A view of the outdoor area and surrounding views at Pleasant Vista on Dancing Creek, an events venue taking shape in western Amherst County.
Justin Faulconer
The year Pleasant View Elementary School closed in 2017, Amherst County native Jenna Lloyd Fisher and her husband Ron got married.
Paintings, chandeliers, furniture, decorations and an assortment of other furnishings now fill the classrooms, hallways and gym of the former Amherst County school that the Fishers are transforming into a new event venue, Pleasant Vista on Dancing Creek.
The endeavor has much personal significance to the couple: Jenna went to school there in the Pleasant View community she grew up in and loves. Her family's farm comes up the property and a year after the school doors shuttered, her father bought it from the county. After much thought, planning and conferring with a consultant the Fishers are bringing it back to life with a mission to celebrate its uniqueness and heritage.
The goal is to create a place to make memories that last a lifetime for couples starting their lives together, families joining them and to offer a getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and slow down.
"We want this to create those memories," Jenna said. "Sometimes you get caught up in all the rush, so we really want the environment to lend itself to being able to relish the moments that happen."
A new beginning
The Fishers received a special exception permit and zoning approval from the Amherst County Board of Supervisors in September to move forward. Supervisors thanked the couple for their vision, investing in a building that could have become another county eyesore and bringing a "first class" project.
Supervisor Claudia Tucker said during the board's unanimous approval in September she almost had tears in her eyes with joy. "I could not believe something of that caliber was going to be sitting in Pleasant View," Tucker said.
The roughly 33,000-square-foot facility on a 10-acre campus at 299 Dancing Creek Road will include event preparation rooms for brides and grooms, an adjacent courtyard, a media/entertainment room, spa facilities, overnight accommodations in more than handful of rooms, restrooms, a kitchen, a rooftop patio, a greenhouse and a metal storage building.
The venue in western Amherst County is surrounded by mountains, national forests and rolling farmland on country backroads with scenic views. The Fishers envision it as a "taste of Italy" in the Blue Ridge Mountains that will bring a sustainable attraction to the Pleasant View community.
"Once the school did close, we did not want to see it become a derelict building," Jenna said. "We wanted to bring something the community would be proud of. We have spent a lot of time and put a lot of thought in what we should do with this building, bringing it from the past and into the future..."
The couple was inspired by a trip to Italy this year in using some of those decorative elements into the venue's presentation and layout.
"We have the beautiful mountain backdrop that really highlights the beauty of western Amherst County, which I think is amazing," Ron said. "It's going to be a multi-use, multi-purpose venue targeting wedding of all sizes."
The amphitheater and stage are a short walk from the edge of the building, and will be used for outdoor weddings. The site's layout can also move events inside in case of inclement weather.
"We hope to host musical events, festivals and other activities," Ron said. "We're going to have a greenhouse there to provide fresh flowers for weddings."
All in the family
A former school built around 1910 called Pleasant View High School served elementary grades through high school, according to Amherst County Museum and Historical Society records. In the early 1950s, the current building was built for elementary grades -- an addition was built in 1972.
The rural school had declining enrollment, which was the driving reason in the Amherst County School Board's decision to close it in the summer of 2017 despite community protests. Fewer than 60 students were enrolled in the school in its final year.
Jenna went to school there in the early 1980s and recalls its vibrance at the time.
"This was always the place that was filled with activity for the community, whether it was school activity or things like the festivals and things that we had here," Jenna said.
She remembers little league baseball there drawing crowds, many who watched from the nearby road.
"This is where my family is, so it is very important for me to be here," Jenna said. "I'm so thankful that Ron and I are at a place where we can give back and do some things that allows the property to continue to flourish."
Jenna said fall events were popular at the former school, recalling her mom playing on a ball team called the Panthers and her own little league memories. The flagpole in the front of the building just by the road also carries much importance to herself and the community.
"That was always fun, to be the one selected to raise the flag," Jenna said.
The Fishers plan to have the baseball field and gym used for local sporting events, and groups who want to use it. They completed purchase of the property in February and Ron spends almost every day there, Jenna said.
Jenna, a nurse and former chief informatics officer for Centra, said she now works remotely for an education health care technology company. She said she became passionate about informatics, the study of the structure, behavior and interactions of natural and engineered computational systems, and using technology to help clinicians.
Ron, a native of Iowa, practiced as a urologist for 27 years in Lynchburg and is retired. He said the first time he came out to see Jenna's family farm he was blown away by the area's beauty.
The facility getting access to high-speed internet through fiber broadband has been a "game-changer" for making the new wedding and events venue a reality, Ron said.
The Fishers have weekly dinners at her family's farm in Pleasant View and have spent much time driving by the school and discussing dreams for it.
"It's an awesome building structure wise," Ron said. "It's taken some time, money and energy to put back into it... We got excited to buy it. Our vision is really to have activity here all the time."
Creating memories
Overnight accommodation in the rooms is necessary, because the venue is rural and many folks will prefer to spend the night so it will have everything that wedding and event parties need, Jenna said. The rooms that housed the principal and other administrative staff are planned for spa services for the bridal parties, including manicures, pedicures and massages, Ron said.
He said many who have toured the site told the couple about spending time in the principal's office as a kid.
"I did not have to go to the principal's office," Jenna said with a laugh. "I was very well-behaved."
Ron said the former cafeteria will be a major feature. So many Pleasant View area residents performed on that stage, Jenna said, fondly remembering singing a country music song by the duo The Judds as a student.
"We hope to turn this into like a ballroom-type atmosphere," Ron said.
While in Italy, a chandelier and mirror that caught Jenna's eye was bought and now is among the fixtures that will go into the venue's decorations.
"Ron says that's what started it all," Jenna said.
The roof will be replaced early next year, French doors will be installed to access the courtyard and an Italian hand-painted secretary furniture piece from the 1800s will be used for refreshments during wedding events. Ron also is developing an entertainment/media room in the library that will include a big screen and sound system, a pool table, and other similar features.
The couple hopes to have the gymnasium available during the winter for events and indoor functions, and open the ballroom in early 2025, Ron said. They plan to begin hosting weddings next year as early as spring.
The Fishers in all their travels have seen a multitude of old school buildings remain derelict and Jenna said the Pleasant View community did not want that same fate for its centerpiece facility. The couple is committed to making sure it thrives for years to come.
"It's such a beautiful area," Jenna said. "You want this building to remain viable."
Justin Faulconer,
(434) 473-2607
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