Monthly Archives: October 2011

Hollywood Cemetery Continues To Fascinate

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The University of Richmond student newspaper, The Collegian, had a story on Hollywood Cemetery this past week, while Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine also featured Hollywood Cemetery in a story on popular ‘running cemeteries’ in the the Southeast region:

Paved paths roll through small valleys and over hills in this cemetery with pockets of graves and memorials set amongst trees and shrubs. Hollywood sits on the edge of downtown Richmond, making it a popular run for city dwellers. Several vantage points inside the cemetery overlook the James River. You could stage an entire run within the borders of the 135-acre cemetery.

Famous Residents: James Monroe, our fifth president; John Tyler, our tenth president (famous for vetoing most bills passed by Congress in an attempt to keep federal government small); Lewis Ginter, inventor of the mass-produced cigarette.

Must See: The Pyramid, a 90-foot granite pyramid built in 1869 to commemorate the 18,000 Confederate soldiers buried there.

Ghost Story: The Poole Vampire breaks out of the mausoleum tomb of William Wortham Poole. Also, a cast-iron statue of a dog comes alive and roams the cemetery at night.

Anyway, if you missed the guided tour this morning, there are more coming up.

New Canal Bridge Bought

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C. Wayne Taylor alerted me that the City has finally bought the new canal bridge. Oregon Hill has been waiting for roughly 8 years for this, since the awarding of state grants. The idea is to replace the current bridge that was built by volunteers.

Midtown to Midriver Greenway Enhancement
North Bank Trail over Kanawha Canal
Pedestrian Bridge Replacement
CIP No. 0401308908-8915
September 20, 2010
Procurement number IFB J11114-1
$259,450.00
http://richmondvaprocurementawards.blogspot.com/2011/10/ifb-j11114-1-mid-town-to-mid-river.html

The city of Richmond has selected a contractor to construct a pedestrian bridge across Kanawha Canal. The pedestrian bridge will be located underneath the Lee Bridge. The cost of the bridge is $259,450.00.

He goes on to say:

If the Kanawha Canal is ever restored and used, the pedestrian bridge will restrict overhead access on the canal. Allowing two feet for the depth of water, the overhead clearance in the center of the canal will be approximately 5.8 feet.

The question is, what will it mean for future riverfront development? OHNA originally asked for a rounded bridge that would allow canal boats to eventually return. We were told that type bridge would be too expensive, but our concerns would be taken into consideration. The fact that we are getting a flat bridge should not be a surprise (even if it is disappointing).

https://www.oregonhill.net/2009/09/14/canal-bridge-plans/

excerpt from the Sept 19, 2009 post link above:

Officially the project is called the “North Bank Trail Pedestrian Bridge Replacement”, and what its really about is a new bridge that will cross the historic Kanawha Canal near the Lee Bridge and enable pedestrians to make their way to the James River Park. The flat bridge will be placed so that it can be raised easily later to accommodate canal development and possibly the return of canal boats. The money for this is coming from greenway grants that the neighborhood association previously applied for and won.

Jack o’lantern Tour

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As with past years, Oregon HIll gets some imaginative pumpkins. Next year, if have any money, I will put together some sort of jack o’lantern contest. Don’t forget the parade on Monday (and be mindful that some folks will be trying to get home from work to be with their kids).

Last Official Market Day

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Oct. 25 at BHM: Apple Cider Pressings, Storytime with Caroline, Eating Good and Growing Great with the Renegades!
Note from BHM manager Ana Edwards:

Dear BHM Shoppers, Visitors, Friends, Playmates, Volunteers, Neighbors and Passersby,

Our final 2011 market day is upon us and we have our USUAL WONDERFUL ARRAY of (certainly!!) the freshest, most delicious, accessible, affordable and inspiring foods a farmers market can have! We can thank our farmers and food-crafters, vendors, staff and volunteers, but we also must thank YOU!

Thank you for supporting Byrd House Market – as a market, as a community gathering place and as a program of William Byrd Community House. The feedback I get most commonly is that ours is “a great market” or “my favorite market”. When I ask Why? the the typical responses are “great food selection” and “it has a real community feel”. That makes me feel good. When I took on the role of market manager, more than anything else I wanted to NOT get in the way of a great thing and I think I’ve been successful at that. Our challenges have included parking, weather and the economy, but by and large Byrd House Market works well and is determined to do great.

Looking forward, WBCH will be visioning just how to make this market better. Your input is critical to my ability to imagine and our ability to plan for any improvements or changes to process, site/facilities, equipment and programs. Please think about what does make it work and what would make even better and send me your suggestions. (Unless you want me to craft you a survey??)

You never know what we can do, working together.

Thanks for a great season and I will see all you Renegades at the Market!

Ana Edwards, Manager

The Future of Our Alleys?

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One reoccurring question on this community news site concerns the future of our alleys. Oregon Hill, one of Richmond’s oldest neighborhoods, sadly had many of its alley stripped of their historic cobblestones by the City and developers years ago (Where did they go?). Over time, their surfaces have been made either loose gravel or smooth pavement. The results have been less than desirable.

In the alleys that have been paved, residents have experienced more cars speeding and more rain runoff. In the alleys still with gravel, giant potholes, huge ruts, and spillover into streets (as in the picture below on the 500 block of S. Cherry) develop.

Things have recently come a head in the 100 blocks above the expressway (wryly known as the Oregon Heights) and have been discussed a bit on the City’s SeeClickFix system.

Continue reading →

Traffic Alert- Lane Closures On Lee Bridge

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From City press release:

For Immediate Release
October 24, 2011
For more information, contact:
Sharon North – (804) 646-5607

Lane Closures – Robert E. Lee Bridge

WHO: City of Richmond Department of Public Works

WHAT: Lane Closures

WHEN: Wednesday, October 26 through Friday, December 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Robert E. Lee Bridge

BACKGROUND: There will be intermittent lane closures on the bridge during repairs of the joints and railings. The work will begin in the southbound lanes, then switch to the northbound lanes.

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VCU Composts!

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The Virginia Commonwealth University student newspaper Commonwealth Times has a very positive story this week on the school’s efforts to compost.

VCU’s Dining Services has introduced a new composting program to reduce waste output out of Market-810 as part of VCU’s larger green initiative.
At the end of September, VCU had diverted 11,365 pounds of waste from going to a landfill by sending its organic waste to a compost pile in Waverly, Va. through a company called Natural Organic Process Enterprises (NOPE).
“(Five tons is) the size of (a) construction dumpster,” said Tamara Highsmith, VCU’s Dining Sales and Services manager.

What are other local schools and restaurants doing to compost?

Liz Canfield Recognized By Style Magazine

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I meant to post this earlier-

Style Magazine recognized Pine Street neighbor Liz Canfield as part of their “Top 40 Under 40” list.

A great excerpt from the printed profile:

Canfield is vigorously committed to bettering the community she loves. When she isn’t teaching at Virginia Commonwealth University, she’s involved with a number of campus programs, including the Equity and Diversity Committee and Safe Zone workshops designed to combat homophobia and heterosexism by training faculty and staff.

Canfield also volunteers with the Richmond Peace Education Center, Art 180 and Girls Rock RVA, among others. For the past five years, she’s leveraged her creative genius to organize the Richmond ’Zine Fest and curate the Von Gribley Reading Series at Chop Suey Books.

“I see the struggle for social justice as intersectional,” Canfield says. “I try to make my work reflect that. I also see art, activism, and the pursuit of knowledge as thoroughly integrated, so my classes and community work often show that integration.”

Canfield says she believes in the power of incremental change and encourages communities to take care of each other. “It is the small scale change that keeps folks going,” she says. “I think many folks don’t try because they think they can’t do it, but they can. We gotta start with ourselves, our own neighborhoods and communities.”

Congratulations, Liz!

VCU Library Booksale

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From announcement:

The VCU Friends of the Library invite you to the annual book sale at James Branch Cabell Library from October 24 through 28, 2011. There are hundreds of books , most for $2 or less. All proceeds from the sale help to fund VCU Libraries’ programs, collections, and lectures.

VCU Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale
October 24-28, 2011

James Branch Cabell Library
Basement, Room B 7
901 Park Avenue
Richmond, VA.

2011 Sale Hours:
Monday, October 24: Noon – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, October 25: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Wednesday, October 26: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday, October 27: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. **Special ½ price sale
Friday, October 28: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.**Special ½ price sale

Preview Sale for Friends of the Library Donors:
Monday, October 24: 9 am – Noon
(Please present your Friends donor card for admission to the preview sale.)

For more information about the Friends of the Library Book Sale, please contact Antonia FD Vassar at (804)-827-1165 or Gregory Kimbrell at (804) 828-0593.,

Please see http://www.library.vcu.edu/giving/booksale.html for book sale policies and updates about the sale.