From Ride Richmond’s FaceBook page:
Today at VCU is the Great Bike Roundup! 10-2 on the Commons Plaza. Free bike repair, helmets and lights for those who register their bikes (while supplies last), and tables for the Cycling Club, RideRichmond, and more! Immediately following will be a Cycling Symposium. Come learn the ins and outs of cycling in town and at VCU!
Meeting scheduled for tomorrow night at 7 pm.
From the Flying Brick blog:
An interest meeting will be held for a monthly radical theory reading/discussion group using self education and non-authoritarian learning practices at The Flying Brick Tuesday, August 14 at 7PM. We will talk about structural ideas and give out a welcome packet. Our first topic will (tentatively) be oppression and education. If you have any questions please e-mail Phil at cunninghampd at vcu.edu, thanks!
From The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar’s Facebook page:
Want an artistic way to spend the day?
Don’t miss The Bohemian Brigade art program Wednesday July 18 (Middle School) and July 25 (Homeschoolers).
Cost is $8 per participant. Materials are included. Read on for details. Contact skane at tredegar.org to register.During the Civil War the art of photography was still new. The long exposures times meant cameras couldn’t capture movement and photos couldn’t be reproduced in the newspaper.
The job of providing the public with images of battle as well as scenes of camp life fell to brave men known as Special Artists. These Special Artists called themselves the “Bohemian Brigade” and with pencil, crayon, and brush they provided the world with firsthand depictions of the American Iliad.In this program students will learn of the adventurous lives of such Special Artists as Alfred Waud and Frank Vizetelly. Then they will take up the tools of the Special Artist themselves to improve their skills under the guidance of an experienced art teacher.
From email:
Hey! I’m from Knoxville TN. Recent news in Knoxville is that the University of Tennessee is planning to further encroach on the adjacent historic Fort Sanders Neighborhood. Anyone with experience in the Oregon Hill effort to maintain boundaries with V.C.U? I’m planning to blog and and hoping to gather some hope though any stories of creative approach to the issue in your neighborhood. Thanks! Jennifer
Jennifer,
Thanks for writing. I will try to send you some other information, but here is an update on the situation with VCU:
VCU still refuses to put in place any longterm, binding agreement to protect the neighborhood.
https://www.oregonhill.net/2011/06/27/issue-1-still-no-positive-step-from-vcu/
The last we heard, anything new would come forward in community sessions for VCU’s next Master Plan.
The problem is that VCU can make adjustments to their Master Plan at any time in support of their encroachment, and in fact did so the last time we had an issue.
To paraphrase a neighbor’s published column:
In 2004, the VCU 2020 Master Plan, page 88, marked a dotted-line boundary between VCU and Oregon Hill. We believed VCU would honor this boundary. That belief proved to be false.
In 2007 — despite opposition from multiple neighborhoods — the VCU Executive Board, desiring more property within the Oregon Hill Historic District than their previous Master Plan allowed, chose to breach the boundary of good faith by amending the border to facilitate the acquisition and demolition of a livery stable built to service the landmark City Auditorium.
The property in question, 911 Green Alley, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register as a contributing element to the Oregon Hill Historic District. A Times-Dispatch article from November 12, 2006, extolled this stable’s amazing renovation and adaptive reuse. The sister stable at 917 Green Alley, listed on the historic registers as well was slated for demolition. VCU also destroyed Green Alley on this block. Green Alley was part of the historic streetscape established circa 1817. We are unaware of any other Virginia agency ever acquiring a fully renovated property listed on these registers with the intent to demolish. Implications loom large for other historic communities.
In other words, Master Plans CANNOT be trusted.
So right now, this state of mistrust still exists between the neighborhood and VCU and so far VCU has done nothing to alleviate it.
I wish I had better news. Sadly, citizens and neighborhoods have a tough time in disputes with large institutions and corporations. The difference in available resources is one thing, but now its hard to even find any rule of law. I will send you some other stuff via email and, of course, my best wishes.
Thanks,
Scott
From VCU Library blog:
The “Tri-State Gang in Richmond” book talk with Selden Richardson, scheduled for Wednesday, June 20, has been cancelled because of the speaker’s illness. We apologize for the cancellation and hope to reschedule the event for later this summer. Stay tuned for updates.
In better news, from FaceBook event page:
Free Gamelan Show @ The Anderson Gallery @ 5 pm
The Richmond community group Gamelan Raga Kusuma presents music of the gamelan gong kebyar, the gamelan semara dana and the gamelan gender wayang with Balinese dancers from the Indonesian embassy. Check out the Gallery’s latest offerings and grab some $2 beers.
Hope to see you there! We’ll be playing outdoors in the shade during Richmond’s sweltering 100 degree heat.
From the Richmond Public Schools FaceBook page:
Richmond Public Schools honored the district’s 2012 valedictorians with a special luncheon held today (this past Friday) at the Science Museum of Virginia. The event featured performances by the Richmond Public Schools All-City Jazz Ensemble, a video tribute to each valedictorian and comments from Richmond School Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Brandon.
One of Oregon Hill’s own, Lindsey Turner, is Open High School‘s valedictorian!
Her parents Jennifer and Philip Turner are very proud.
From Sierra Club Falls of the James group website:
VCU GOES GREEN – Solar and Renewable Energy
The Science Museum is unavailable, so we will be meeting at VCU for an update on its Sustainability and Going Green initiatives and tour several of its new and retrofitted buildings.
We will meet on Wednesday, May 9th at 7 PM at the top of the VCU West Broad Street Parking Deck (the multi-use structure at Broad & Harrison). This is not our usual location!
This event is the FoJG General Membership Meeting for May 2012. FoJG hosts General Membership Meetings at 7 PM on the second Wednesday of each month from September through May. They are always FREE and the public is invited to attend.
Also, don’t forget their U of R yard sale this Saturday. See website for details.
From the Times Dispatch article (also on the FanoftheFan site):
Located at the corner of Broad and Belvidere, near one of the most-traveled entrances to the city, the ICA will be a signature building for the School of the Arts and VCU, representing the best in international contemporary architecture and art, and a valuable community resource for Richmond. The ICA, which is expected to be about 32,000-square-feet, will feature approximately 8,000-square-feet of gallery space, an outdoor installation space, a 210-seat auditorium with tiered seating, classrooms, a gift shop, a café with a catering kitchen and an entry hall suitable for exhibitions, installations and social events.
This announcement was expected for a while now. The new building is certainly going to improve the look of the intersection- anything is an improvement over the parking lot that’s there now. However, I hope Richmond considers all the ramifications thoughtfully.
From the St. Andrew’s School website:
Why Choose The River Otter As The St. Andrew’s School Mascot?
River otters are smart, friendly, playful and energetic. They are curious and constantly learning. They are warm and take care of each other. Plus they are amazing swimmers and athletic. Since the school is near the James River, the mascot says a little bit about our location, as they do live in the James. Because they like clean water, they are also a sign of a very healthy environment.
Do you have any name suggestions for our new school mascot?
Echoing Debbie’s comment, thanks to the VCU Paint the Town Green initiative for yesterday’s neighborhood cleaning. Here’s a photo of the trash collected:
Some of the student volunteers, along with soldier volunteers from Ft. Lee, deserve extra credit for helping pick up bottles and litter that were thrown off the Overlook after already working their way down Pine Street.