Category Archives: parks

Pine Street Baptist Yard Sale This Saturday

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Pine Street Baptist Church is hosting a yard sale this coming Saturday. The church also welcomes others to join in if interested. It will take place on Saturday, April 21 from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
in Pleasants Park. They are accepting items for the church booth with proceeds directed to the general fund. The option of having your own booth for selling your things is also an option. You may drop off items at the church on Thursday, April 19th from 3-5 pm and Friday, April 20th from 6:30-8:30 pm. Pick up is available for large items. The contact person is Jennifer Downer.
The youth will also be selling grilled hotdogs during the sale.

Update On Monroe Park

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From Cherry Street neighbor Todd Woodson:

The Urban Design Committee discussed the character, extent and location of the signage proposal by the Monroe Park “Conservancy” and recommended approval with 3 conditions: First that they consider an alternate form and location for the “donor” sign and not attach it to the Checkers House and that the impact on the Checkers House be minimized. Second that they change the typeface on the secondary and tertiary signs to match the logo “old typeface” font and third that “less is more” and that they minimize the quantity and size of the signs in the park. All great suggestions but keep in mind they had previously requested the “Conservancy” seek alternatives to destroying the beautiful Magnolia and Maple near the Checkers House. They destroyed them anyway. If you would like to hear the UDC discussion, here is the link to the audio:

http://richmondva.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=1293

A recent email from Julie Langan, Director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, confirms that the work the “Conservancy” is doing to the Checkers House does not appear to meet Secretary of the Interior standards which would exclude them from getting Federal and State tax credits. Meanwhile, the “Conservancy” announced at the UDC meeting that the end of June opening date for the park is no longer viable and no completion date has been given. Remember that Councilperson Kimberly Gray and Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s chief of staff Lincoln Saunders are sitting Board members for the Monroe Park Conservancy.

It’s also worth considering that citizens and Sierra Club have already asked that the Conservancy’s lease on Monroe Park be terminated.

Abusing The New Idlewood Roundabout

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From a neighbor:

About 5:20 pm yesterday, right as VCU closed, I saw a line of cars across the newly seeded park property, making their own street from parking on Grayland to exiting onto Idlewood by the roundabout. They had moved the barriers and destroyed the beautiful newly fixed up sod. They were even using the turnaround area for parking! So tired of the neighborhood getting crapped on by VCU commuters/free parkers. More substantial barriers should go up this week and the long term plan is to place big rocks there as a barrier to block them from entering. I so wish we could have closed Grayland. Since this is park property, maybe we should name it and figure a use for it…

T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge Lights Vandalized

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From the Times Dispatch article:

Richmond police said Monday that they need help solving a felony vandalism case in which more than 90 lights were damaged on the T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge.

The popular walkway is open 24 hours, and the path is lit by LED light bars.

T.Tyler Potterfield was a City employee who lived on Cherry Street in Oregon Hill. As a planner and avid historian, he loved this historic neighborhood and river views.

Monroe Park Conservancy Shortfall And Tree Removal

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Neighbors are still very disheartened by the Monroe Park Conservancy. They keep contacting City Council members about their actions.

From Cherry Street neighbor and Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association president Todd Woodson:

Dear Councilman Agelasto,

As you know, I recently sent a list of concerns/questions to Councilperson Gray and MPC president Alice Massie regarding the renovation of Monroe Park which is scheduled to be completed in Spring of this year. Although the request for information has not been responded to, the MPC website has just been updated not only to include a new board chair for Dominion Energy, but also the revelation that the Conservancy is now short $1.5 million to complete the renovation “with all amenities”. You may have noticed that work in the park has slowed to a crawl.

The City of Richmond has already made up well over $800,000.00 in shortfalls for the park redo in addition to over $3 million in infrastructure and “soft” costs.

The Falls of the James chapter of the Sierra Club has already called for the termination of the lease to the MPC and I add my voice to that end. Monroe Park is Richmond’s oldest and most historic city park and although the MPC doesn’t get control through the lease until after the renovation, they have meddled constantly with changes to the master plan to include a most unfortunate destruction of much of the old growth tree canopy as well as other historically inappropriate park “features”.

Details of the shortfall may be found here:
https://www.monroepark.com/about/monroe-park-conservancy/

Other concerns include inconsistencies of the design changes with approved master plan and work documents.

The current situation is extremely troubling as is the persistent lack of transparency and community involvement with the project. Please take action on behalf of your constituents.

Thank you,

Charles T. Woodson.

He followed up with this:

In addition to the MPC previously having posted their completion of fund raising on their website, they, along with Dwight Jones, made this press release in 2016 on the completion of the fundraising for the park renovation.

https://www.monroepark.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/PressRelease-9-21-16.pdf

The “amenities” they refer to in the update on the shortfall are garbage like the gazebo and the “rill” that the citizens have spoken up against time and time again. I’ve heard you use the meaningful phrase “get back to basics” in reference to city government policy. I truly believe we need to get back to basics and restore the park as the community vetted master plan envisioned, not with architectural detritus and treeless corporate campgrounds. Ms Massie has not approached the public for financial support because she doesn’t care what the community says and prefers her corporate funds. Instead, she has fomented non transparency and divisiveness and she has indulged in back room shady corporate deals and unnecessary features/alterations of the master plan. I know you see this. Hopefully, now that there is another substantial shortfall the rest of council will see the wisdom of getting back to basics and honoring a historically sensitive renovation of the park. Please terminate the lease, especially now that there is a real parks director.

Thanks again.

And if that was not enough…on February 18, Todd added this:

Although the planning commission requested that the Monroe Park “Conservancy” consider alternatives to the destruction of a beautiful healthy and mature Magnolia as well as a nearby Maple, this is what is left of the Maggie. It was destroyed over the last two days…

The lack of coverage in the local media is troubling.

Belle Isle POW Graves

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With the Artifacts Roadshow this weekend, perhaps this is a good time to share this fascinating blog post about using a high resolution Gardner image to find the actual names on a few of the tombstones of prisoners buried on Belle Isle during the Civil War.

From John Banks’ Civil War Blog:
Exploring photo of soldiers’ graves at Rebel prison in Richmond

On April 8, 1865, days after the fall of Richmond, Alexander Gardner captured scenes on Belle Isle, a 54-acre island in the James River opposite the former Confederate capital, where thousands of Union soldiers were imprisoned from 1862-65. Among the images Gardner shot was the poignant photograph at the top of this post of a graveyard for Union soldiers, many of whom died of disease, starvation or other inhumane treatment on the island that was home to nearly 10,000 prisoners of war at its maximum capacity. In the image, heaps of earth and crude, wooden headboards mark the final resting places of dozens of soldiers.

(Alexander Gardner/Library of Congress collection)

Holly Street Playground and Ravine

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In response to recent concerns, it look like Holly Street Playground area will be receiving more attention. Incoming Oregon Hill Neigborhood Association (OHNA) President Todd Woodson has requested a structural assessment from the City on the embankment that supports the playground. He is interested in the possibility of making this area, which is sort of an extension of S. Cherry St, more of a public walking trail than just a utility alley. Other neighbors have suggestions that include repaving the basketball court and establishing a tool lending program. These ideas will probably be discussed at the upcoming OHNA meeting next Tuesday.

This is the 1867 Michie Map showing the ravine that was filled in to make Holly Street playground. Thanks to neighbor Charles Pool for this…

Complaints About Holly Street Playground

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Some complaints about the condition and use of Holly Street Playground were recently posted on NextDoor.com:

I am appalled by the condition of our neighborhood playground. I have contacted the City of Richmond Dept of Parks and Rec regarding the filth and takeover by skateboarders and have received no response for one week.
…
There is vandalized material on the “basketball court” and dog poop is everywhere.
I have witnessed people smoking pot and “playing” with the swings in a rough way that could damage the equipment.
As a taxpayer, I feel that this area should be more closely monitored for littering and misuse of the property. I would appreciate any feedback from local residents.
Thank you!

Certainly this is not the first time that concerns like this have been expressed about Holly Street Playground. There has been a lot of tension in the past about how different ages have used and misused this space.