A public news conference will be held to explain the massive work currently being done to clear the undergrowth in the Cannon Creek Greenway. The work is being performed by the Virginia Army National Guard, 180th Horizontal Construction Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, with the assistance of the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and the Richmond Department of Public Works.
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
900 E. Broad Street, Suite 200 - Richmond, Virginia 23219 - www.council.richmondva.gov
PUBLIC NEWS CONFERENCE TOMORROW - CAMERA OPPORTUNITY
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Citizen Soldiers aid Richmond with massive clearing of Cannon Creek Greenway: Public News Conference being held tomorrow
News Conference being held to explain Virginia Army National Guard’s work on first phase of new modern biking, hiking, walking trails and park facilities
WHAT
A public news conference will be held to explain the massive work currently being done to clear the undergrowth in the Cannon Creek Greenway. The work is being performed by the Virginia Army National Guard, 180th Horizontal Construction Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, with the assistance of the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and the Richmond Department of Public Works.
During this project, streets that intersect with the Richmond-Henrico Turnpike between E. Brookland Park Boulevard and Dove Street will be closed daily from Thursday, July 22 to Tuesday, July 27, 2010 between 7:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
The work of the Virginia Army National Guard, 180th Horizontal Construction Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, is critical to the success of this community project.
WHEN
PUBLIC NEWS CONFERENCE
Friday, 23 July 2010
11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
WHERE
(Former) Virginia Army National Guard Armory
500 Dove Street (Intersection of Dove Street and Richmond-Henrico Turnpike)
WHO
The Honorable Ellen F. Robertson, Councilwoman, Richmond City Council, Gateway 6th District
Mr. Cotton Puryear, Communications Director, Virginia Department of Military Affairs
Virginia Army National Guard, 180th Horizontal Construction Company,276th Engineer Battalion
Mr. Larry Miller, Project Management Analyst,Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
Dr. Charles Price, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club
CONTACT
For more information, please contact Mr. Cotton Puryear, Communications Director, Virginia Department of Military Affairs, at 804.539.1451 mobile; or cotton.puryear@us.army.mil; Dr. Charles Price, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, at 804.358.0256, or fewmit@comcast.net; or, Councilwoman Ellen Robertson, at 804.646.7964 or ellen.robertson@richmondgov.com
BACKGROUND - Richmond Cannon Creek Greenway project __________________________
This work represents the First Phase of the Cannon Creek Greenway Project, to clear the undergrowth in the Cannon Creek Greenway, located in the Northside 3 District and Gateway 6th District of Richmond.
This project is a continuation of ongoing community reclamation and improvement of the 1.4 mile area that comprises the Cannon Creek Greenway, which includes a heavily-wooded ravine located adjacent to a section of the north-south Richmond-Henrico Turnpike between Valley Road on the south and Craigie Avenue.
Other projects leading up to this work have included two community cleanups, held in 2009 and 2010 to remove unwanted trash and debris.
The clearing and cleanups are expected to prepare the Greenway for the construction of a bike/pedestrian trail and family-oriented park facilities. It is envisioned that this project will help to increase the social, economic, and physical revitalization of the Northside and Gateway Districts of Richmond.
The work of the Virginia Army National Guard, 180th Horizontal Construction Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, is critical to the success of this community project.
The Cannon Creek Greenway Project is a community improvement initiative supported by: Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson, Richmond City Council - Gateway 6th District, Councilman Chris A. Hilbert, Richmond City Council - Northside 3rd District, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones, Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, Richmond Department of Public Works) Southern Barton Heights Community Association, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Richmond Public Schools, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Green Park Civic Association, Highland View Civic Association, Chestnut Hill Action Team, Battery Park Civic Association and Virginia Tech School of Architecture and Design - Landscape Architecture Program.
Planning for the features of the Greenway began in 2008 and have included a series of community meetings and workshops involving neighborhood civic associations, elected Councilmembers, residents of the Highland Park and Barton Heights communities, Richmond Department of Parks and Recreation, Richmond Department of Community Development, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA), and several environmental and recreation organizations.
Beginning in 2009, an annual Richmond Cannon Creek Greenway Community Cleanup has been held to remove unwanted trash and debris from the Richmond Cannon Creek Greenway, which is a 1.4 mile area that includes the heavily-wooded ravine located adjacent to a section of the north-south Richmond-Henrico Turnpike between Valley Road on the south and Craigie Avenue on the north in Northside Richmond. The cleanups cleanup each year (held March 20, 2010 and January 24, 2010) have prepared the area for beginning the transformation of the site into a bike/pedestrian trail and family-oriented park facilities. It is envisioned that this project will help in increasing the social, economic, and physical revitalization of Northside Richmond. In both years, more than 200 volunteers removed tons of trash from the area that, over the years, has been used as an illegal dump site.
A stakeholders’ Planning “Charrette” was conducted in October, 2009 to decide on the features of the reclaimed Cannon Creek Greenway by faculty and students of the Virginia Tech Landscape Architectural Program. The Richmond city government administration has also completed an environmental study of the Greenway site and is currently conducting an engineering study of the area and a study of the proposed alternative routes of the Greenway’s bike and pedestrian trail are being completed by City of Richmond engineering consultant contractors.
On December 1, 2009, the City of Richmond submitted an “Innovative Readiness Training Request for Military Assistance” through the Virginia Governor’s Office and the Virginia Adjutant General to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Reserve Affairs. As a training function of the Guard Unit, the clearing of undergrowth and construction of the Cannon Creek Greenway’s bike/pedestrian trail and park features by the Virginia Army National Guard, 180th Horizontal Construction Company, 276th Engineer Battalion.
Plans for the Richmond Cannon Creek Greenway’s include serving as a scenic park and recreational area for the 300 unit, mixed income housing revitalization initiative of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) that will be built nearby. Construction of the RRHA initiative are planned for the near future.
The Cannon Creek Greenway Project may also be linked to the United States of America East Coast Greenway, which is being built in sections from Main to Florida, and to the Virginia Capital Trail, which would link Richmond to Williamsburg and Jamestown.
The sidewalk and street intersections of the Greenway’s bicycle and pedestrian trial will connect the Northside’s business and commercial corridor along E. Brookland Park Boulevard residential neighborhoods, churches, schools, and community centers for ease of access by bicycling or walking. It will also provide an alternative transportation route for bicycle commuting from the residential neighborhoods of Highland Park and Barton Height to the City’s downtown. In addition to its use for family-oriented, recreational activities, the Greenway may also serve as an outdoor environmental laboratory for the science classes of nearby schools.
COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
- E N D -
______________________________________
Steven R. Skinner, APR
Council Public Information Manager
Office of the Chief of Staff
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
Richmond City Hall
900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804.646.6052 (office)
804.335.4054 (mobile)
804.937.1386 (home/mobile)
804.646.5468 (fax)
skinnesr@ci.richmond.va.us (email)
www.council.richmondva.gov(website)
______________________________________
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