Category Archives: parks

Celebrate 40 Years of the Clean Water Act

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Check out the video link below from the James River Association:

Dumping Ground to Best River Town; 40 years of Progress on the James River

October marks the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, the nation’s landmark environmental legislation to protect water quality. Over the past four decades the James River has gone from being a “dumping ground” to supporting Outside Magazine’s 2012 “Best River Town Ever.” Arguably, it is the most improved river in the nation.

This accomplishment has been the result of a diverse, collective effort by many concerned citizens, businesses and governments. While the Clean Water Act and other state and local plans and policies provide the framework for improving the river, it ultimately comes down to individuals who make it happen.

Despite Opposition, 2nd Street Connector Construction Starts

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Despite opposition from the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association, the Sierra Club Falls of the James, citizens, as well as open government concerns, the City is pushing ahead with construction of the 2nd Street Connector.

Yesterday, despite promises for full exploration of the historic significance of the site, over 150 feet of century old structural canal brick wall was destroyed.

From City press release:

Construction on Richmond’s new street that will connect Second Street to Tredegar Street on the north side of the James River downtown will have a minimal effect on visitors to the James River Park’s Belle Isle who park in the Tredegar Street lot.

The first or eastern entrance to the lot on Tredegar Street will be closed effective Tuesday, October 16, due to construction on the new connector street; however, the second or western entrance to the lot, as well as the entire lot itself, will remain open throughout the entire construction period.

New Bike Skills Training Area on Belle Isle Opens Saturday

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From City press release:

City to Open New Bike Skills Training Area on Belle Isle

Richmond, VA – The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will open its new Belle Isle Bike Skills Area on Saturday, September 29, at 10 a.m. with a celebration that will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, demonstrations, and tours. The public is invited to attend and to bring their bicycles to try out the mountain bike training area.

“I encourage residents and visitors to come discover the Belle Isle Bike Skills Training Area as it is another step Richmond is taking to create bike-friendly, outdoor tourist attractions, as we prepare for the UCI Road World Cycling Championships in 2015,” comments Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “The benefits of cycling are tremendous to our city in many ways, including our efforts to encourage city residents to get active and adopt a healthy lifestyle.”

The new training area is located within the James River Park on Belle Isle across from the Tredegar Street suspension bridge. It includes a beginner and expert pump track, rock gardens, and log and rock skinnies in addition to other features. Bicyclists can learn to handle these obstacles and challenges, which they will find on the trails throughout the James River Park, in a controlled environment.

“This site, which has been built largely with the labor of volunteers who love mountain biking, will provide a place to learn and practice mountain biking skills and introduce the fun of mountain biking as a recreational activity to a much larger audience,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the department.

In addition, while this new facility provides “off-road” training, the city also has plans to add an “on-road” training component on Belle Isle adjacent to this site. The on-road training facility will provide a place for children and adults to become competent bicyclists, as well as learn and practice the skills needed to ride safely in an urban environment.

“The James River Park is already known throughout the East coast and internationally for its outstanding network of urban mountain biking trails. Now with the addition of this skills area Richmond has enhanced its reputation as a ‘bike city,’” said Jakob Helmoldt, the city’s bicycle, pedestrian and trails coordinator.

Organizations that provided volunteers who helped construct the new training site, as well as in-kind donations, include the Friends of the James River Park, the James River Outdoor Coalition, the Richmond Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts, the International Mountain Biking Association, Virginia Bicycling Federation, Hands-On Greater Richmond, SportsBackers, Altria, Luck Stone, Tektonics Design Group, Sattler Creative, Alpine Trails, Dreaming Creek, and Green Side Up Landscaping.

The Belle Isle Skills Area is free to use and is open from sunrise to sunset. For more information, call (804) 646-5733 or visit www.RichmondGov.com/Parks.

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Tomorrow is PARK(ing) Day in RVA

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…On which a bunch of planners, landscape architects, engineers, and other creatives descend upon Monroe Park and hopefully good DIY planning for Richmond takes place. Click for link here.

From the main Park(ing) Day website:

ABOUT PARK(ING) DAY
Providing temporary public open space . . . one parking spot at at time.

PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public places. The project began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in downtown San Francisco. Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement, with organizations and individuals (operating independently of Rebar but following an established set of guidelines) creating new forms of temporary public space in urban contexts around the world.

The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!

Main Library Features James River Park Photos

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From the Friends of James River Park FaceBook page:

The downtown Richmond Public Library Main branch, 2nd Floor Gallery, will exhibit a
collection of photographs of “Wild Things on the James” from September 7th,
First Friday, to October 2nd. Check it out when you check out a book!

Also on Saturday, the 8th, at the Main branch:

11:30am
Father and Son Basketball Craft
Come and make a inside basketball game to hook on the door. Ball included. Please call for reservations – 646-4768. Limited spaces. Great for ages 2-10.