September meeting minutes

9/15/21

• Minutes
  • Approved
• Treasurer’s Report
  • Approved
• HFW
  • Staging starting tomorrow, 9/16. Groundbreaking on Friday, 9/17 at 10am. 
  • Real construction begins next week
  • Ramp and parking lot impacted 
  • Will need to see how it’s really affected when construction starts. Another lot nearby is open and has a porta john.
  • Transfer to city needs to be an ordinance instead of a resolution, which it was originally approved as, but this won’t stall the project
  • Workaround to the trails added and overlook not impacted. Lower water is ideal for construction; they begin with the concrete pad and base then will be constructed upward. Project completion est. to take 60-90 days depending on rain, water level, etc.
  • This has been in the works since 2015 thanks to JROC.
• JRPS / Bryce Report
  • Visitation
    • August showed a decrease all across the locations. 2020 was 1.5 million visitors through August. We were ahead of last year, but now 2021 is behind 2020 by tens of thousands.
    • Trail counters malfunctioning. Difficult to pinpoint problem counters because different ones malfunction at different times.
  • Education
    • Summer camps finished up; Southampton ES is the focus for afterschool programming. 
  • Hiring
    • Re-advertising for Superintendent; no other FT positions open currently.
    • More FT positions desired based on the Master Plan and observed needs
  • Volunteering 
    • Lots of recent invasive plant removal thanks to RVA H2O funding and Laura Greenleaf.
    • Invasive Plant Task Force at Reedy clearing space. Received multiple grants; DCR grant of $135,000
    • Volunteers on Wednesdays and Saturdays are still going strong. Coordinating with JROC on our volunteer days. 
    • See calendar on HandsOn website for opportunities.
  • Operations
    • Grass cutting continues, adding mulch beds, wood chips, and beautification. 
    • May be getting a new porta john company again.
    • Lots of plantings this fall. 9/25 Reedy Creek, Wetlands and Pony Pasture through RVA H2O grant. Tree plantings at Ancarrow’s through Forestry grant.
  • Projects 
    • Pumphouse ADA ramp: w/other grants, close to what they need for the project. Va Dept of Forestry outdoor classroom grant for Reedy Creek HQ. Benches and open air style; will be open to visitors.
• DPU here to talk about leak at Pipeline and public relations
  • Repairs have started, inside then outside. Will wrap it up and start it back up. Should be open as soon as done, which depends on water level. No later than mid to late Oct., though. 300 ft worked on and several spots to repair. Corrosion is severe. This pipe is not quite 60 years old, which is considered a newer pipe locally; most are 100+ years old.
  • Considering eventually rerouting or replacing this pipe, which would involve digging up every street that serves it, the pipe’s “sewershed,” which includes Maymont through downtown. Relocation would impact a huge area which would need to be studied. 
  • Camera was inserted inside the pipe to look for damage. They are trying to fix it as quickly as possible, sharing pictures and updates throughRVA H2O for the public.
  • Waste was diverted in early August, almost immediately after the leak was discovered.
  • Plans to preserve the walkway even if the pipe is rerouted one day.
  • After these repairs complete, it will be totally reopened to visitors. 
  • To assess the condition of encased pipe sections, all are on scheduled assessments for cleaning and maintenance. This allows DPU to identify potential issues before they become problems or leaks. If a failure still occurs, indicators are pressure changes, discoloration, water quality testing, and meters within the pipes (Richmond is the only Virginia community using meters in pipes currently).
  • General Assembly passed down goal of reducing CSO. City is developing 2 plans: 5-year and final. 5-year plan is funded 100% by GA. The final plan’s goal is to control all overflow, which today is 2-4 billion gallons per year. Will require a huge overhaul and will cost $850 million to $1 billion.
  • Good news is that the City has improved a lot over time, but development has stressed the existing system. Goal of reducing stormwater w/green spaces to make more room for sewage in existing pipes.
    • ARPA (Sept 2024 deadline to be allocated by) surveys $154 mil coming from Feds. Over 50% of it going to parks and greenspaces.
    • Goal of connecting James River, Crooked Branch, and George Wythe HS. Greenway would get you almost to Richmond Highway and the rail to trail connection. Community Center focus, too. $500,000 for citywide parks master plan.
• Grants and fundraising
  • No expiration date on CIP money.
  • VOF GO grant for signage. Designs need to be finalized. Flip signs about river level- Katie working on. 2 years on this grant; 8 months in.
  • Reedy Creek takeout sign that fell storm- temporary one is up now. Need to climb to set up a new one. Riverside Outfitters working on this.
  • Music at Maymont 
    • 30-40 volunteers needed for upcoming shows.
  • King of the James on Nov. 14
    • Marketing, sponsors are needed. Whit doing trophies. Art done. 
    • More signed up now than this time last year. 
    • Parking a concern with farmers’ market same day.
• Friends
  • April – Wood River Run- are partners.
  • Belle Isle- fishing spot that’s ADA compliant. Everything lined up except funding.
• Projects
  • 21st st tower- mulched, plantings; needed more volunteers. Added timbers. Pretty much complete. 
  • Thurs- timbered tower for Texas Beach. This Thurs, back there to spread wood chips.
  • Sat- this Sat. taking down 3rd bird blind repairing, adding nicer trail at Wetlands
  • Potential future projects:
    • Fix canoe steps at Tredegar
    • Blackbird Island restoration: Could be that natural progression, overuse, or both are causing severe erosion.