Roan Mountain celebrates new convenience center

After almost half a year of hard work, the Roan Mountain Convenience Center officially opened its doors Monday.

Solid Waste Director Benny Lyons said it has been a long time coming.

“It is a weight off my shoulders,” Lyons said. “We have come a long ways.”

What was once a simple, old building and a few dumpsters has evolved into a paved facility off Highway 19E. The facility features two different paths, an inner circle for Lyons’ trucks and an outer circle for residents to dump their own trash. Different dumpsters rest at almost ground level at the outer circle for different types of trash, including demolition and household.

The office space has a completely new building for the workers to call home, courtesy of Daniel Arnett’s architecture class from Hampton High School.

“We did all the work in-house,” he said.

Even the roads were in-house, thanks to the Highway Department.

Lyons said the completion of the five-month project represents a great benefit to the Roan Mountain community, most importantly distance.

“It is 20 minutes from here to the Landfill,” he said.

He said this will allow residents to have a more convenient location to drop off their trash.

He said the high school students were directly responsible for drawing up and building the new office space, which was described as a learning experience in both directions.

“I learned to be patient,” Lyons said. “A lot of times, these kids have never been around some of this construction stuff.”

On the other side, Lyons said the students got to learn about architecture in a hands-on way, gaining valuable experience.

“I enjoyed working with them,” he said.

The center officially opens this morning at the same location as before: 102 Old Rock Quarry Road in Roan Mountain. The center will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

As for what is still to come, Lyons said the only things they still need to do are put up the fencing and relocate the current buildings, which he said will go to other locations where they are needed.

“We are here for the community,” Lyons said. “We hope they will use it and not litter; keep everything in the dumpsters.”

SportsPlus

Local news

Vanderbilt Transplant Center reaches new heights in 2024

Local news

Bill Hagerty announces candidacy for re-election to U.S. Senate

Local news

Unicoi County’s Ballad Health Hospital awarded $9.8 million to rebuild after Helene flooding

Local news

Master Storyteller Award and Performance scheduled March 5 at ETSU Martin Center

Local news

Ballad Health maintains ‘A’ credit ratings amid industry challenges

Local news

Carter County Sheriff’s Office mourns loss of SRO Salvatore Caccamo

Community

Community Calendar

Community

Visit Roan Mountain

Local news

‘Sentimental Journey,’ ‘Razzmatazz’ are Valentine Specials at LampLight Theatre

Local news

Council to vote on declaring city judge seat vacant

Local news

Jacob Morley found guilty of murder

Local news

Elizabethton/Carter County Animal Shelter hosts special Valentine’s Day Adoption Event

Local news

Lee’s budget includes $56 million for ETSU science facilities

Local news

Former Doe Mountain Recreation Authority employee indicted for misappropriating $12K in funds

Local news

A Live Lived: Ida Hinkle was everyone’s buddy

Local news

Tennesseans oppose expansion of private school voucher program

Local news

Harshbarger fights for rural healthcare

Local news

Milligan criminal justice professor to share research on bloodstains from Battle of Gettysburg

Local news

ETSU’s Bluegrass program sparks global recognition

Local news

Tennessee governor pushes nuclear investment and road construction in sixth year

Local news

Carter County Long-Term Recovery Group announces partner meeting, seeks volunteers for recovery efforts

Local news

Johnson City Commission meeting rescheduled

Local news

VFW Post 2166, Second Harvest to distribute food to Veterans on Feb. 14

Local news

ETSU’s Bluegrass Program sparks global recognition