At the March 13 Board of Supervisors meeting, four of the five Patrick County supervisors voted to support a resolution regarding building a replica of the Bob White Covered Bridge, which was located off Virginia 869 until it washed away in the September 2015 flood.
Lock Boyce, supervisor for the Mayo River District, voted against the resolution because of concerns over the cost. Crystal Harris, supervisor for the Smith River District, said that that cost estimates could not be given at this point because the bidding process for contractors had not started.
Bidding would start following passage of this resolution, she continued.
Bert Hatcher, a Patrick County resident and member of the all-volunteer Bob White Covered Bridge Committee, presented the resolution, which asks that Patrick County support construction of a replica, assuming liability and ownership of the new bridge.
Funding would come from county’s Tourism Advisory Council (TAC), which allocates grant and tourism occupancy tax funds to local tourism projects. The resolution does not request money from the county’s general fund.
“I think the vast majority of people want this bridge rebuilt and they are somewhat reluctant about the money part, though we do have $23,573.36 [from donations]” Hatcher said during the meeting’s public comment session.
“The covered bridge committee has worked really hard to build the treasury and is still working,” Hatcher said. “We have to have the support of the Board of Supervisors to keep this working … We hope that you can see fit to approve that tonight.”
Hatcher said that the upcoming Covered Bridge Festival, scheduled for June 17, has been a great fund-raiser in years past. Hatcher also pointed out that of the six covered bridges in Virginia, two are in Patrick County, making them a notable tourism attraction. The Bob White Covered Bridge was built in 1921.
Fulcher said, “Each of our communities has something special, just like Meadows of Dan had the school that burned, and it was replaced. This won’t be the same bridge, but in your heart it will be a Band-Aid to recognize what was there for future generations.”
Karl Weiss, supervisor for the Blue Ridge District and the board’s liaison to TAC, said he thought this was a strong tourism project.
“We have a lot of good projects in this county that we’re addressing on the tourism council,” Weiss said. “This is the perfect example where I think we need to spend tourism money. It lets us off the hook of spending Patrick County tax dollars. We have funding coming in, and it doesn’t get any more ‘tourism’ than covered bridges.”
Boyce, however, said he was concerned about the cost of building the replica, and what might happen should the new bridge wash away in a future flood.
“If you’ll come up with a price to build an open barn across a creek, it shouldn’t be that much money. It seems you could raise the money,” Boyce continued. “I’m just stating the obvious and also stating what a lot of people in the Woolwine area already think: That bridge is gone. It’s down the creek. You’re going to build a replica, and I can’t understand why we can’t get a price.
The Bob White Covered Bridge, built in 1921, was destroyed in the September 2015 flood. Volunteers are currently raising funds to build a historically accurate replica of the former landmark.
