BECKLEY, WV – In an effort to keep the population growth at a rise and evolve in the development of the economy, The city of Beckley in partnership with WVU Tech are working towards making Beckley a college town. The goal is to bring more businesses to the downtown Beckley area.
Beckley has been a coal based economy, with WVU Tech being the top 100 engineering school in the whole nation, quality students are focused on getting a college degree from a growing institution that attracts individuals that want to aspire to have a successful career and life. A survey was conducted on ways that Beckley could evolve and focus groups discovered that people in town would like to see more of the arts, parks, recreational venues, and restaurants.
” We’re already a college town because were a town with a college. We’d like to have more student oriented social activities, gathering places, restaurants we want to make it even more appealing.” Said Mayor of Beckley, Rob Rappold
Beckley becoming a college town that offers more than just an educational institution is something that a lot of residents are looking forward to.
