Hi folks. I started this site with help from neighborhood media guru John Murden the day after I got laid off from my former job. I’ve since found gainful employment that will prevent me from doing any more work with ByrdPark.net. In the coming days I’m going to hand the site over John (murden@gmail.com) until someone steps up to run it. If you’re interested, let him know, and he can get you started. The neighborhood needs this site, and though it’s off to a good start, it certainly has room for improvement and more voices.

Thanks, and I look forward to being a reader.

This note comes from Michael Dodson, regarding Tuesday, Aug. 4:

“National Night Out is not happening in Byrd Park this year because of a lack of neighborhood support.  Neighbors are encouraged to leave their porch lights on and attend the Greater Randolph National Night Out at the Randolph Community Center.  The event starts at 6p.m.”

A park visitor reported seeing a raccoon wandering around in the daylight last Tuesday near the Children’s Farm. Maymont staffers caught the animal, and it tested positive for rabies last Wednesday, the story says. A neighborhood resident on a morning walk this week spotted another one hanging out near the base of a tree on the edge of the park at Lakeview and reported it to animal control. It’s usually a bad sign when raccoons, being nocturnal, are seen milling about during the day. Be careful out there, especially with your dogs.

Surely you’ve seen this by now. If not, take a look.

Lt. Capriglione’s crime report for Sector 313 is out. Not great news. There was what police call a drug-related robbery in the 2000 block of Lakeview Ave. and an arrest was made. Otherwise, Byrd Park was quiet in June according to the report.  The Fan, not so.   

6/2009 vs. 6/2008 – eight (8) crimes vs. eleven (11) crimes.

6/2009 vs. 6/2008 – sixty-five (65) crimes vs. fifty-six (56) crimes

6/2009 vs. 6/2008 – seventy-three (73) crimes vs. sixty-seven (67) crimes

We had what looks like a purebred Scottish Terrier wander into our backyard tonight. Still here. No collar, very friendly. Is he yours?

We spent the better part of the afternoon today glued to this, the Library of Congress’ searchable database of newspapers.

The Richmond Times, Richmond Dispatch and Times-Dispatch (they merged) are represented. In a 1902 issue of the Dispatch, we found a boosterish account of a day spent at Reservoir Park, later to be named Idlewood Amusement Park and written about in the Times-Dispatch in 1907 (see previous post) but nothing about the development of our neighborhood, which would seem to have been news.

It’s all but impossible to link to specific stories, but click here to see what a search for “Byrd Park” in the Times-Dispatch brings up.  And, you take a spin and see what you can find.

We have the odd boarded-up house here and there, but nothing like this. Detroit photographer Kevin Bauman has documented the decline and fall of some of the Motor City’s magnificent neighborhoods, and boy, is it a sad sight. Some dwellings are modest, but others quite obviously were castles for the wealthy on the order of what we have on Monument Avenue (one of them even has parapets, for crying out loud). One imagines the most skilled stone and brick masons in the Midwest working on some of these buildings, which were once homes to families but now are left to rot and fall in street.

With the Richmond Braves kaput, we’re it for fireworks in the city this year, so expect a lot of people. WRIC.com has the scoop on the city’s plans to keep traffic and people moving on Saturday:

To deal with the expected crowd, parking will be restricted Saturday in and around Dogwood Dell, the Carillon and Byrd Park. Richmond Police will strictly enforce parking signs, and violating vehicles will be towed.

To help, a shuttle has been established between the University of Richmond Stadium and Dogwood Dell beginning at 4 p.m.. The stadium is located at Douglasdale Road and McCloy Street.

Several roads will be closed, and the RMA is waiving the southbound toll on the Nickel Bridge for 30 minutes following the end of the fireworks display.

Whether it will open in mid-July remains to be seen, but there’s progress.

Here’s the news release:

MAYMONT TO CHARGE ADMISSION FEE FOR NATURE CENTER EXHIBITS

Effective July 7, 2009, there will be a nominal fee to enter Maymont’s Nature Center exhibits. Fees will be $2 for children ages 4-12 and seniors ages 60 and older; $3 for youth and adults ages 13 to 59; and free for kids under 4 years old. Admission will remain free for Maymont members. The Nature Center exhibits will be open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. (Current public hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m.)

The money raised from admission fees will help generate revenue to provide for the continued care of Maymont’s animals and to support operating costs that ensure Maymont will be around for future generations to enjoy.

“In the current global recession, Maymont is facing a serious budgetary challenge due to decreases in contributed and earned income, government support and endowment. At the same time, more and more people are visiting the park because it is free, but increased visitation adds additional costs to our strained resources,” Norman Burns, Maymont Foundation Executive Director, explained. “The small fee will help to offset some of those costs as Maymont continues to serve as a harbor of hope and diversion for those facing this current economic storm.”

Although Maymont property is owned by the city of Richmond, there is a misconception that it is a “city park” fully-funded through government support. However, since 1975, the private nonprofit Maymont Foundation has been entirely responsible for the park’s operation, maintenance and restoration with only minimal city funding each year. The Foundation must raise more than $3 million each year – or more than 80% of its operating budget – to keep the park open to the public 365 days a year. The Foundation has taken aggressive action to cut operational costs, resulting in reduced overhead and staff, closing the Nature Center on Mondays, closing the Gift Shop and implementing furlough days.

There are several ways supporters can help – through Maymont memberships, tax-deductible donations, corporate matching gift programs, attending Maymont programs, or celebrating special events at the park. For more information, contact Maymont at 804-358-7166, ext. 310.

Unless we’re missing something, things have been pretty quiet over here in the park. The walls are going up on the new concession building over at Fountain Lake. We’ll post some pictures soon.

Otherwise, if something’s on your mind this fine day, or if you have a question or need to rant about something, feel free.

The city’s summertime music series at Dogwood Dell (in its 53rd year) starts Thursday at 8 p.m. with the Faculty Lounge Lizards. Notable acts on the main stage this year include Susan Greenbaum, The English Channel, Plunky and Oneness and Page Wilson, among others.

See the full schedule.

Lt. Capriglione has released the May crime summary for Sector 313. Things were pretty quiet over here except for this eye-opening arrest on Sunday, May 31:

Officer Morley was patrolling Byrd Park as part of the weekend park initiative when she stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. As she approached the vehicle she observed the driver and passenger make furtive movements toward the back seat. As she spoke to the driver she saw the back seat was folded down allowing access to the trunk. Closer inspection revealed two handguns lying in the trunk. Further investigation revealed the driver was not allowed to posses a firearm. As a result, the driver was arrested and both handguns were seized as well as a bag containing one-hundred-sixty (160) rounds of various types of ammunition.

 

The Times-Dispatch is reporting an arrest in the murder of Joseph Wynn in the 2000 block of Maplewood Ave. amost two years ago.

Derrell R. Brown, 23, was taken into custody following a standoff at a North Richmond apartment, and police were investigating the possibility that he fired shots at officers before his arrest.

(text snipped)

Authorities believe Brown shot to death Joseph Wynn, 74, at a house in the 2000 block of Maplewood Avenue on Aug. 24, 2007. The late-afternoon shooting occurred in Wynn’s house, which police described as a “nip joint” — a place where alcohol is sold illegally.

Join the Friends of William Byrd Park on Saturday to cut sapplings and ivy from the vita course. The event is from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; meetup place is the water fountain at the course. Bring gloves, garden shears, pruners and recyclable garden bags. Contact Rhonda Bledsoe for additional information at rhondabledsoe@gmail.com or 804-539-5716.

Via Craigslist, word of  a found dog on Rosewood:

Last night, around 11 pm one of my housemates found a medium-sized mottled black and white dog (no collar) roaming in the street on Rosewood Ave. (a block behind Byrd Park). We brought him back to our house on Idlewood, fed him and gave him water. He is still in our yard, but our landlord does not allow dogs, so we need to find his home!

Channel 12 reports today on the assault of a woman in The Fan, just north of Byrd Park. This one was not sexual in nature, police said.

The most recent attack happened overnight Memorial day on Mule Barn Alley off Davis avenue, between Main and Cary. Police are looking into whether this and a sexual assault on North Meadow are related, but say both have similarities. 

Police are looking for a Hispanic male, medium build, approximately 5 foot 3 to 5 foot 5, with dark spiky hair.

At 4 p.m. Carillonneur Larry Robinson will ring in Memorial Day by playing patriotic songs on the bells. He will be joined by guest speakers, vocal selections, and a salute by the Memorial Rifles. The building will be open for viewing.
Festivities continue at 7:30 p.m. with music by The Virginians Barbershop Chorus in Dogwood Dell in the park.

At RichmondMagazine.com, Harry Kollatz has a really well-done update on the dredging of the marshy bottom in Forest Hill Park and the re-establishment of the once-beautiful lake. Check it out. The city has been talking about doing this for at least 10 years. Good to see it getting done. John R. Pope, director of the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, thinks so too. Writes Kollatz:

Pope was quite pleased to announce something good and needed. And for about a half-hour in the exquisite spring light, nobody thought about baseball stadiums or recessions. Big men in hard hats and glowing green mesh vests stood with their hands on their hips and smiled.

Pope enthused, “I have to say, that in 30 years in this business, in projects from Missouri to West Virginia, this is the most exciting I’ve ever been a part of. To take a landscape that had been let go and to bring it back, to restore it to what it was, for the benefit and enjoyment of this community and the city, I can’t tell you how gratifying that is to get done.”