Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League
COMMUNITY NEWS
NEXT BOARD MEETING will be February 19, 2001, at 7:00 pm, 710 Georgia Avenue.
DEADLINE for the March issue is Tuesday, February 27, 2001.
THIS MONTH'S MEETING AGENDA: Monthly police report - Code enforcement update - Tilford Flowers, our new Crime Prevention chair, will speak - John and Maggie Tsouris will introduce their restaurant, "Enrico's Ristorante," to open soon on Colley Avenue - Vote to be taken to select a location for a mermaid in Colonial Place. See "A New Maritime Resident for Colonial Place."
Congratulations, residents! We were recently rewarded $175 for participating in the EARNN program. What does EARNN mean? Environmental Awards for Recycling in Norfolk's Neighborhoods. This program gives monetary rewards to Norfolk's civic organizations for increased participation in Norfolk's curbside recycling program – and also for other environmental activities.
Recently, our neighborhoods were awarded $100 for increasing our curbside recycling from 38% to 42%. We also received an additional $75 for our Fall Clean-Up, Michigan Avenue's Adopt-A-Street program, and Audrey Webb's participation as a representative on the environmental commission.
Even though we initially increased our curbside recycling to 42%, we have subsequently dropped back to 30%. We have a lot of catching up to do if we want to receive awards in the future. Evaluations are performed annually by counting the bins placed at the curb. The following items are good candidates for recycling: newspapers, phone books, aluminum cans, aluminum pie plates, aluminum foil, glass (clear, brown, or green), plastic bottles (#1 and #2), steel cans, and household batteries.
If you don't have a blue recycling bin or would like an extra one, the Norfolk Environmental Commission will provide one free of charge. Call 441-1347. Remember, please keep Norfolk clean by keeping our neighborhoods green. Recycling matters!
The 2001 Norfolk City sticker will make its way to our windshields shortly. Unfortunately, certain bad guys may attempt to break into our cars and remove them. The Norfolk Police Department recommends we take the following steps to limit the theft of city stickers: Using a black marker, write (in larger letters) your vehicle color and make or license plate number on the sticker prior to placing it on your windshield. This will deter theft and, in the event your sticker is stolen, this simple act will allow police officers to instantly identify a stolen sticker when they see one!
The Norfolk Neighborhood Crime Prevention Coalition and Police Assisted Community Enforcement (PACE) invites you to honor those who have helped make Norfolk a safer city through their crime prevention efforts. Attend the 9th Annual Crime Prevention Awards Dinner at the Radisson Hotel, Monticello & Brambleton Avenue, March 19, 2001, 6:30 pm. Tickets are $15.00 per person if purchased before March 5th, and $18.00 thereafter. For tickets contact Edith Warring 587-1802. (No ticket sales at the door)
A key attraction of our community is our vista of the Lafayette River and its tributaries. The bulkheaded greenway along Mayflower Road is a place for all the residents of Colonial Place and Riverview to enjoy. The Civic League Bulkhead Greenway Committee's goal is to enhance this greenway.
Our first step is to determine what you, the residents, want. We will gather ideas, develop a plan, and present it to the civic league membership for approval. We plan to concentrate on the areas along the bulkhead that the city has replaced, and then, as the city replaces more of the bulkhead, expand our improvements. As you might have noticed, work has started on the next section to be replaced with the recent taking of soil test-borings. Also the city just completed the replanting of the World War II memorial at the head of Newport Avenue.
So what do you want? An asphalt walkway? A walkway of paving stones? A bike path? Seating areas? Plantings? Artwork? Gardens? Mermaids? Trees? Elegance? Rusticity? Tell Kathy Stark (640-8938), Craig Reilly (627-6887) or me, Andy Wallach (622-8315). Or come present your ideas at our next meeting on February 26, 7 pm, at Kathy Stark's house, 524 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Wreaths and bows hung along Granby Street's Riverview Village marking the holiday season. The handmade decorations, graciously supplied by Mary Bamett, were hung in true community spirit by merchants, property owners, residents, and our PACE officer, Jim Prentice. Additional thanks to Richard Levin for providing extra manpower for the removal of the decorations.
The streetlights and sidewalks in Riverview Village are now complete. Planning is underway for banners to help brand our restaurant and shopping district.
Cafe Paradise (formerly Tabouli), one of the original pioneering restaurants, has decided to close its doors. Renovations are already underway to transform this site into a Subway sandwich shop. Work also continues at the adjacent Buffalo Bill's property. Both new eateries hope to open in early spring.
Tabb's at Riverview was very favorably reviewed on the January 28th cover of the Sunday edition of the Virginian Pilot's Flavor section. Chef Jeff Tabb's winning smile is featured as the reviewer hails this family-run, family-friendly restaurant, "Surrounding neighborhoods of Tabb's are lucky to have a casual eatery offering a range of fare, for both tastes and pocketbooks, that is properly prepared in their own backyards."
All the more reason for us to remember to shop the neighborhood first.
Have you met our new resident? She is quite a looker. Who is she? Well, she doesn't have a name, at least one we humans can pronounce. She is a gift from the City of Norfolk, and courtesy of one of the residents of Colonial Place, who heavily lobbied with the Mayor and other downtown notables for our own Ariel. Drive around the neighborhood and see if you can find a good spot for her. Come to this month's civic league meeting to voice your preference and vote on a location.
The cornerstone of our crime-prevention program is BLOCK SECURITY. Block Security is simply a community based volunteer program involving neighborhood concern, awareness, and action, coupled with police cooperation. The program is designed to enhance neighborhood security, to heighten the community?s powers of observation, and to encourage mutual assistance and concern among neighbors.
The success and effectiveness of our crime prevention initiatives will rest solely on the involvement of each of us. No community program can achieve its goals without the participation of its residents. Volunteers are needed! Feel free to contact me at 627-7795 or Tilfordf@hotmail.com.
Sponsored by North Colley Partnership, your neighborhood businesses.
Date: Sunday, March 18
Time: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Tickets Sold in Advance at Heritage Bank & Trust and O'Sullivan's.
Adults $12.00. Children, 6-12, $6.00. Under 6, Free!
For More Information call 423-5070.
The Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League
P.O. Box 6347
Norfolk, VA 23508
(757) 640-5555 extension 20943
WEB PAGE: dcf.net/cprv
Community News Editor: Wayne Johnson, Phone 623-1078
Community News Distribution: Margaret Bright, Phone 627-2815
Advertising: Jeff Stark, Phone 640-8938
Please deliver typewritten newsletter items to:
Wayne Johnson
637 New Jersey Ave
Norfolk, VA 23508
e-mail houstori@pilot.infi.net