Projects & Repairs

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Scott

As winter ends, City, VCU, and neighborhood leaders are identifying neighborhood needs and priorities.

The City is working to keep up with pothole repairs on Cumberland and Idlewood. The City’s Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and Department of Public Works (DPW) are also trying to keep with water line and street repairs like the persistent leak on the 300 block of Cherry Street. Note that water mains have priority over services and meters when there are multiple issues being worked.

There are also gravel alleys that once again need attention. Check out this lake on the south end of the 600 block Laurel/Pine alley:

Or the potholes on the 200 and 300 block Laurel/Cherry alleys:

Of course, this situation, so close to the river, continues to call out desperately for “green alleys”.

Thanks again to St. Andrew’s Church and RVA Clean Sweep for their recent storm drain marking and cleanup work:
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RVA Clean Sweep will be back in Oregon Hill later this month on March 28th with VCU’s Green Unity in order to concentrate on the litter around Cumberland.

Unfortunately, despite previous efforts, the entire neighborhood is suffering from two distinct and pervasive forms of litter, cigarette butts and dog feces.

The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association has budgeted money for repairing and replacing dog stations, while RVA Clean Sweep may be doing more on cigarettes.

Some other possible projects/repairs that City/VCU/neighborhood resources may tackle include more public trash/recycling receptacles, repainting and renovating the historic gazebo, graffiti abatement, repairing or replacing street signs.

There has also been some consideration for beautification of the vacant lot at Belvidere & Idlewood. While it has been confirmed that the City owns the lot, and VCU can help establishing plantings or even a garden, one stumbling block is finding volunteers who can commit to maintaining any plantings. This is where student neighbors might be able to plug into the work that OHNA and VCU Community Engagement are doing.

Community Group Releases 21-point Monroe Park Maintenance Plan to Beautify Park before UCI Race in September

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Scott

From email announcement:

A group of Monroe Park community advocates and former members of the now defunct Richmond City Council appointed Monroe Park Advisory Council are requesting to meet with Volunteer Group Coordinators, City staff, VCU, UCI officials and Richmond and VCU Police in order to focus and leverage any and all available resources and volunteers in order to spruce up Monroe Park in anticipation of the UCI Bike races in September. This meeting will be held Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 3:30PM at Monroe Park’s iconic fountain. The upcoming race and associated international media coverage presents the city with an unprecedented and exceptional opportunity to promote Richmond and its wonderful amenities to millions throughout the planet. Monroe Park is located in a prominent position on the UCI Time Trial Circuit, Team Time Trial Circuit and Road Circuit races.
The group, comprised of Elinor Kuhn, James “Turk” Sties and Todd Woodson have assembled a 21 point plan comprised of relatively inexpensive but effective maintenance and beautification suggestions that will help to present the historic park in the best light to the world. A comprehensive historic renovation of the park will occur at some point in the future but these suggestions would be compatible and are designed for a dramatic improvement in appearance for Richmond’s oldest municipal park. The suggested plan is as follows:

1. Restore fountain in appropriate verdigris finish, repaint fountain pool, inspect fountain lights, repair and repaint wrought iron fountain fence, repair supporting masonry, install correct recirculating filtered water pump and feed and mulch fountain plantings.

2. Repair or fill collapsed and non functional drainage inlets.

3. Aerate, fertilize and seed grassy areas.

4. Inspect park irrigation system and replace any broken sprinkler heads.

5. Remove graffiti and paint Checkers house and replace rotted gutters.

6. Level, scrape and paint light poles.

7. Consolidate park signage and remove inappropriate signage.

8. Mulch tree wells and trees in the park.

9. Paint pole of Department of Historic Resources highway marker and prune crepe myrtles to ensure visibility.

10. Install identification marker on rare deciduous Dawn Redwood tree and any other specimen trees.

11.Paint bollards and replace broken ones with any existing attic stock.

12. Establish Checkers House office space as a satellite base for biking Richmond police officers during race week.

13. Install flower beds under Crepe Myrtles and any other appropriate places.

14. Fill in severely rutted areas from past cars and truck mishaps on park grounds.

15. Discuss the city’s public wifi and increase power during race week if necessary.

16. Encourage art installation from VCU School of the Arts during race week.

17. Address any rodent infestation issues in Checkers House.

18. Insure proper removal of trash during community feedings. Ask VCU to stay until 5 on weekends for trash removal and also encourage feeding groups to remove and recycle waste from these events.

19. Suggest better enforcement of existing laws in the park, e.g. no parking inside park, no alcohol or illegal substances and litter control. Encourage police presence in park during race week.

20. Inspect and thoroughly clean bathrooms and monitor during race week.

21. Encourage Richmond City Council to establish a Monroe Park Community Advisory Board comprised of engaged members of surrounding communities and giving them a voice on all future decisions made regarding park policy.

Neighbor Featured In Newspaper Editorial

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Scott

Check out the great editorial in today’s Times Dispatch that features Oregon Hill’s own “Renaissance Man,” and Cherry Street neighbor Todd Woodson.

Todd was Correspondent for the Day with an eloquent letter asking Richmond to ban the use of bullhooks on circus elephants be banned in Richmond. Todd inspired a City Council resolution, still under consideration, to ban bullhooks on elephants in Richmond. This impending resolution was in part responsible for the Ringling Bros. circus to announce that they will retire their elephants by 2018.

To quote from today’s lead editorial:

Todd Woodson attended the March 4 event honoring The Times-Dispatch’s 2014 Correspondents of the Day. His Sept. 29 letter called on Richmond to ban the use of bullhooks when training circus elephants. On March 5, Ringling Bros. announced it would phase out elephant acts. It cited changing attitudes among the reasons for its decision. Woodson expressed sentiments embraced by a growing number of Americans. He made a difference.

After the Ringling Bros. announcement, Woodson forwarded an excerpt from Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamozov”: “Love the animals: God gave them the rudiments of thought and an untroubled joy. Do not trouble them, do not torment them, do not take their joy from them. Do not go against God’s purpose. Man, do not exalt yourself above the animals: they are sinless.”

Woodson also is one of central Virginia’s most accomplished jazz musicians. The designation “Renaissance Man” applies to him.”

Vigil and Protest At Dominion’s HQ On Wednesday

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Scott

Virginians are gathering on Tredegar Street this coming Wednesday morning, concerned about the ongoing tragedy of Fukushima and Dominion’s nuclear plans.

I expect a less noisy and more somber event than the recent pipeline protest, but perhaps as equally as important.

From FaceBook event page:

Please join us ~
Wed. March 11, 2015 from 7:30am-10:00am.
We will be participating in the global day of action ~ Commemorating the 4th year of the ongoing nuclear disaster in Fukushima and protesting against Dominion’s plan to build a 3rd nuclear reactor at North Anna on the fault line.

8:30am ~Vigil for the victims of Fukushima in plain view of Dominion Executives as they drive into work.
(will we be the next victims?)
10:00am ~ Moment of silence for the victims of Fukushima, followed by a brief memorial tribute and press conference.

Our State & Federal government is placing us at enormous risk!
Even with the past nuclear disasters (TMI, Chernobyl and the ongoing/uncontrollable disaster in Fukushima spreading radiation all over the world), nothing has stopped VA Dominion Power from moving forward with a plan for another reactor at North Anna.

Volunteer Rose Pruning And Maintenance Day

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Scott

From Hollywood Cemetery’s FaceBook page:

Over 100 historic rose bushes have been identified in Hollywood Cemetery to date. We’ll be meeting on March 21st to care for the bushes and you’re invited to join us! No rose experience is required.

http://www.hollywoodcemetery.org/events

New Nearby Development

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Scott

RichmondBizSense.com has an article on new townhouse construction planned for the eastern portion of Randolph neighborhood.

From the article:

Richmond’s own TriBeCa – a cluster of brownstone three-story homes on the easternmost edge of the Randolph neighborhood – has begun work on six more units, with nine additional detached homes planned next year.

The Lower Manhattan neighborhood’s name is an acronym for Triangle Below Canal Street, and its Richmond counterpart is short for Triangle Below Cary Street. Its inspiration is a triangle of land that is bordered by South Harrison Street and Grayland and Idlewood avenues.

It’s interesting that the article makes no mention of the Idlewood roundabout project, which should be starting construction also.

Neighborhood Storm Drain Marking Project/RVA CleanSweep On March 15

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Scott

From email announcement:

On Sunday, March 15, at 12:30 pm, we will be organizing a neighborhood-wide storm drain marking project to help raise awareness about the importance of keeping pollutants out of our storm drains and protecting the James River. We’ll gather for a light lunch at 12:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Community House (236 S. Laurel right beside the church) and then head out from there. All are invited to join us; please RSVP if you plan on volunteering by emailing me (abailey at standrewsoregonhill.org) so we will have enough food.

Click here for the event posting on the St. Andrew’s Church website.

Also, there is a MeetUp.com page for an Oregon Hill cleanup organized by RVA Clean Sweep for the morning of March 15.

We’ll be cleaning up surrounding streets and alleyways and will split up into groups depending on attendance. RVA Clean Sweep will provide trash bags, pickers, and gloves, but please wear sturdy shoes and bring water.

VCU Community Engagement Celebrated

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Scott

Today VCU’s Division of Community Engagement hosted a lecture this afternoon by Dr. Barbara Holland, an expert on organizational change in higher education, with a focus on the institutionalization of community engagement.

Part of the impetus for the event was also celebrating VCU having received Carnegie Foundation’s designation as a “Community Engaged Campus”. Former First Lady of Virginia and education advocate Anne Holton attended and spoke also.
The only question that time allowed from the audience was in regard to adjunct professors’ pay and declining state support for education.
While it may be easy for Oregon Hill residents to question VCU’s local commitment given past difficulties and controversies (not that this event attempted to address specific neighborhood concerns), the declining financial investments on the part of corporations and government in research make it clear that VCU’s challenges for community engagement will be very real. Hopefully Dr. Holland’s lecture will spur more open discussion and action.

Separate from this keynote event, on an even more positive note, residents may want to mark on their calendars the upcoming opening of the RVA Toolbank (on March 19th), with support from VCU.

Spirited Art St. Andrew’s School Fundraiser Tonight

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Scott

learn more and sign up at http://www.myspiritedart.com/.

Plan Ahead: RZF Has New Date and Location

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Scott

From Richmond Zine Fest’s FaceBook page:

Richmond Zine Fest 2015!
Saturday October 10th at
The Main Branch of the Richmond Public Library
101 E. Franklin St.

From their website:

The Richmond Zine Fest is an annual event at which local and national (and perhaps even international if we’re so lucky) zine-makers can gather to sell and trade their zines and network with other people in the zine community. The zine fest is not just for zine creators and distros. It’s an open event for all ages with tablers selling zines as well as other DIY items, informative and fun workshops throughout the afternoon, and good times, food and conversation in general. This event happens every Fall–typically during the month of October.

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