More Monroe Park Woes

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Neighbor and OHNA President Todd Woodson reports…

The audit of the 2019-2020 Budget and Strategic Planning- Capital Improvement Plan was released yesterday and $350,000.00 in Monroe Park renovation expenses were misclassified by the Finance Department as being School Construction funding. That means the Monroe Park “renovation” actually cost at least $350K more than we thought. WAY over $7,000,000.00 was spent for an environmental disaster…

Editorial: Will other local media report on this? Doubtful, since they have done such a horrible job already. Citizens continue to ask City Council when the Monroe Park Conservancy’s lease will be terminated and the park returned to the public.

OHNA Meeting Tomorrow Night

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From announcement:

Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association agenda for next week (3-26-19/Tuesday/7pm/St. Andrew’s Church)
“-7PM Meeting brought to order
-Updates from VCU Liaison, RPD, VCU police
-Update on our Open High Bee initiative.
-Guy Blundon of Victory Rug Apartments will discuss SUP proposal to change some things as the apartments are eligible to become privately owned dwellings.
-Discussion of crime reduction measures such as neighborhood watch, etc.”
Hope to see you all there!

Another Shooting Increases Neighbors’ Concerns

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While police and neighbors are still following up on a recent shoot-out at the Overlook, a drive-by shooting last night on the northern end of the neighborhood has renewed concerns.

A WTVR news report has a few details:

“Richmond Police and VCU Police received the report of a shooting at West Cary and North Laurel Streets,” the university sent students in a Monday morning alert. “Upon arrival, officers located a male that had been shot. Witnesses reported that a black four-door sedan had driven by and an occupant of that vehicle shot the victim. Police have increased patrols in the area.”

VCU confirmed the shooting victim was not a student. The victim’s wounds were considered non-life threatening, according to investigators.

Police provided a vague description of the suspect as a black male wearing a white shirt.

Richmond Police are leading the investigation.

East Coast Greenway and ‘ATP Trail Study’

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I am not exactly sure why local planners and media do not bring it up (are they worried about it taking attention away from the ‘Cap-To-Cap’ Trail?, does it go against corporate rulers’ schemes?, are they worried about provoking Agenda 21 conspiracy theorists?) but the Times Dispatch has an article on the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) preparing to build a 40-mile bike trail from Ashland to Petersburg, one that still does not even mention the East Coast Greenway (www.greenway.org) effort.

Of course, this ‘ATP Trail Study’ fits in with the East Coast Greenway planning. Why not report on it in those terms?

This community news site has been bringing it up for over a decade now. Originally, neighborhood leaders were interested in having the East Coast Greenway connect with the Belvidere greenway, which connects the Parsons Linear Park with the Riverside Park and the James River Park. That fits in with the Belle Island trail already being designated part of the East Coast Greenway.

From Belle Island, today:

Unfortunately, VCU and other bad development have stymied those thoughts, even though it would have been really cool to have a trail connect Monroe Park and Carver via a trail along Belvidere. Since then, many citizens hope that the East Coast Greenway will utilize the Cannon Creek Greenway, and then have the trail go west to connect with Belle Island. This could really be a boon for Barton Heights and other Northside neighborhoods that need more economic development.

It’s important that everyone understands how important this is for Richmond’s future. Having the East Coast Greenway intersect with the Virginia Capital Trail will be amazing. Imagine bicycle tourists traveling down from DC, coming into Richmond, staying and enjoying the area before making to the choice to fork or not. Pretending this is just a regional thing is just ridiculous.

VDOT will hold a public information meeting on Tuesday, March 26, from 5-7 p.m. at the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, 1000 North Lombardy Street, Richmond, VA 23220.

Oregon Hill Baptist Center

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River Road Church, Baptist, website has a recent post that gives a little history of one of the Centers of Care For The City, Oregon Hill Baptist Center:

From the beginning, Richmond Baptists saw the need to care for the physically and spiritually destitute in the city. In 1914 Richmond Baptists opened a pioneer institution, the House of Happiness. It quickly became a lighthouse for the needy in Richmond. As population shifted and the needs of the people changed, it became clear that more centers were needed. The Cary Street Baptist Center opened in 1940 with a Vacation Bible School. In 1974 this center was moved to its present location inside Pine Street Baptist Church and the name was changed to the Oregon Hill Baptist Center.
Today, Oregon Hill offers counseling, small group Bible studies, family activities, and youth gatherings. As the community has changed over the years, many of the ministries of the Center have changed as well. Now Oregon Hill operates an emergency food pantry and provides some financial assistance for those living in the 23219 and 23220 zip codes. RRCB’s First Sunday Food Share collection helps supply the pantry.
One of the major areas of focus is their Homeless Ministry. Several unique opportunities have emerged in this ministry. The Center offers lockers for use of the homeless. This gives them a place to leave important papers, personal items, and some clothing. A mailing address is also provided for those with no other option. With the help of volunteers, the homeless are also provided a laundry drop off and pick up service once a week.

The post goes on to identify some of the volunteer opportunities associated with the center.

Open High Students March For Climate

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The Times Dispatch has a nice article on Open High students’ participation in today’s international youth march for climate awareness.

Here’s an excerpt:

About 100 Open students – roughly half of the school’s population – left their studies in the Oregon Hill neighborhood at 9:30 a.m. and marched down Belvidere, Franklin and Broad streets to demand the city and school system take action to stop the effects of climate change.

“This is our future,” said senior Ian McCoy. “The generations before us screwed up our environment and now we have to suffer.”

McCoy helped organize the Richmond protest, one of an estimated 2,000 across the world on Friday. Global students drew inspiration from Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish activist who has held demonstrations outside the Swedish parliament since last year. Thunberg was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

What I really appreciated was that the article included specific demands from Richmond students to their school administration and City government:

1. Have the city and Richmond School Board recognize the need “to include steps to mitigate climate change with the long term and short term goals.”
2. Use green building standards in school renovations and construction.
3. Have the school district stop using Styrofoam and other non-recyclable, one-time-use plastics in school lunches.
4. Reduce energy usage and improve energy efficiency in schools.
They made those requests known in a meeting Friday with Richmond Public Schools Chief of Staff Michelle Hudacsko and Mayor Levar Stoney’s Senior Policy Advisor for Youth Initiatives, Eva Colen.

Bring on the solar schools!