Neighbors were horrified today to see this giant excavator actually sitting in the wetlands of the canal scrapping away at the bank of the historic James River and Kanawha Canal, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also listed as a federally protected wetlands. Sadly, this is certainly not the first time something like this has happened.
In 2011, the Richmond Times Dispatch reported that NewMarket Corporation destroyed a large section of the pre-Civil War Tredegar wall while preparing for a 2nd Street Connector, only obtaining the required permit after the fact. The neighborhood has tried to stay vigilant over the years. Yet in 2014, Venture Richmond destroyed a critical part of the canal.
It appears that this work may or may not be related to repairs on the Robert E. Lee Bridge. Residents are left questioning if more damage can be prevented in the future and what steps will be taken to repair the canal bank. But between the threatening demolition on W.Cary street, the disastrous ‘renovations’ in Monroe Park, and this new Canal situation, it is understandable that Oregon Hill residents and Richmond preservationists feel under siege.
