From 700 block of S. Laurel in the early ’80’s.
Photo courtesy of William Pickett.
A Hill View
Reply
Sierra Club Calls For Ending The MPC And Awards Neighbor For Activism
This past week, the Sierra Club Falls of the James, the area’s oldest environmental organization, sent an open letter to City government concerning the deliberate cutting of trees in Monroe Park and the appearance of impropriety. In the letter, the Sierra Club suggested, among other actions, that the City’s lease with the Monroe Park Conservancy be terminated. The Shockoe Examiner posted the entire letter, minus some of the maps and photos. It is noteworthy that so far there has not been more media coverage of this detailed call for accountability and transparency from the new Mayoral administration.
Furthermore, today the Sierra Club Falls of the James announced that Oregon Hill neighbor Todd Woodson would be one of the recipients of the prestigious Green Giant awards. The award is being given in recognition of Woodson’s previous and current advocacy for Monroe Park and urban trees (including his previous service on City Council’s Monroe Parks Advisory Commission), as well as his promotion of animal welfare with the Richmond Animal Advocacy Alliance.
In the announcement, the SCOFOJ stated that City Parks worker Wyndham Price would also be receiving a Green Giant award posthumously. Price was an ardent environmentalist who helped with a variety of projects within and outside the park system. He was a familiar face around Oregon Hill and he will be missed.
The next SCFOJ monthly membership meeting, to be held Tuesday, February 14th (yes, Valentine’s Day) at 7 pm at the Science Museum of Virginia, will include a brief award ceremony for our Green Giants. The meeting is free and open to the public.
Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow
This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.
If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
The Dr Pepper Snapple Group/Keep America Beautiful Park Recycling Bin Grant program has opened its 2017 application process, offering new opportunities to make recycling convenient for communities across the country.
Now in its fifth year, the grant program from Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Keep America Beautiful, Stamford, Connecticut, has awarded more than 3,400 recycling bins to local governments and community organizations across 38 states to expand the availability of recycling in a variety of park settings, including neighborhood and larger regional parks, beaches, athletic fields and walking trails.
To apply for the merit-based grant program, interested organizations and communities complete an online form, detailing their proposal and selecting the number and style of recycling bins from available options. Keep America Beautiful says it will competitively review and award grants based on need and likelihood to recover significant quantities of recyclables. Arrangements will be made to deliver the recycling bins directly to the grant recipients in May 2017.
Applications are open for submission at irecycleonthego.wordpress.com through Feb. 24, 2017.
Richmond Trail Forum On Wednesday
From FaceBook Event page:
Come join your fellow Trail Users for an open discussion about the Richmond Trail System. Hosted by the City of Richmond & James River Park Trail Crew this moderated forum will touch on…
1) The History, ownership, and roles of the park system
2) Diversity of users, their needs, and park volume
3) Sustainability and trail designA Q&A session will allow the public to voice their ideas & concerns. Please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GY27L7D to submit.
Wednesday at 7 PM – 8:30 PM
Byrd Park Roundhouse
700 S Davis Ave, Richmond, Virginia 23220
Litter Cleanup Finds Grenade
Yesterday, some Shiver In The River participants took part in litter cleanups around the riverfront and area. They did a great job and deserve appreciation.
More alarmingly, while cleaning up the overlook area and hill slope, they did find some used needles and a flash bang grenade. Police were called and they disposed of the grenade.
‘Making The Lap’
Here’s a historic photo to warm you up this winter day.
Elite athletes chugging warm beers in the Monroe Park cruiser race. They had to chug a beer, do a lap or two, chug another beer, repeat until the beer is gone.
Photo and description from William Pickett.
‘Critical Mass’ Bicycle Ride On Friday
From the FaceBook event page:
Meet at 6, ride at 6:30.
Rain, fascism, or shine.
Our usual meeting spot in Monroe Park has been fenced off for renovations for the next year or more… For now we will meet at the same intersection, just across the street on the sidewalk in front of Altria Theater, to avoid too much confusion. A different meeting place may be chosen in future months, so keep an eye on the location!
What is this event?!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Mass_%28cycling%29
Last Friday evening of every month! Come out on your bikes and ride en masse through the city, for any number of reasons: just for fun, to celebrate bicycles as an alternative to cars, to spread awareness that bicycles share the road, or as a form of political protest. Wear costumes, bring music, noisemakers, flags, ribbons, etc. Ride a skateboard, roller blades, unicycle or some other human-powered bike alternative. Make it a parade!
Many interesting routes (and stops) are planned in advance, but some are unplanned and can simply be determined spontaneously by whoever is riding in the front. Ride SLOWLY so we can all stay together, enjoy the ride, talk along the way, and encourage people to join us.
Military Book Sale At Va. War Memorial Saturday
From FaceBook event page:
Booklovers, stock up on a great selection of military and history books from the Memorial’s USS Birmingham Library on sale at bargain prices. All proceeds benefit the Virginia War Memorial Foundation which funds our educational programs, exhibits and events.
Saturday at 9 AM – 4 PM
Virginia War Memorial
621 S Belvidere St, Richmond, Virginia 23220
This Saturday- Shiver In The River and Richmond Democrats’ Fifth District Meeting
This Saturday is Shiver In The River, a benefit riverfront event for the Keep Virginia Beautiful organization. There is a clean up, a 5K, and yes, a ‘polar bear plunge’ in the James River.
Also, the Richmond Democrats are holding a strategy meeting to discuss how they will organize neighborhoods for the upcoming 2017 elections. They are asking everyone to invite neighbors.
Saturday at 10 AM – 11:30 AM at Tower of Deliverance Church (118 Cowardin Ave, Richmond, Virginia 23224)
(Editor’s note: I am happy to post meeting notices from other political groups as well)
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association Meeting Tomorrow
From email announcement:
Hello all,
OHNA is meeting tomorrow, January 24th, at 7 pm at St. Andrew’s.
We will be in either the Parish House or the Little Chapel.
Hope to see everyone there,
Jennifer