Open letter from Oregon Hill resident and Monroe Park Advisory Council member Charles Woodson:
Dear Friends,
Two years or so ago when the Monroe Park Advisory Council stopped meeting and an exciting Monroe Park Master Plan was delivered to our City Government, I figured the Park was at its most downtrodden. It was impossible to fathom Monroe Park – our first City Park and one that just oozes with fascinating history and promise of a great rebirth, falling even further into a rotting, even more trash filled and untended and dangerous corpse of a place. On Sunday, July 15, 2012 at around 3PM, that realization slapped me in the face. Three RPD cruisers were parked by the overgrown fountain with blue lights flashing, responding to reports of a “crazy man screaming and brandishing a gun” in the Park (their words). I felt afraid for my life.
Historic Monroe Park is situated equidistant from the James River, the soon to be refurbished $50,000,000.00 Altria Theatre (nee Mosque) project and VCU’s beautifully planned $32,000,000.00 Institute of Contemporary Art but there is no word on poor Monroe Park with its terrific $6,000,000 plan of redemption. No website for either the Park itself or the phantom Monroe Park Foundation exists on the web. Nothing… Nada … just Yelp.com’s disturbing descriptions of drunks and hobos and a few other meaningless entries.
The many feedings continue to pour trash into the Park. Trashcans full after one or two feedings, the patrons sit on the benches beside the fountain and just throw refuse on the ground where it gets blown with the trash can overflow into VCU and the neighborhoods surrounding the historic Park.
The trees need maintenance, some need removal and a hundred or so need planting.
The barren brown grounds, devoid of grass in many areas need work to revive.
The decrepit sidewalks and pathways crumble beneath your feet.
Substance abuse is rampant. I wouldn’t want my kids playing here.Im ashamed mostly at myself for not being a more consistent voice for this great Park. But im also ashamed of you, Charles Samuels, since this is your district and you were a champion for the Park at one time. And there is shame for the Mayor who I know to be aware of the dire situation. Im also upset with VCU for not putting a boot in our rear ends for not making ANY progress – this is weak leadership on their end as well. This is, after all, their face for the newbies that come crashing into Gladding, Johnson and Rhodes Halls, etc, each August and have to live with this mess.
It’s time to get rid of the running mouths and roll up our sleeves and crack open the city wallet to address these issues.
Sincerely,
Charles Todd Woodson.
His letter included the following photos:
Maybe the City is deliberately allowing Monroe Park to fail so there is less outcry when it is just handed over to VCU.
I would not be surprised.
Good letter, Charles.
Many good observations and points in this writing and while I believe a lack of money to spend on projects like this are a part of the problem, there are other factors involved. This should be addressed and VCU should be allowed/invited to be a much larger part of the solution. “Friends of Monroe Park” should rise and take the lead to help resurrect this key landmark.
I truly don’t understand how there seems to be no mechanism of accountability in the government that prevents things like this from happening. Perhaps without the leadership of Ralph White, the small but dedicated park staff, and an army of volunteers, the James River Park system would fall into similar disrepair. For us truly to move to the next level as a City, the government needs a sense of pride.
Do bums litter the park so no one wants to use it, and they can wallow in the garbage in peace?
Firstly, the Monroe park Advisory Council no longer exists. Friends of Monroe Park im not sure about although it’s never really been more than a very few residents of the Prestwould. I know they still have a small amount of funding but this problem is a problem of deferred maintenance from the city. There was talk of a Monroe Park Foundation incorporating as a 501C3 but I believe that effort has now failed.
Its very simple, post signs that state “Don’t Feed the Homeless” and that should clear everything up.
It’s easy to scapegoat the homeless who gather in the park, but they are part of the public, whether you like it or not. When it comes to trash in the park, I think there needs to be more accountability all around.
But honestly, to me this is a pretty good example of how public/citizen priorities lose out to private/corporate ones. Center Stage gets the money while Monroe Park gets ignored.
What strikes me is that the presumably terrible state of the park a few years ago is what led to the sweeping renovation plan…but despite the apparent recognition that the part needed to be re-made, there has been no effort in even keeping it at the previous status quo.
It seems common sense that if you see something will need major work, you should stabilize it even as you figure out the final plans/disposition. It shouldn’t be allowed to fall into ever-increasing disarray while nothing much seems to happen.
I am less worried, perhaps, that allowing the park to continue to fall apart would make it easier to be turned over to VCU. I am more concerned that supporters of closing the park entirely in order to reconstruct it in the grand vision proposed a few years ago–thereby displacing all users from the park for a fairly young stretch–might use the park’s worsening condition to push their vision through. In essence, those looking to displace the homeless might find a deteriorating park a nice tool with which to ram into place what they see as the right answer.
Mark, are you blaming the local citizens who not only raised concerns about the condition of the park in the first place, but also came up with a plan to fix it? And you would rather it just be surrendered to VCU?
may i suggest something to revive the park? putting a skateboard /plaza there would allow the younger kids and collage kids a safe and historical place to eat and skate. concrete is not only a material used for side walks and such but shaping it into other obstacles is an art form. after all isn’t VCU an art school? I’m not saying to make the whole park like this just a good portion. believe it or not skaters police their own turf point in case Portland, Oregon. skaters took the liberty to “clean up” under a bridge and kick out the heroin users and rift raff to build a skate park them selves and continue to police it. Now im not saying to get the skaters to build a skate park there but we could use some kind of functional art.The more people that use the park the less bad thing that happen there. just a thought
The city has no money- If VCU wants to pony up the money to renovate and improve the park I don’t see the problem. That’s what Venture Richmond did with Brown’s Isle. See the difference?
From my friend Elinor on Friends of Monroe Park:
I think Bill Pantele should reply to this . He knows how hard it was to get things going and how much time and effort was given to the fountain project and the re=planting of the area around the fountain.
“Friends of Monroe Park” exists but membership is nil. Prestwould folks lost interest when nothing was done by the city or VCU to discourage the feedings and move the programs to other sites where food could be served indoors. Also where these indigents would receive other help.
VCU was/is responsible to keep the garden in shape and the park trash removed. There does not seem to be as much done after Jackie left.
Charlie is certainly not the answer!
elinor
nice homeless scapegoating. this is the reason support was so lacking for your plan. Not to mention that the plan was far too elaborate. That park is very much in use, all of the time. Just because it doesn’t fit you vision for who it should be use by, doesn’t mean it is a problem. There are certainly things that need fixing, improvements to be made, but that wouldn’t cost $6 million, plus millions in upkeep, a private management agency, or any of these things. You know the reason there aren’t children there? There are hardly any family dwellings within walking distance of the place! There are far more parks in the Fan that cater to families, because families live there. VCU has eaten up the area around the park, so the majority of users are students. You want to up keep the park better? Fine, pick up a trash bag. Because the City is obviously not doing its job.
Also, I should remind you that the last murder that happened in Monroe was 51 years ago. Why do you blame trash on the homeless, when the majority of people who use the park are STUDENTS. Because the poor can’t clean up after themselves? You need to check your assumptions.
I share your frustration Todd. I remember the first time I saw Monroe Park some 11 years ago thinking what a nice park it was and what a shame at how it was being treated. With all the hard work and plans that have gone into this I never thought we would have to wait this long. I do disagree with you about Charles. I think he has been very out front on this and taken a lot of heat for his trouble. Mayor Jones on the other hand has not and too money OUT of last year’s budget that would have got the ball rolling.
There’s a damn good plan in place. Now’s the time to put it into motion. Monroe Park should be a place we all will be proud of and feel comfortable going.
Nathan, shame on you. That place would be crawling with kids and students if it was well taken care of. It’s NOT about the homeless, it’s about taking care of the finest, oldest park in Richmond.
Apparently you have never been to this park, considering during the school year it’s damn near filled with students every day. Once again, where do all of these families with children live? In the VCU Arts building? In the Engineering building? Come on. They live in the Fan, in Oregon Hill, in Northside, etc. And all those places have parks. Sounds to me like you all want the oldest park to also be VCU’s newest front for gentrification.
Nathan- Please think before you post.
shame on me for calling that post what it is? anti-homeless? give me a break. and didn’t i just say the majority of people who use it are students? maybe its YOUR problem that you think poor black people are so scary?
and didn’t i just say it should be taken care of? when did i ever say it should be left to deteriorate? you’re seeing what you want to see here, and its obnoxious. because its the same old stuff both of you pulled when there was so much controversy when all of this was in the news.
conversation over.
Katie, I have been to this park hundreds of times, including many idyllic afternoons when it has been vacant. On a Saturday at mealtime diners outnumber other park users 20 to 1. I’ve witness fights over clothing, listened to freeloaders complain about free food and shelters and found trash bins stuffed to overflowing with styrofoam food containers.
Gentrification, my *ss. How about a nice park that attracts working and middle class families. You must be the only one who is satisfied with the current condition of the park.
And Nathan, you might be the biggest bigot on this list. I haven’t lived downtown for 11 years by being scared of poor black people. Poor black people need nice places to take their kids too.
Oh and Katie, residents of Oregon Hill, the Fan and downtown, even Carver, are walking distance to Monroe Park. I walk there a couple times a week, rarely see students and never see kids.
Here’s a cool drinking game….every time you read the word ‘gentrification’…..DRINK!!
This park has been in the same condition for the last forty years and more. It is lush and green, provides a pleasant outdoor space for the homeless, the students, and anyone else who chooses to use it. It is in varying stages of upkeep depending on the inspiration of those who use it at any one time, and it provides a central location for the conversations of people of any class, race, culture, or tendency to soapbox. One of Richmond’s great traditions!!
I have to agree with Paul and TOT on the gentrification bit.
On the surface, more and more students = more poverty as the latest census shows-
https://www.oregonhill.net/2011/03/19/oregon-hill-has-gained-in-poverty-since-last-census/
However, this is misleading because I see parents buying up more of the neighborhood houses for their college age children or just giving them the rent money. (By the way, how many of these house purchases by parents fraudulently used federal mortgage funds?). Many of these students may be poor on paper but may actually be cash-rich. They all seem to have their own cars, many more expensive than other residents.
Who is gentrifying who? And what this post is really about is getting the City to put more of the tax money into the neighborhoods (in this case, Monroe Park, a PUBLIC park that Oregon Hill used to border) they get it out of, instead of handing over everything to VCU and Center Stage.
http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/landmark-rehab-gets-altrias-10-million-what-about-the-rest/Content?oid=1734618
Keep in mind that one of VCU’s earlier plans was to remove ALL of the trees from Monroe Park. And Center Stage at one point asked about using Monroe Park for ‘satellite parking’.
Our green, open spaces are becoming more and more privatized and corporatized to the point that citizen residents are being ignored or maligned.
https://www.oregonhill.net/2012/07/13/city-council-and-2nd-street-connector/
I think that there should be a healthy discussion on how tax money is spent and what, if any, changes should be made in the park, but I really do hate the comments about the homeless and feel like any progress is being sabotaged based on their presence.
Someone made a good comment once that the reason the homeless camp out there is because there are so many young VCU students and the students feel guilty for their situation and give money . . . I agree with this!
Richmond is a very caring city, and I am all for helping out the homeless and providing opportunities to better themselves, but I am sick of hearing people say ‘park renovation = racists’!
I specifically called racism because you immediately blame the homeless (mostly poor and black) for the trash. Not the students. Students are definitely the majority of people who use the park. Yes, I’m sure at certain times of the week they are not, but there are far more students that use that park on a day to day basis than homeless folks. And I’m trying to really push home this point: THE PARK IS BEING USED. A LOT. even by your own admission! it just clearly isn’t being used the way YOU want. As Katie said, there are other parks in residential neighborhoods, that are much closer in distance and have playgrounds. Just because you build some in Monroe Park, doesn’t mean it will suddenly be used by families. So, is the issue usage? Doesn’t sound that way. The issue seems to be the demographic of the users. If the other issue is up keep in maintenance, I TOTALLY AGREE. But this won’t be fixed with some new plan to remodel that y’all have even admitted the City has yet to follow up on. Even with remodeling, it STILL has to be upkept. If the City can’t seem to get its act together to clean out the trashcans more, fix the bathrooms, fix fallen fences, clean up debris, and respond to the USAGE of the park, how do you expect them to do it for your new, $6 million plan?
I might add that TOT, Paul, and Todd have referred to the park’s poorer population now in these ways: “freeloaders”, “hobos”, “drunks”….not to mention that in the meeting notes for MPAC, as well as the Master Plan, it is stated that the number of “homeless appearing” folks in the park is “part of the problem” and that it is a goal to “reduce their numbers” in the park.
And you repeatedly insist that anyone who criticizes their plan must like the park the way it is, not care about the park, or not care about Richmond. Quit putting words in our mouths and address what we’re actually saying.
Nathan, I am not sure to which comments/posts/people you are retorting to, but I think I have been pretty clear where I stand on these old debates.
https://www.oregonhill.net/2011/06/06/defend-feeding-in-public-parks/
At this point, for me, the question is if the Monroe Park Advisory Council plan is not going to get funded by the City, then what is the future of Monroe Park?
Watch the trees die? The fountain crumble? Homeless camp?VCU quad? Center Stage/Altria Theater parking lot?
None of these possibilities appeal to me, but I am concerned that this is where the status quo is leading…
http://www.nbc12.com/story/19058772/new-richmond-developments-put-pressure-on-for-monroe-park-renovations
No Nathan, the park is NOT being used a lot. Just walked by their last night about 7:30. The temperature was mild, a breeze was blowing and the park was almost entirely vacant. This is typical. If you mean use as in small groups of people walking through Monroe Park or around it, you are correct. If you want to call that use. You cry racism because it is convenient to you. When nobody wants to engage in your ugly conversation, you win.
Todd et al,
You’ll be glad to hear that the VCU out tending the gardens around the fountain. You should notice the improvement soon.
Looking at your photos, I’m wondering if the first one has something to do with the second. The park suffered a lot of damage in the recent windstorms. I can’t imagine what would do that to a fence besides a car or a heavy tree limb.
Maybe it’s time to resurrect Friends of Monroe Park. A committed group of citizens would give the park a volunteer base and a constituency to campaign on it’s behalf.
I just stopped by again and there was nary a student nor a family in sight.
Paul, there is a 501c3 called Monroe Park Conservancy but they have no web presence or information other than their existence. I have requested their form 990. They have been incorporated since November. I have a feeling I know the people running it…
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