By Ken Odor
jodor@goochlandgazette.com
The 35-Mile Drive Association met again last week, this time at Art a la Carte in Crozier.
Art a la Carte Director Blane Cope hosted a group of 10 for another discussion of how to develop the tourism potential of Goochland County.
The association’s 18-piece exhibit is now on display at Art a la Carte.
The latest meeting focused on the possibility of starting a Web site for the group.
Center for Rural Culture Executive Director Lisa Dearden told the group that information on the association was already available on www.discovergoochland.com, a Web site operated by the center.
It displays a series of photos over a description of things to do in the county.
Discover Goochland is “a tourism portal,” Dearden told the group. “It links to other sites.”
At this point Fisher piped up. “Seems like we need a 35 mile Web site,” she said and discussion turned to proposed content for the site.
Later in the week Aynsley Fisher said the domain name www.35mildrive.com had been secured.
A formerly mentioned hospitality tour was discussed along with possible plans to develop a brochure for the association with advertising included.
Chamber of Commerce president Wayne Dementi raised the question of further organization and the group discussed the merits of starting a dues-paying association versus a non-profit organization.
Goochland Economic Development Director Greg Reid told the group the county would like to display the association’s exhibit after Art a la Carte.
Later in the week Reid characterized the organization as “a niche marketing effort that could get some legs. They did some good brainstorming at the meeting,” he said.