Laura Burns

Laura Burns President's Circle: February 2023

To show our community what the Civic League does, here is what we have been up to the past few months on behalf of our residents:

  • Riverview Commercial Corridor Pilot Program: Riverview Village has been identified by the Department of Economic Development as one of two areas they are piloting a commercial corridor program. Funding will be provided for façade updates and placemaking. Pooya Mohit (VP) and I attended a meeting with the consulting group Anderson + Bohlander, the city hired to help drive this effort. Along with a few Riverview Village stakeholders, we helped the consultants understand what makes Riverview Village special, its history, and what improvements we would like to see in the area. The city will start accepting applications from business owners soon! More information 
  • Councilwoman Courtney Doyle: Our Councilwoman Courtney Doyle spoke at our last civic league meeting. She told us about some updates in our area, and residents were able to ask questions. Courtney was asked what recourse residents have when they submit a request to Norfolk Cares with seemingly no response. Courtney asked that we copy her on those correspondences so she can follow up and resolve it. Her email address is courtney.doyle@norfolk.gov.
  • Asphalt Art: Colonial Place resident Melissa Seek will present her proposal for asphalt art to be placed in both Colonial Place and Riverview as traffic calming measures. Be sure to join us in February to hear her ideas!
  • LeGrand Kitchen: LeGrand Kitchen is moving from Colley Ave to Riverview! The restaurant plans to occupy the space where Crackers currently resides.
  • Ignite 2023: Stephanie Clark (Crime Prevention), Artemis Stoll (Social Events), Shannon Bowman (Media), and I attend the Department of Neighborhood Services’ annual Leadership breakfast. We heard from several panelists about their passion for community service, and we learned about updates and initiatives the Department of Neighborhood Services provides to civic leagues. We look forward to making use of those resources.

 

The Civic League is here to serve the community. If there is anything we can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact me (president@cprv.net, 804-690-5047) and anyone from the Board (contact information is on the back of the newsletter).

News & Resources

CPRV Neighbors Toast to Six Months of Happy Hours at Perro Blanco

The Colonial Place Riverview Civic League marked its sixth consecutive monthly Community Happy Hour on Wednesday, November 5th—this time at Perro Blanco, our neighborhood’s go-to Tequila & Mezcal spot.

What started as a fun idea from Artemis Stoll, our incredible Social Events Committee Chair, has blossomed into a monthly tradition that truly embodies the spirit of CPRV. Artemis envisioned these gatherings as a way to spotlight local businesses while giving neighbors a chance to connect, laugh, and build friendships—and she’s delivered in every way. Her dedication over the years has played a huge role in helping our community grow closer and more vibrant.

This month’s happy hour had it all—a lively lounge atmosphere, friendly staff, delicious food, and a fantastic turnout. We saw new faces, familiar friends, and even neighbors who hadn’t been to an event in a while. From tacos and nachos to tequila and good conversation, it was the kind of evening that reminds us why we love calling CPRV home.

Next month, we’ll keep the fun rolling with our December Happy Hour at Fellini’s (date TBD). Follow us on social media for updates—and come raise a glass with your neighbors!

We love being your neighbor!

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Neighbors and Experts Team Up to Prune 200+ Crepe Myrtles in Colonial Place

This month, Colonial Place neighbors rolled up their sleeves and joined forces with teams from the Norfolk Master Gardeners and City Forester Steven Traylor for an educational and hands-on pruning event. Together, they carefully trimmed and maintained over 200 Crepe Myrtle trees throughout the neighborhood — keeping CPRV’s tree-lined streets as beautiful and healthy as ever.

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October 13th CPRV Civic League Meeting Recap​

Recap of the 10/13 CPRV Civic League meeting featuring Arts@ODU guests Cullen Strawn and Dr. Jasper Waugh-Quasebarth, board updates, and upcoming events including the rescheduled Front Porch Art Walk, community happy hour, waste collection day, and volunteer pruning.

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