May 17--It's no secret Roanoke's greenways are busy and getting busier.

Don't believe it?

Trying running or riding a bike along the Roanoke River Greenway on any nice weekend afternoon. Just be ready to ring your bike bell or yell "On your left!"

A lot.

Busy is good. It means people are out enjoying the outdoors, improving their health and becoming invested in the area's recreational opportunities.

But does it mean more?

The Roanoke Department of Parks and Recreation has just launched a survey it hopes will provide more information about just who is using the greenways, and what the economic impact of that use is.

If you get out on a greenway any time soon, there's a chance someone will hand you a paper survey.

An electronic version is also available.

The survey is short and to the point.

After a couple of questions to establish how time the user spends on the paved trails, and the primary reasons for visiting, it gets down to dollars and cents.

Take Question No. 6: "In the last year, how much money have you spent on greenway related purchases?"

This includes bikes, athletic clothing, sunglasses, walking or running shoes, baby joggers, etc.

The survey also asks if respondents had to relocate, would they consider moving near a greenway, and asks if the user would expect a near-greenway location to increase the price of the property.

As simple as this survey is, it could have important lasting impact.

Any time public officials seek money for expansion of facilities or programs, they love to be able to point to potential impact.

Improved health, happiness and quality of life are hard to get a handle on, but dollar figures always carry a lot of weight.

To find the survey, which just went active Friday afternoon, visit www.roanokeva.gov/greenwaysurvey.

TU gets big grant from AEP Foundation

The popular Trout in the Classroom program will be among the key Trout Unlimited initiatives getting a boost from a $100,000 grant the American Electric Power Foundation just passed along to the coldwater conservation organization.

The grant, the largest coldwater conservation grant of its kind in the affected region, will cover initiatives in the areas of Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee served by the AEP's Appalachian Power.

In addition to Trout in the Classroom, other core project areas will be conservation projects to create volunteer opportunities for AEP/Appalachian Power employees and habitat restoration projects.

Through the Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited, $40,000 will be distributed to fund 36 Trout in the Classroom projects over the next four years.