VCU Living Wage Campaign chalk message on sidewalk:
Campaign Sign
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Category Archives: schools
It’s Back: VCU Marks Territory
The sign is back.
From neighbor Todd Woodson:
Sad to report, as of Monday, nov 4, 2013, VCU has reinstalled this huge way faring sign at w main and Belvidere, obstructing sight lines through Richmonds oldest and most historic city park. This arrogant move serves as a prelude to the proposed turnover of this beautiful sylvan asset, which belongs to the citizenry of Richmond. Please contact your city council representative if you disapprove.
VCU Cary Street Gym Flooded By Fire Sprinkler
The Richmond Times Dispatch reports that VCU’s Cary Street gym was flooded last night when a fire sprinkler malfunctioned. Click here for link to story.
Paint The Town Green Fall 2013
I mentioned PTTG earlier, but more from a neighbor about this event WHICH HAPPENS SATURDAY:
I like that it is scheduled for “after” Halloween! I can’t participate this time but have really enjoyed it in the past.
It starts Saturday morning with free coffee/light breakfast about 8:30 in Monroe Park before breaking into different neighborhoods groups. Expect to see them about 9 ish in the community – for a couple of hours. Come on out and join them – at least come out and interact with them as they pass thru.
I’m not sure if they will be using Pleasants Park again as the trash drop off / city pick up point this time – but it seemed to work out well in the past.
I can only volunteer for a little while myself, but I hope there is a good mix of students and neighbors.
http://www.news.vcu.edu/article/This_Tradition_is_In_the_Bag
Fence Vandalized On Idlewood
There have been a few complaints about some incidents this past weekend, this being one of them:
This week, there is an article in the VCU Commonwealth Times, where VCU Police Chief Venuti is quoted,
“A lot of times, people exiting a party will draw out attention. Even if you are registered, if people are leaving, (ed. note: emphasis added by me) smashing things, fighting or peeing all over the place, we come into the picture,” Venuti said.
‘Walkable City’ Lecture at VCU Thursday
Jeff Speck, author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America One Step at a Time: on October 24, 7-8:30 p.m. in the VCU Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballroom, Jeff Speck, AICP, CNU-A and LEED-AP, will deliver the inaugural Morton B. Gulak Urban and Regional Planning Lecture. The event is free and open to the public, and a book signing will follow. To entice you to come on Thursday, here’s a link to a recent DC StreetsBlog.org post about Jeff’s message.
National Food Day Thursday
On Thursday, October 24, National Food Day will be celebrated at the Byrd House farmlet beginning at 3:30 pm. National Food Day serves to promote safer, healthier diets; support sustainable and organic farms; reduce hunger; reform factory farms to protect the environment and farm animals; support fair working conditions for food and farm workers.
The event will feature games, a Pop-Up photography exhibition, and family-style dinner tables hosted by Slow Food RVA, Tricycle Gardens, Farmers Market @ St. Stephens Church, Renew Richmond, Faces of Hope, Shalom Farms with Greater Richmond Coalition for Healthy Children, Open High School, Sub Rosa Breads and William Byrd Community House.
Each organization will provide the framework for conversation for their table and be responsible for recording the issues, solutions, plans and actions discussed. The insights from all the groups will be compiled, distributed to all attendees and made available to the public. While the event is not open to the public, media is invited to attend and engage in conversations with each of the parties.
For more information about this Food Day event, please contact Ana Edwards, Manager, Byrd House Market, 804/517-4049, byrdhousemarket at gmail.com.
Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow
This Wednesday is a red Wednesday, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. They do not belong on the sidewalk after tomorrow night.
Also Wednesday:
Sierra Club Falls of the James Group. Wednesday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m. Jepson Alumni Center on the University of Richmond campus. Students from Virginia Union University, Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Richmond will review their recent green accomplishments— both on and off-campus— including e-cycling collections, rainwater irrigation, community gardensand much more. Join us to learn about their projects for the upcoming school year considering the needs of their campuses and neighboring communities. Located on Crenshaw Way; fordirections go to http://events.richmond.edu/jepson-alumni-center/directions.html.
Also, don’t forget the Fall Plant Exchange tailgate before the meeting 5:30-6:45 in the adjacent parking lot!
Idlewood Roundabout Project Receives Funding From VCU
This ordinance was passed by City Council last night:
Ord. No. 2013-209 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to accept $250,000 from Virginia Commonwealth University and to appropriate the increase to the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Capital Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Public Works’ Traffic Calming/Idlewood Roundabout project in the Transportation category by $250,000 for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Idlewood Avenue, Grayland Avenue and an off ramp from the Downtown Expressway.
Correspondent of the Day: Renovate Monroe Park carefully
Oregon Hill neighbor had the Letter of the Day in the Times Dispatch this morning:
Renovate Monroe Park carefully
Editor, Times-Dispatch:
Monroe Park is Richmond’s first and most historic municipal park. Once the site of an agricultural fairground, the city’s first baseball games and concerts by Bruce Springsteen and Jerry Lee Lewis, the city’s upcoming $6.2 million historically sensitive renovation is cause for jubilation as the park has fallen into deep disrepair.
As we improve the physical aspects of Monroe Park, let’s not forget its essence which should also be preserved and celebrated. As a forum for free speech over the years, the grounds have echoed with voices supporting civil rights, reasonable gun control, anti-war sentiment and other just causes.
Its beautiful old-growth trees have shaded generations of Richmonders and deserve protection, care and augmentation to re-establish the lush greenery of its historic era circa 1900. A conservation easement such as the one placed on James River Park is strongly advised to define that protection.
The park also needs a zero impact policy with enforcement regarding bringing large amounts of trash in for feedings, etc. Too often groups come in and leave huge amounts of garbage on the ground, which eventually gets blown by the wind into surrounding neighborhoods. It should be a group’s responsibility to remove what it brings into the park. The city must step up, enforce these rules and provide requisite supervision. Richmond Parks Division simply can’t cover this job.
What the park doesn’t need is to be transferred via lease to a third party, establishing VCU as the operating agency. This could destroy its essence as a free gathering space and homogenize it into something very different. Monroe Park is not Maymont; it is a 7.5-acre green space well within the city’s capacity to manage.
The renovated Monroe Park should welcome all residents, students and visitors with open arms. It can truly be Richmond’s gem.
C. Todd Woodson. Richmond.
(ed. note: This letter comes after VCU recently placed a metal billboard sign up in Monroe Park but then removed it after the City declared it illegal. There is another controversial VCU sign at the corner of Belvidere and Cumberland that has not been acted on yet.)