Category Archives: community

Virtual Richmond Folk Festival Begins

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Unfortunately, the pandemic has forced this year’s Richmond Folk Festival to ‘go virtual’.
From The Richmond Free Press:

The 16th Annual Richmond Folk Festival, a celebration of music and culture from around the globe, will take place virtually Oct. 9 through 11.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, people can enjoy the festival through a special television program, radio broadcasts and online streaming.

Music from Jamaican reggae, Chicago blues, Altai throat singing, kosher gospel, Gypsy jazz, Indian slide guitar, Gulf Coast boogie-woogie, Ireland and Dominican bachata will be featured from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11, on Virginia Public Media radio stations 107.3 and 93.1 FM. The music is by performers from past Richmond festivals.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the festival will broadcast “All Together Now,” a two-part television celebration of Virginia artists, including Butcher Brown featuring J. Plunky Branch, Cora Harvey Armstrong, Kadencia and Jared Pool & Friends. The performances were filmed at Richmond’s Spacebomb Studios in partnership with VPM, and will be interspersed with performances from the festival’s Virginia Folklife Stage from the past. It will be broadcast on VPM Plus Channel 57.1 WCVW digital HD and livestreamed on VPM’s Facebook page and VPM’s YouTube page.

An interactive art installation by artist Kevin Orlosky will take place on Brown’s Island, the site of the festival in the past. Public participation is encouraged, with people wearing masks and socially distancing. People can paint a rock that represents something they miss, mourn or are looking forward to doing again after the pandemic. The rocks will become part of Mr. Orlosky’s stone labyrinth that, when viewed from above, will form a hand.

Artist Shannon Wright of Richmond, an illustrator and cartoonist whose work has been featured in major publications, books and online sites including The New York Times, created the official poster for the festival.

Details about the festival, performers, schedule, activities and where to listen or watch it are available on www.richmondfolkfestival.org.

As one of the handful of people who attended the very first folk festival (rainy) night in Richmond, back when it was National Folk Festival, I am delighted to see that it is soldiering on, as I very much enjoy the outside music it usually brings to the area. And while neighborhood relations have not always been harmonious, I know many Oregon Hill residents will be sad that they will not have the full festival just down the hill this year. It deserves support. (And talk is cheap- if you can afford it, do purchase a folk festival poster or t-shirt at Plan 9 Records or online).

Park Land Saved

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Dear Ms. Ebert,

I was pleased to hear that you have removed 606 Spring Street and 609 China Street from the Biennial Real Estate Strategies Plan list for city property proposed to be sold. So that this error does not happen again, it is imperative that these lots are properly listed in city records as city park land and part of Oregon Hill’s linear park.

Thanks to the great help of the City Clerk’s office and the City Record’s librarian, I have located the City Council Ordinance 85-285 whereby the City Council authorized the purchase of the lots to create the linear park when Belvidere Street was widened. As noted in the Ordinance: “The purpose of this paper is to authorized city acquisition of the residual portions of the properties, and in some instances, additional properties that front on the side streets.” These two lots at 606 Spring Street and 609 China Street were among the additional properties that front on the side streets as shown on the Plats 21444 and 21437 attached to the ordinance. (Please see attached ordinance and details from the plats.)

In 1998 the Richmond City Council approved Council Resolution 98-R61-77. The purpose of this Resolution was to accept $2,336 from the Save Oregon Hill Organization to build the gazebo on the Oregon Hill park land that was formerly known as 609 China Street. This gazebo is still located on city park land on what was formerly known as 609 China Street. (Please see the attached photograph).

This is the link to the Council Resolution 98-R61-77:
https://richmondva.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2151094&GUID=44542EF4-3CB6-463B-AD25-9F247102E503&Options=ID|Text|&Search=Oregon+Hill

As shown in the attached 1990 plan for the linear city park, 606 Spring Street and 609 China Street are essential portions of Oregon Hill’s park. (Please see attachment.)

Please update all city records to show that 606 Spring Street and 609 China Street are city park land. Our city park land is precious.

Sincerely,

Charles Pool

Sundial

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In Hollywood Cemetery, in front of the massive mausoleum for Lewis Ginter, is found a very modest sundial marker for his heir and niece, Miss Grace Arents.

On the sundial reads the words: “FROM SCHEME AND CREED THE LIGHTS GO OUT THE SAINTLY FACT SURVIVES THE BLESSED MASTER NONE CAN DOUBT REVEALED IN SAINTLY LIVES.”

Miss Grace Arents was the “patron saint” of Oregon Hill. With her inheritance from Lewis Ginter, she generously gave to the Oregon Hill neighborhood. Among her remarkable contributions are the St. Andrews Church, the William Byrd Community House, the Grace Arents School (now Open High) and the Grace Arents Housing on Cumberland St., perhaps the first and finest subsidized low-income housing in Richmond. (This Grace Arents Housing is now fenced off and the neighborhood is concerned that the future of this important part of her legacy is threatened.)

Mayor Wants To Take Away Park Land For ‘Affordable Housing’

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Mayor Stoney’s Biennial Real Estate Strategies Plan wants to use city land to promote affordable housing development and affordable homeownership.
To that end, it proposes taking City-owned parcels to the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT) for the development of affordable homes.

It is including at least two parcels in Oregon Hill’s Samuel Parsons Park in this proposal.

(and least people think this just about Oregon Hill, the Biennial Estate Strategies Plan also identifies other city park lands such as 1800 Maplewood in the Randolph neighborhood and 1901-1905 Conrad Street in the East End as building sites.)

Neighbors, understandably, are very upset. But so far, either the Mayor’s office, other City officials, the media, and the Mayor’s challengers in the election are ignorant of the proposal or don’t care.

Of course, many neighbors believe in and support affordable housing, and have done so historically in Oregon Hill and elsewhere.

But this proposal is bringing up bad memories from when other parts of the park were built on due to City government’s (and in particular, the Planning Department’s) ineptitude and callousness.

It’s part of the utter disregard for established neighborhood plans and the neighborhood’s dream for a Belvidere greenway.

Neighbors can’t help but see this as part of a coordinated attack on the Oregon Hill neighborhood in conjunction with the disastrous Richmond300 plan. If they were not aware of the target lines being drawn on the community before, they are becoming aware now.

Scenes From OHNA Meeting Tonight

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The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association met earlier this evening in Pleasants Park. Attendees for the most part kept socially distant and wore masks.

School board candidates Jenny Aghomo, Stephanie Rizzi and Dr. Decardra Jackson spoke.

Councilperson Stephanie Lynch also spoke.

In responding to a question about the Richmond 300 planning, residents were grateful to hear Lynch re-affirm her commitment to changing the future land use designation of Oregon Hill to RESIDENTIAL in the Richmond 300 plan.

Councilperson Lynch is holding a virtual 5th district meeting this Thursday.

Proposed Solar Project Violates Covenant

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Dominion Energy has proposed to construct a solar array on top of the parking garage at its ‘Tredegar Campus’.

Some residents have received a letter from Dominion dated September 17, 2020 stating their intention to add up to 20 feet in height to the parking deck below Oregon Hill for a solar array.

While most Oregon Hill residents are probably in support of Dominion going solar, this appears to violate the “Declaration of Restrictive Covenants” that was signed by by Dominion in 2001.

From Laurel Street resident Charles Pool:

Dear Mr. Sarfo-Kantanka, Dominion External Affairs Manager
According to the information provided on your website, the proposed solar collector on top of the existing parking deck at the Dominion headquarters on Tredegar street would rise to 108 feet in height. This is in clear violation of the “Declaration of Restrictive Covenants” that Dominion signed in 2001.
According to this “Declaration of Restrictive Covenants”, Dominion agreed to limit the building heights to 65′ in this location where the parking deck is located. (Please see the attached “Declaration of Restrictive Covenants” with the attached plat.)
As you know, we have one of the most famous and noteworthy views of the James River at the fall line from Oregon Hill park. Dominion has already obscured some of this view with their new trading building and older tower.
Some of us remember the battle in 2000 with Dominion to protect our view. As stated in the attached article by Michael Paul Williams: “Now, people in Oregon Hill worry that Dominion, having kept its riverfront property off limits, will ultimately block or mar the river view beyond its boundaries. The property belongs to Dominion. But the river belongs to all of us. Who gets priority? It depends on your point of view.”
While we probably all support solar power, this small number of panels could be put anywhere and it is not necessary to violate the “Declaration of Restrictive Covenants” to put them in one of the state’s most important views.
Please let us know if Dominion will respect the “Declaration of Restrictive Covenants” that you signed in 2001.
Sincerely,
Charles Pool

Morning Photos

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Morning sun coming through the trees on S. Laurel.

Skyline at Spring and S. Laurel

Spring Street squirrel

The 821 Cafe on W. Cary Street is closed on Mondays.

Tech Exchange is closed on Mondays also. If the country ever does go to a smaller work week like some have suggested- will Mondays become a non-working day?

Hives seem to be doing ok.

VCU School Start Brings COVID

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From the Times Dispatch:

Virginia Commonwealth University has 25 confirmed student COVID-19 cases and 11 confirmed employee cases, a university spokesman said Thursday afternoon.
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VCU’s fall semester began on Monday. The school is offering in-person and online classes and the university’s dorms are home to more than 4,000 students in space designed for more than more than 6,200.

The university administration has created a ‘dashboard’ website to monitor cases of infection, but information is limited.

Neighbors are concerned about possible spread given the close proximity of the university and the number of students who live and visit Oregon Hill. There have been recent parties at residences in the neighborhood where masks were not used.

Some VCU students have publicly protested the re-opening of the university during the pandemic. They have also noted that the university has not refunded tuition despite many demands from students.