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee first met in battle. The coalition's members include the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Civil War Preservation Trust, Friends of Fredericksburg Area Battlefields, Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, National Coalition for History, National Parks Conservation Association, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Piedmont Environmental Council, and Preservation Virginia. - Clint Schemmer
Ok here's the thing I actually LIVE in the area where the Walmart is supposed to be built and guess what I WANT it! It is seriously unreasonable to believe that every inch of every battlefield in the area can be preserved.,if that were the case then I think we need to move my house, as we have found some civil war bullets and buttons in our backyard. The sites that are preserved are lovely and spacious enough. I look forward to not having to drive 30 into "town" to shop. I support progress! BRING IT ON
I find it interesting that the preservation groups talk out of both sides of their mouth on this issue. On one hand, they say 'move down the road to another site.' On the other hand, they say, 'don't build in the study area of the battlefield.' Yet the study area of the battlefield runs the entire length of Route 3 from Spotsylvania County to past the Rapidan River into Culpeper. So there is NO ALTERNATE SITE THAT"S NOT IN THE 'BATTLEFIELD' AS THEY DEFINE IT. So is it now OK to build in the study area?
there's a chance that the Preservation and WalMart folks
might get to a win-win of some sort....
but as long as the anti WM folks are involved.. WalMart is
not going to be in the mood....because they are bound and
determined to not let the anti WM folks stop their new
stores.
in the meantime.. the preservation issue is essentially
being held hostage.
we might find out just how important preservation is or is
not from the WM haters.
You lost, get over it and go pick a fight with another large chain store. Yes, how about talking to the supporters instead of constantly railing against the OC BOS and Wal-Mart.
how about an article for the supporters of WalMart instead of hoisting the banner for the whiners (WM Haters) that cannot graciously accept a legal defeat? I applaud the common sense decision the leaders of Orange County made. Too bad a bunch of noisemakers want to make a mockery of the legal process.
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