Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League
COMMUNITY NEWS

June 2005

             Elections, Budget, and Open Forum At This Month's Meeting

NEXT BOARD MEETING will be June 20, 2005, at 7:00 pm.

DEADLINE for the July issue is Sunday, June 26, 2005.

THIS MONTH'S MEETING AGENDA:   Monthly police report - Code enforcement update - Civic League Elections - Annual Budget - Open Forum.

The June Civic League meeting is important. As our annual meeting we will have officer elections and discuss/approve the League’s budget for July 2005 through June 2006. Since we will not have a speaker, there should be time to discuss community issues.

Thanks to the efforts of many, especially Steve Tobias and Bill Nusbaum, the City’s budget includes funding for the Haven Creek Boat Ramp and possibly a walkway on top of the bulkhead next to the boat ramp. Depending on the cost of the bulk-heading, and if funding permits, the city will put a walkway on top of the bulkhead. We must still address the asphalt walkway along Haven Creek.

How do you like the new look of the Newsletter? Joe Rivas, our new editor, has made some changes. Thanks Joe. If you have suggestions, want to write articles or help, call Joe at 277-2822 or e-mail him at cprvnews@gmail.com.

We need your help. We need volunteers to head civic league committees. Two pending vacancies are Crime Prevention and our ad hoc Traffic Committee. Both Malcolm Martin and Robin Huelsbeck have done a terrific job. Please contact them, Vice President Steve Earnhart, or me.

We are approaching the 100th anniversary of Colonial Place (originally named Sterling Place-Riverview has already reached 100). Some board members have suggested that the Civic League undertake a project to coincide with the anniversary. If you have suggestions for projects, tell me or another board member. I’ll see you at the June 13th meeting. -

June already?! For June’s meeting we will set aside time for the election of our civic league officers and vote on the annual civic league budget. Immediately following the election, we will have time for discussions on any issue residents would like to discuss. Please plan to attend. If you have any questions, please email me at: scearnhart@erols.com.

Please mark your calendars for our July CPRV civic league meeting on Monday, July 11th, at 6:30 p.m. In addition to our annual Ice Cream Social we will be adding hotdogs and a “Bike Rodeo.” Ms. Kathy Kretz and Ms. Anne Leigh Austin of the local State Farm Insurance Company will partner with our civic league to present an evening of bike safety for the whole family. As a bonus, civic league members (current or new) who participate in the evening activities (either by biking or eating or both) are eligible for a free CPRV sticker, though you must agree to display your sticker on your car or bicycle. Get your bikes ready for July and bring the whole family out for our Ice Cream Social/Weiner Roast/Bike Rodeo. Would anyone like to volunteer to bring their grill that night and serve as a grillmeister? If you have any questions, please email me at: scearnhart@erols.com.

Summer goes wild with an exciting week of animal-related activities, games and fun. One-on-one animal encounters drive the desire to discover and experience the world of nature at your Virginia Zoo’s Summer Safari Camps. Summer sizzles June 27 through August 26 with week-long camp sessions for children ranging 4 -14 years. Extended care is available daily and every camper receives a Summer Safari T-shirt. Sessions fill fast and registration is available by calling (757) 441-2374 ext. 229 or by visiting: http://www.virginiazoo.org.

Nauticus, The National Maritime Center in downtown Norfolk, offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals age 14 and older. Do you love the beach and ocean? Are you interested in learning and sharing information about the ocean, bays, and rivers around us? Do you like to meet and work with interesting people? If so, volunteering at Nauticus is for you! We have positions available weekdays and weekends in the Aquarium, Gift Shop, Visitor Services, Cruise Ship, and Education Departments. To learn more about joining the Nauticus team as a volunteer, please contact our Volunteer Office at 664-1043.

Adults, don’t let the kids have all the fun this summer. Beginning June 19, you can join a summer reading club strictly for adults. “Summer in the City…Read” is the theme for this relatively new program. When you register, you’ll receive a log sheet to record the books (or audiobooks) you read. At the end of the club, there will be drawings for prizes at every Norfolk library branch, with your chances of winning based on the number of books you’ve read during the summer. The club will end on August 27th.

Join us to talk about Pretlow's Funtastic Summer Reading Club 2005. We are inviting teen volunteers aged 12 years and up to help us operate our SRC activities. Volunteer activities will include, but not be limited to, signing up SRC participants, helping with craft projects, and decorating the program room. Join us today to explore the options available. If you are unable to make it today, call us at 441-1750, and we will be happy to fill you in on the details. Age Groups: Teens. Pretlow Branch Library, 9640 Granby Street. 757-441-1750.

There are many things that Norfolk residents can do to greatly reduce the mosquito breeding around their home. These include: emptying water from wading pools, wheelbarrows, boats and toys; disposing of cans, bottles, and plastic containers by storing them in covered trash-cans or sealed bags until they are recycled; eliminating discarded tires and drilling drainage holes in tires used for playground equipment; covering garbage cans so that water doesn’t collect in them; adjusting tarps over firewood piles, grills, boats, and swimming pools; re-grading drainage areas and cleaning out debris from ditches to eliminate standing water; cleaning and circulating swimming pools; cleaning gutters and down spouts; eliminating standing water on flat roofs; cleaning birdbaths, pet watering containers and the bottoms of potted plant holders each week to eliminate attached mosquito eggs - and refilling them with clean water; circulating water in your garden pond and stocking it with top-water feeding fish that eat mosquito larvae.

In the past couple of months, the gardening information here has been pretty general but I hope the information has been helpful to most. The fastest growing sector of the gardening business is water-gardening. Good planning, a modest investment and a little maintenance will be beneficial throughout this season. Even if you don’t have a pond, natural or man-made, you can still enjoy the wide range of plants for ponds.

Tanners Creek Garden Center tries to use as few chemicals as possible in our display ponds and holding tanks. You should strive to do the same. It is better for your plants, the fish, your pets, kids and the environment. The biggest issue pond-gardeners face is algae and cloudy water. The solution? Shade. Algae love the sun and warm water. If you are planning a new pond, look for a space that is partially shaded. Strive for at least 60% shade on the surface of your pond throughout the day. If you have already built your pond in full sun, don’t worry, there are “natural” ways to get your pond in balance.

Submerged plants like anacharis and hornwort and partially submerged plants like parrot’s feather are your BEST, safest and least expensive defense against algae. These beneficial plants actually compete for nutrients with the algae. The submerged plants grow rapidly and they usually win out These plants are also called oxygenators, meaning that if you do not have the ideal circulation in your pond, the plants actually help produce oxygen for the fish and create a healthy environment. Fish also love to feed on the anacharis!

Another good defense is floating plants such as water hyacinths and water lettuce. These plants float freely on the surface of the water and they create offshoots or babies and spread to cover the surface of the water. Fish like to feed on the roots hanging in the water and, if these plants are used in the flow of the water, the roots help filter the water as it circulates. Keep in mind that these plants are not hardy and will not survive the winter in an outdoor pond. Therefore you will have to replace them each year. Also, because of their rapid spread, you will probably be thinning them out by mid July. DO NOT ever dispose of these plants in public or natural waterways. They are very invasive and possession is actually forbidden in some states. Not Virginia, however.

Balance and patience is the other factor in a clean, clear pond. A new pond needs about a full year to create its own natural balance. If you use a lot of chemicals in your pond, it takes much longer for the pond to work on its own with the pump, plants, fish and filter. Be patient. Sometimes a brand-new pond, especially in the sun, will turn green within a few weeks. Keep up the plant supply and try to create some degree of shade and this will pass in time.

Water or aquatic plants you can use outside of your pond in the ground are water iris, hardy lotus, cat tail, reeds and grasses. The selection is huge but keep in mind that most of these plants spread freely in wet ground so plan where you plant carefully. Some of the tropical varieties like umbrella palm and Egyptian papyrus make great house plants in the winter as long as they are kept in moist to wet soil.

I know this is very limited information but I wanted to cover the algae issue as much as I could. Feel free to shoot any other pond questions you have our way, and I hope you all enjoy your water garden this year. If you have not explored this area of gardening as yet, I highly recommend it. In this noisy and hurried world we live in, the rewards of water gardening, large or small, are many and long lasting! If you have any questions about something that I have not covered here, then feel free to come up to the Garden Center or drop me an e-mail at: Hoffmaster.james@egglestonservices.org

Before you look for a contractor, think your project through from start to finish. Be prepared to tell the remodeler what you want, as specifically as you can. He or she will transform your ideas into reality using his/her expertise and professional knowledge, but only based on how much information you are able to supply in the beginning. Some items to consider when selecting the contractor for your remodeling job:
First, qualify your contractor...

• Determine if the contractor's license status is appropriate for your size job. Class A contractors can make contracts of any value; Class B contractors up to $70,000; Class C up to $7,500. Require proof of license status (this should be based on your total job estimate).
• How long has the contractor been in business? Has the contractor had any serious complaints made with the Better Business Bureau (531-1300)?
• Require that the contractor show proof of worker's compensation & general liability insurance before you sign a contract.
• Request references. Also, ask if it's possible for you to visit with a current or completed job of the contractor's. Ask for at least one reference over one year old.
• Is the contractor a member of any trade association (Tidewater Builders Association and its Remodelers Council, 420-2434; Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, 622-2312; National Association of the Remodeling Industry, 703-276- 7600 or other)?
• Are subcontractors used by the contractor properly licensed? Ask the remodeling contractor who will service the remodeling work installed?

• Insist on complete specifications before signing a contract.
• Make sure the contract includes a payment schedule.
• The contractor's start date and estimated completion date should be included in the contract. How will foul weather impact the project? Will you have a vacation or other event that may interfere with the project?
• Ask the contractor what provisions and policies he employs to assure the safety, security and cleanliness of your home. Make sure these policies and provisions are clearly stated in your contract.
• Who will be your primary contact while the work is being performed, and will the contractor be readily available if there are any problems?
• What inconveniences will you be subject to and how long for each? Will workmen be using your telephone? What time will the work begin and end each day, and does this include Saturdays? Where will the workmen park? Where will deliveries of materials be designated to unload via trucks, etc.? Will restroom facilities be furnished by you or will the contractor supply a portable toliet? Find out when you will receive warranties for products purchased. Is there a warranty for workmanship in the contract?

• It should be stated in the contract that the contractor must obtain a permit from the city. You should not get the permit. If you obtain the permit, this makes it almost impossible to hold the contractor responsible if any problems occur. The permit initiates inspections from the city to make sure the contractor is performing the work to meet regulations.

Monday, June 13th, 2005
7:00 p.m. - Civic League Meeting - Stuart Center
Wednesday, June 15th, 2005
6:00 p.m. - The Art of Jazz: Jim Newsom - Chrysler Museum (Contact Museum)
Thursday, June 16th, 2005
6:00 p.m. - Zoning & Sustainable Neighborhoods Lecture - Norfolk Neighborhood Design and Resource Center (Free)
Sunday, June 19th, 2005
9:00 p.m. - Ocean View Big Bands on the Bay: The Top Hats Orchestra - Ocean View Beach Park (Free)
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2005
6:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - The Art of Jazz: Reggie Gist - Chrysler Museum (Contact Museum)
Friday, June 24th - 26th, 2005
- Bayou Boogaloo and Cajun Food Festival - Town Point ($)
Friday, June 24th - 27th, 2005
- Tall Ship “DANMARK” visit from Denmark - Norfolk Waterfront (Open to Public)
Sunday, June 26th, 2005
9:00 p.m. - Ocean View Big Bands on the Bay: The Upper Willet Drive Big Band - Ocean View Beach Park (Free)
Monday, June 27th, 2005
6:30 p.m. - Crime Watch Meeting - Stuart Center
Wednesday, June 29th, 2005
6:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - The Art of Jazz: Anna Gunn - Chrysler Museum (Contact Museum)

(Dates and Times subject to change without notice)

              The Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League
              P.O. Box 6130
              Norfolk, VA 23508

              E-MAIL: president@cprv.org (checked weekly)

              WEB PAGE: www.cprv.org

Community News Editor:   Joe Rivas, Phone 277-2822
Community News Distribution:   Margaret Bright, Phone 627-2815
Advertising:   Joe Rivas, Phone 277-2822

Please deliver typewritten newsletter items to:

              Joe Rivas
              Phone: 277-2822
              e-mail: cprvnews@gmail.com