Yearly Archives: 2012

Hollywood Holiday Merch

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From Hollywood Cemetery’s FaceBook page:

Looking for a great holiday gift?

Friends of Hollywood Cemetery just produced a DVD, Hollywood Cemetery – A Historical Treasure. This wonderful DVD was written and narrated by Dr. Hunter McGuire, one of Hollywood’s most accomplished historians. Copies of the DVD are available for purchase in the Cemetery Office for $20.00. Proceeds from the DVD sales will be used to support the continuing restoration and conservation of Hollywood begun by Friends in 2008.

For more information, please contact Kelly Wilbanks at kwilbanks at hollywoodcemetery.org.

December 18 is the Renegade Market’s Holiday Market!

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From email announcement:

3-6 pm corner of Idlewood & S. Linden Sts. 23220

Be here, get hot drinks,
find warm gifts and good peeps.
May winter shine upon ya.
Produce, Specialty Foods

Agriberry
Byrd Farm / Rural Virginia Market
Deer Run Farm
Ettamae’s Oven
Faith Farm Foods
Sub Rosa Breads
Tomten Farm
Arts, Crafts, Holiday Greenery

Breeze Hill Farm (lamb’s wool yarns, holiday greenery and gifts)
CityGarden (holiday greenery designs)
Foraged (natural materials made into holiday decorations and gifts)
KR2 Knitting (fingerless gloves and half-mittens, scarves, hats, dickies, mufflers, berets…)
PrayerMonkey (crocheted wire & beaded jewelry)
Ron Stradone (holiday greenery designs)
WBCH Renegade Market Tent

Friendly faces, good cheer, holiday warmth
and More!
Holiday Schedule!!
CLOSED Tuesday CHRISTMAS DAY:
OPEN WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 3-5 pm
OPEN Tuesday NEW YEAR’S DAY: Normal Hours, 3-6pm

—
_____________________

Ana Edwards, Manager
Byrd House Market & Library Programs
Grace Arents Library & Education Center
William Byrd Community House
www.wbch.org / 804.643.2717 ext.306

Utility Rates Meeting Tomorrow Night

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In addition to the OHNA meeting, The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities is hosting a community meeting on the Cost of Service study for the water, wastewater, natural gas and stormwater utilities.

Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012 at 6-7 p.m.
DPU Operations Center Atrium
400 Jefferson Davis Highway (at Maury Street intersection)

All interested parties are invited.

Of course, the citizen’s petitioners who have protested the high minimum monthly service charge are watching this carefully. Here’s the an update from their perspective:

(One potential problem is if) The City trots out some sort of new lower tier or charity level for residents who are unable to pay the high minimum monthly service charge. While this may help the poorest of the poor, it sidesteps the rate reform that we have asked for. It would add additional complication and bureaucracy to OUR utility’s billing.

Another potential problem is if questions about water contracts with the counties are ignored. There is already a lot of concern about why the City is selling water to the surrounding counties so cheaply. There are also doubts about the City’s ability to collect payment for the existing contracts that were supposedly examined by the outgoing Councilperson Jewell.

While it’s good to attend meetings like this one tomorrow night, the utility officials may not reveal important information until they submit the budget. The public should be given all the information that has been given to the consultants. It is also important that a time line be established for the budget process. Otherwise, it’s possible that neither the Council or the public will get to comment until the time the Council get the Mayor’s budget, which I believe is in March sometime- Only then will Council and public meetings be held to discuss the entire budget and the rate structure will get short shift because the time left for the Council to approve it is limited. What are the various budget process dates? It would be good to bring this up at this meeting.

We must keep these matters in mind at the same time we stay on our message–the high minimum monthly service charge is ridiculous and unacceptable. We are asking for a revenue neutral approach that raises volume charges while lowering the service charges in a way that encourages conservation. Based on some of the data that we have received, our suspicion is that the high minimum residential rate is still being used to offset lower commercial rates, in effect subsidizing big businesses while gouging residents.

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James River Park History

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I have uncovered some of the what-ifs, but thanks to Phil Riggan for this “History of Splashy Plans for James River Parks” on Richmond.com.

Excerpt:

According to the RTD archives, there were proposals to have “water-related leisure development” on Belle Isle — Richmond’s downtown gem on the James — including an visitor’s center, ice skating rink, waterfront auditorium and a conference center. People could have gotten to the island by way of a monorail that would have connected to downtown Richmond.
The $6 million in riverfront plans at that time did not cover for the proposed monorail and other buildings on Belle Isle, which would have been paid for through private funding. Monorail screams “Disney,” right? We would have been robbed of the pleasure of walking across the Belle Isle pedestrian bridge under the Robert E. Lee Bridge, which opened in 1992. The view of the city skyline from there alone is worth any price and we’re much better off.

Something to think about as more of the area gets paved over.

Panoramic View of Canal

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A neighbor, impressed by the 1960’s photographs found at the Library of Virginia, took the liberty of stitching 5 of the photos together to make one panoramic view. This shows the canal (with water!) and the full length of the Tredegar wall, a portion of which was demolished by NewMarket a year ago, and another portion on city property that was illegally demolished recently.

William Byrd Community House Announces New Executive Director

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From WBCH press release:

Richmond, December 12, 2012 – The board of directors of the William Byrd Community House, the near century-old community organization that provides a range of services to some of Richmond’s most vulnerable families, has named Shelia Givens as its new executive director, effective immediately.
Ms. Givens has served William Byrd Community House as its director of operations for the past four years. She succeeds Robert Bolling, who served as executive director for five years.
“We had the right person ready to step into the role,” said José “Pepe” Porrata, president of the board. “She understands our programs and the people they serve, and has earned the respect and affection of the staff and the many friends and partners of the William Byrd Community House. We are confident that, through her leadership and the dedication she brings to her expanded role, our next century will be as bright and productive as our previous.”
Prior to William Byrd Community House, Ms. Givens held positions at Wachovia Securities, LG&E Power and the Virginia Department of Health.
“William Byrd Community House holds a special place in this community, as it does in my heart, and I am thrilled and proud to serve as its new executive director,” Ms. Givens said. “Our work is critical on so many fronts – as a resource for families striving to gain self-sufficiency, as a safe and nurturing place for children, as a safety net for those unable to meet their basic needs. As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, our focus will be on continuing to meet the needs of Richmond’s most vulnerable families.”
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Oregon Hill East of Belvidere

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Some local historians argue that is what is now known as Oregon Hill was actually called Belvidere Hill, and Oregon Hill was the part of the neighborhood that used to exist east of Belvidere. Of course, if you want to go further back, what is now known as Oregon Hill was outside of the old City limits and known as part of the Sydney township.

John Murden, who does the Church Hill People’s News site, has been digging around at the Library of Virginia and found the following photos and information:

From the Richmond Esthetic Survey & Historic Building Survey:

In 1964, the Historic Richmond Foundation (HRF) and the William Byrd Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA) undertook an inventory of historic buildings in Richmond. The Richmond City Planning Commission assisted the APVA and HRF in underwriting the cost of the survey. Workers carried out the study in the spring of 1965 under the direction of Paul S. Delaney and Carlo Pelliccia of the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture.
The project confined the inventory to the central part of Richmond, from Boulevard east to Chimborazo Park, and from the James River north to Shockoe Cemetery. The area’s concentration of historic architecture, in addition to the amount of change and demolition going on at the time, prompted this focus.

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Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force to hold meeting

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From City press release:

New parking pass requirements for the parking lot on the side of the building: All residents are invited and encouraged to attend

WHAT The Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force will hold a meeting. The purpose of the Task Force is to make recommendations to Richmond City Council with regard to enhancing mass transit in the Metro-Richmond area and the efficiency and effectiveness of the GRTC Transit System. The meeting is free and open to the public and all residents are invited and encouraged to attend.

Free street parking is available nearby and in the lot on the west side of the building. Passes are now required for lot parking: Those wishing to park in lot are requested to please contact Ms. Marianne Pitts, at 804.646.5935 (tel); or marianne.pitts@richmondgov.com (email), two to three days before the event to arrange for a pass.

WHEN Thursday, December 13. 2012
4:00-6:00 p.m.

WHERE Richmond Department of Economic Development
Richmond Main Street Train Station – 3rd Floor Conference Room
1500 East Main Street; Richmond, Virginia 23219
(PARKING: Free street parking is available nearby and in the lot on the west side of the building. Passes are now required for lot parking: Those wishing to park in lot are requested to please contact Ms. Marianne Pitts, at 804.646.5935 (tel); or marianne.pitts@richmondgov.com (email), two to three days before the event to arrange for a pass. The lot is accessible by using the Franklin Street Entrance and using the lot below the Interstate. When facing the Train Station from the Franklin Street Entrance, make a right and park towards the Clock Tower end. When facing the building from the parking lot, the entrance door to the Richmond Department of Economic Development is located on the right of the building.)

WHO Members of the Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force

CONTACT For more information, please contact Marianne Pitts, at 804.646.5935;
or marianne.pitts at richmondgov.com.

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