week of 1/21/04
 
 
 
  Bryson leaders laud GSMR plan
By Sarah Kucharski

With construction well under way, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad’s master plan is beginning to take shape in Bryson City.

The railroad is renovating the Bryson Coal and Lumber Co. property to include shops, restaurants and offices. It will also create a promenade along the train tracks and build an old-timey hotel.

“Now we can see that things are actually happening to the old Bryson City Coal and Lumber Company and that is exciting,” said Swain County Chamber of Commerce Director Gwen Bushyhead.

The railroad is piggy-backing on a $500,000 town streetscape project. The streetscape will tie the town in with the railway, facilitating a seamless, walkable community, said Bryson City Town Manager Larry Callicutt.

The streetscape is transforming Everett Street, the main street through the downtown area. The project will include more street trees and expand other cosmetic improvements — brick in-lay sidewalks, decorative lampposts and underground utility wires — that are already in place. The project is expected to reach completion by Memorial Day 2004.

“They’re making good progress,” Bushyhead said.

When the railroad expansion project is completed, Bryson’s train depot will include a maintenance facility with a nine-stall roundhouse and car shop, similar to that found in the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Salisbury. Long-range plans also include a railroad hotel and a concourse promenade.

“Definitely we see the value of what the railroad is doing to Bryson City and Swain County,” Bushyhead said.

The expansion project draws in some of Bryson City’s pre-existing businesses including the Smoky Mountain Trains museum, which features a collection of 7,000 Lionel model train cars.

“It really has brought another quality attraction right into downtown Bryson City,” said GSMR Vice President and General Manager Jon Schlegel during a meeting last week.

The chamber is developing plans to capitalize on the railroad’s expansion, extending the cooperative relationship to include events such as the annual Fourth of July celebration and the annual chili cookoff. Bryson City prides itself on having the largest fireworks display west of Asheville and plans to increase the events’ entertainment offerings. In previous years festivities occurred at Riverfront Park and Town Square, while this year the hope is to incorporate the depot area, Bushyhead said.

October will give way to the chili cookoff, which Bushyhead said previously has been limited by the quantity of chili the town and the competitors were able to make.

“The problem is that people come through tasting the chili and they don’t have enough to make it last,” Bushyhead said.

The chamber serves up several gallons of the stuff, but has received a verbal commitment from GSMR for their participation as well. Competitors also will be asked to cook at least five gallons, Bushyhead said.