Thursday, November 7, 2024

November Newsletter and Events

  • Upcoming Events
    • Thursday, Nov 21, 2024: Monthly Meeting - Guest Speaker Virginia State House Delegate Bonita Anthony 
    • Saturday, Nov 23, 2024: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road 
  • News
    • Local Election Results
    • Blue Heron Landing Grand Opening
    • Indian River Design Guidelines
    • October Recap
Upcoming Events

Thursday, Nov 21, 2024: Monthly Meeting - Guest Speake Delegate Bonita Anthony 
  • 7 pm to 8:30 pm
  • Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
  • Our guest speaker will be Virginia State House Delegate Bonita Anthony. We'll have a chance to learn about the upcoming General Assembly meeting in Richmond and issues that affect our community.  
  • All are welcome.  We'll also have the latest community news and updates!  There will be light refreshments after the meeting.  
    Saturday, Nov 23, 2024: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road 
    • From 9 AM to 11:30 am  
    • Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
    • We need your help with our quarterly cleanup.   Join us for a few hours to clean up the mile of Indian River Road from the city limits at Wingfield Avenue all the way to MacDonald Road and at Blue Heron Landing Park. 
    • We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort.   And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
    • For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests.  Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful.  Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
    • Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/cVryTjexKN6noRsu8 (suggested but not required)


    News

    Local Election Results

    Congratulations to the winners of the City Council and School Board Elections:

        Mayor Rick W. West
        City Council Member S.Z. "Debbie" Ritter
        City Council Member-elect Les Smith, Jr.
        City Council Member-elect Patricia Y. "Pat" King

        School Board Member Angie B. Swygert
        School Board Member Norman G. Pool
        School Board Member-elect Malia L. Huddle
        School Board Member-elect Elijah Colon

    We look forward to continuing to work with our City Council to  improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods of Chesapeake!

    Blue Heron Landing Park Grand Opening

    On Wednesday, Oct 23, Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism help the Grand Opening event for Blue Heron Landing Park.  Along with Mayor West and members of the City Council, the Friends of Indian River participated in the unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.  The new park features a broad boardwalk, a floating kayak launch, and a restored living shoreline complete with oyster castles to form a new oyster reef, marsh areas, and what will grow into a new upland forested area.  The site has always been a popular fishing spot and in the two weeks since the opening, the new park is resuming its role as such.  

    The park site is relatively small, only 0.5 acres, and when the designs were drawn up it was clear that the park could never support a large parking area, not without sacrificing all the natural aspects that make it a living, natural space.  So, it was designed to be primarily a walk-in park with limited parking spaces.  Concurrent with the design of the park were plans to re-design Indian River Road to make it safer, the City Council approved funds in 2022 but implementation is still pending.  The Oaklette Bridge Rehabilitation work that started in September certainly complicates the situation in the near term. We continue to push the City to implement safety improvements on Indian River Road, including reducing speeding and installing a safe crosswalk to enable people to cross the road to reach the park.













    Indian River Design Guidelines

    The same evening as the park Grand Opening, the Planning Department hosted an Open House to share the latest for the Indian River Design Guidelines.  The Design Guidelines "focus on the creation of a vision and unique sense of place for the development or redevelopment of the three key commercial corridors of Indian River Road, Providence Road, and the eastern portion of Military Highway. " We expect to see an updated draft document released in the coming weeks.  Learn more at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3217/Indian-River-Design-Guidelines

    October Recap

    Earlier in the month, we held an Adopt-A-Park event at Indian River Park to help put our native plant garden to bed for the winter, weeding and mulching the garden. A big thank you to the 11 volunteers who came out to help.  We also had a great chance to interact with a lot of park visitors!    

    On the Saturday after the park opening, we partnered with Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism to do a History Walk.  Started at Norfolk Highlands Primary School, we went over to the new Blue Heron Landing Park on the Indian River, then over to the Oaklette Historic District including the Colonna's Boathouse. We had a great turnout with over 30 attendees who learned a ton about the history of the area from the original native Chesapian people to European settlement to the turn of the 20th century suburbanization to today. 



    We also got reports of dolphins visiting the river!  Thank you Lynn!




    Have an idea for an article for our newsletter?  Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

    Wednesday, October 2, 2024

    October Newsletter and Events

    • Upcoming Events
      • 10/7/2024 - Early Voting Starts at Indian River Library
      • 10/19/2024 - Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden
      • 10/23/2024 - Grand Opening of Blue Heron Landing Park
      • 10/23/2024 - Indian River Design Guidelines Open House
      • 10/26/2024 - History Walk from Norfolk Highands Primary to Oaklette Historic District
    • News
      • Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes
      • Comp Plan Open Houses
      • September Recap  
    Upcoming Events

    Monday, October 7: Early Voting Starts at Indian River Library and other Satellite Locations
    • Early Voting is underway.  Satellite voting sites start to open on October 7. See the full list of Chesapeake voting locations at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=357
    • "Any registered voter can vote early in person without needing to apply to do so. If you decide to vote early, you can vote at any of the locations below (you don’t have to stay in your precinct).
    • Voter Registrar’s Office (411 Cedar Rd.)
      September 20 – November 2, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
      Saturday, October 26 and Saturday, November 2, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
      Sunday, October 6, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
    • Satellite Locations - Central Library, Indian River Library, Major Hillard Library, Cuffee Community Center
      October 7 - November 2,
      Monday – Thursday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
      Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
      Saturday, October 26 and Saturday, November 2, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
    • *All satellite locations will be closed on Monday, October 14.
    • Western Branch Community Center
      October 21 – November 2
      Monday – Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
      Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
      Saturday, October 26 and Saturday, November 2 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
    • The deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration is October 15, 2024. (Voters may register after this date, through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot).  Election Day - the last day to vote - will be Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Need to register to vote, check your status, or update your voter registration?  Visit https://vote.virginia.gov/ today.
    Saturday, October 19 - Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden
    • 9 am to Noon
    • Location: Indian River Park 2003 Rokeby Ave. 
    • It is time for our fall gardening at Indian River Park.  We'll be tending to the native plant garden at the park entrance, including weeding and preparing the garden for the winter.  We may also do some trail work, pruning, weeding, and cleanup.
    • Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves.  Long pants are recommended.  If you can, bring shovels, rakes, pruners, saws and other gardening tools.  We'll have water and snacks available.  We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles and cans. 
    • Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
    • Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/ir4JZSacttP7xmFs5 (suggested but not required)
    Wednesday, October 23 - Blue Heron Landing Grand Opening
    • 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
    • Location: Blue Heron Landing Park.
    • Please join the City of Chesapeake and the Friends of Indian River to celebrate the opening of our newest park.  Blue Heron Landing Park features an elevated boardwalk, oyster castle sill, living shoreline, accessible ramps with railings, and an ADA-accessible floating kayak launch. Parks, Recreation and Tourism will be there to demonstrate all the ways to enjoy the new park. There will be kayak demonstrations, kids' craft activities, bird-watching equipment, and a fishing display. Event is free and open to the public.
    • Parking is not available on-site. Please park at Norfolk Highlands Primary School (1115 Myrtle Avenue).  Shuttle service will be available.
    Wednesday, October 23 - Indian River Road Design Guidelines Open House
    • 5:00 pm - 7 pm
    • Location: Indian River High School, 1969 Braves Trail
    • Hosted by the Planning Department. The Indian River Design Guidelines focus on the creation of a vision and unique sense of place for future development or redevelopment of the three key commercial corridors of Indian River Road, Providence Road, and the eastern portion of Military Highway.  They would establish site standards for commercial development including circulation (vehicular and pedestrian), parking, streetscape design, public spaces, sidewalks and pathways, and street furnishings, lighting and signage, and landscaping.  They also look at architectural standards for building setbacks, heights, lot coverage, spacing, and orientation, building massing and scale, façade treatment, and materials.
    • Learn more at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3217/Indian-River-Design-Guidelines
    Saturday, October 26 - History Walk
    • Time: 10 am to Noon
    • Location: Meet on Lilac Avenue by Norfolk Highlands Primary School, 1116 Lilac Avenue
    • Take a stroll into the history of our community on this walk around Norfolk Highlands and Oaklette.  We'll start at Norfolk Highlands Primary School, the core of which was built in 1913, stop by the new Blue Heron Landing Park to talk about the history of settlement along the Indian River, and then cross the bridge to walk around the Oaklette Historic District including a look at the outside of the famous Colonna's Houseboat.
    • We'll be walking for about 1.25 miles over 2 hours and it will all be standing.  
    • Recommended age at least 12 and up.
    • Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/whP7vMAxLtPLwdHcA


    News

    Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes

    At our September meeting, Amy Weber, Chair of the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council (CEIC), briefed us on the new "Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes" program is being developed by the CEIC to recognize even healthy and beautiful yards across the City. The program will ask participants to commit to Seven Principles for maintaining a landscape that supports wildlife and promotes a healthier environment including:
    1. Protect Your Trees.
    2. Right Plant! Right Place!
    3. Consider Wildlife Needs.
    4. Reduce Lawn Maintenance.
    5. Reduce Runoff.
    6. Avoid or Remove Invasive Plants.
    7. Limit Chemical Usage for Clean Waterways. 
    This is the successor to the CEIC long-running Notable Yards program, although instead of being a contest, everyone is encouraged to join.  Participants who demonstrate a commitment to following these principles will receive a Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes garden flag and a kit with more information and tips.  The Friends of Indian River are excited to promote and support this program once it kicks off!


    Comp Plan Open House 
     
    • 5 pm to 6:30 pm
    • Location: South Norfolk Community Center, 1217 Godwin Avenue, Monday Oct 7
    • Get the latest updates on the revisions to the City's Comprehensive Plan and provide feedback.
    • Also at Western Branch Community Center, Thursday, October 3, Great Bridge Primary School, Wednesday, October 16, 5 pm to 6:30 pm and Fire Station #7 in Southern Chesapeake on Thursday, October 24, 2024 

    September Recap

    A big thank you to the 10 volunteers who came out for the International Coastal Cleanup event.  We had a beautiful day to work around the bridge and removed well over 200 lbs. of litter and debris.  This included a surprising number of aluminum cans that we took over to the can recycling drop-off at the Chesapeake Animal Services building (proceeds go to help the animals at the shelter).

    The tickseeds were in full bloom along the power line corridor in Indian River Park in September, giving us quite a treat during our Second Saturday Hike.  Later in the month, after all the rain, there were quite a variety of mushrooms in the park.  



    Have an idea for an article for our newsletter?  Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition. 

    Monday, September 2, 2024

    September Newsletter and Events

    • Upcoming Events
      • 9/14/2024 - Saturday - Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
      • 9/19/2024 - Thursday - Bi-Monthly Meeting - Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes
      • 9/21/2024 - Saturday - International Coastal Cleanup
      • 10/3/2024 - Thursday - Field Trip - Tour of Ryan Resilience Lab in Norfolk
      • More fall dates
    • News
      • Blue Heron Landing Park Update
      • Indian River Road Safety
      • Eco-District
      • Get Ready to Vote!
      • Summer Recap
        • Cuffee Pool Information Meeting
        • Connecting Chesapeake
        • Surveys and More
    Upcoming Events

    Saturday, September 14: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
    • Time: 8:30 am-10:30 am
    • Location: Indian River Park trailhead at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.)
    • Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. We'll look for ripe paw paw fruit. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
    • Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/KcBvosBQu32JvXbm7 (suggested but not required)
    Thursday, September 19: Bi-Monthly Meeting - Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes 
    • 7 pm to 8:30 pm
    • Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
    • Our guest speaker will be Amy Weber, Chair of the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council.  She will tell us about the new Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes program that will recognize healthy and beautiful yards that support wildlife and promote a healthier environment in Chesapeake. 
    • All are welcome.  We'll also have the latest community news and updates!  There will be light refreshments after the meeting.  
    Saturday, September 21, 2024: International Coastal Cleanup
    • 9 am to Noon
    • Location: Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road.  Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.  It is a No Parking zone along Oleander Avenue (parallel to Indian River Road).
    • As part of the International Coastal Cleanup, we will be cleaning up around and underneath the Indian River - Oaklette Bridge and along Indian River Road.  
    • The city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. We encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful.  We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision. 
    • Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/wXXPxj96D2bArEsn6  (suggested but not required)
    • If have access to the Indian River and are interested in "paddling up" to this cleanup with your own canoe or kayak, please reach out to us in advance at info@friendsofindianriver.org
    Thursday, October 3, 2024: Field Trip - Tour of Ryan Resilience Lab in Norfolk
    • 4 pm 
    • Location: Ryan Resilience Lab, 4610 Colley Ave, Norfolk, VA 23508 
    • Our field trip this year will be to the Elizabeth River Project's Ryan Resilience Lab.  This is a great opportunity to tour this remarkable new facility and have an eye-opening exploration of how sea level rise will affect us all. We'll learn about their cutting-edge green building practices and systems – floating docks, green roofs, solar arrays, rainwater capture, and much more. We'll also learn about their living shoreline and native plant garden.  Learn about sustainability best practices in action and hear about the “planned retreat” that will allow the river to retake the site as sea levels continue to rise.  Tour takes about 1 hour. 
    • Afterward we will have an optional outing to a local restaurant for dinner.  (dutch treat -  each participant pays for their own bill)
    • Space is limited.  Registration required at https://forms.gle/CqEzZhfzhT2ML8nf7
    Save these dates for the fall
    • Saturday, October 19, 2024: Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden
    • Saturday, October 26, 2024: History Walk 
    • Thursday, November 21, 2024: Bi-Monthly Meeting with State Delegate Bonita Anthony
    • Saturday, November 23, 2024: Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Remove Invasives


    News

    Blue Heron Landing Park Update

    Construction at the new Blue Heron Landing Park is moving along smartly.  The boardwalk is mostly in place and work is underway at preparing the entrance area along the street.  Following this will be landscape planting.  We are eagerly anticipating a grand opening early in the fall!

    Indian River Road Safety

    The opening of Blue Heron Landing Park in the next few months brings a new urgency to implementing road safety improvements along Indian River Road.  Blue Heron Landing Park will primarily be a walk-in park with only six parking spaces on the property.  Most park users will need to cross Indian River Park to reach the park.  Redesigning Indian River Road to improve safety, reduce speeding, and add bike lanes was approved as part of the Indian River Small Area Plan and funding was approved by the City Council in 2022, but no significant action has yet been taken.  

    Indian River Road was widened to six lanes in around 1996 to support the now-closed Ford Plant.  The roadway west of the bridge resembles a highway and people drive like it was a highway, too many accelerating to over 55 mph as they race through the residential area of Oaklette.  VDOT's Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan (PBSAP) identifies Indian River Road in Chesapeake as one of the Top 1% statewide roadway Segments in priority to review for safety projects and other planning needs. Since 2018, there have been 5 vehicle to pedestrian/bicycle crashes with visible injuries.  Going back as far as 2010, we've had fatal vehicle to pedestrian crashes in 2014 and 2016.   We've seen many other crashes causing property damage along the entire length of the street including vehicles crash into the NAE Credit Union on more than one occasion. The day after our last meeting with City staff on this subject in July, the bus stop at Lilac Avenue was demolished by an out-of-control car.  Safety improvements are needed along the roadway before another deadly crash occurs.

    Rehabilitation work on the Indian River Road Oaklette Bridge is expected to start in the coming months and will result in the temporary closure of two lanes on the bridge to enable the construction work on the bridge.  We are urging the City to use this as an opportunity to put the planned Indian River Road safety improvements in place immediately after the end of the bridge work.  

    Indian River "Eco-District"

    Inspired by the Elizabeth River Project efforts to establish an "Eco-District" around their new headquarters at the Ryan Resilience Lab on Knitting Mill Creek in Norfolk, we will be ramping up a campaign this fall to encourage more local residents and property owners to become River Stars here in the Indian River area.  Today in our watershed, we have over 200 River Star Homes, two River Star Schools, and several River Star Business and Organizations.  But our goals include significantly increasing participation in these programs.  At our monthly meeting on September 19th, we will learn about the new Chesapeake Health Landscapes Program and we'll look have we can leverage that effort to recruit more River Stars.  And we are preparing to revamp our business outreach to get more local businesses involved in our efforts to improve the quality of life in our community.  Want to take a first step to help now?  Take our tree pledge at https://forms.gle/xNCG9XMuBWPExmWt6


    Get Ready to Vote!

    It's another big election year.   On the ballot will be
    • President and Vice President of the United States
    • U.S. Senator
    • U.S. Representative
    • Mayor of Chesapeake
    • Chesapeake City Council (3 members at large)
    • Chesapeake School Board (4 members at large)
    • Referendum on Curbside Recycling in Chesapeake
    The first day of in-person early voting will be Friday, September 20, 2024.  The deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration is October 15, 2024. (Voters may register after this date, through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot).  Election day - the last day to vote - will be Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

    Make your plan on how you will vote now.  Need to register to vote, check your status, or update your voter registration?  Visit https://vote.virginia.gov/ today.

    Summer Recap

    It's been a rather busy summer.  As mentioned above, we met with City staff regarding Indian River Road safety and also submitted comments on the City's draft Trails and Connectivity Plan urging action on improving bicycle and pedestrian safety in the City now.   We were involved in a planning meeting Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) and other stakeholders regarding Indian River Park, addressing topics such as trail signage and other amenities.  PRT is also doing a survey for work on their new park's Master Plan that you can take at https://chesapeakeparksurvey.org/

    PRT held an Information Meeting about the new Cuffee Center Pool in Campostella. The facility will house a 25m competition pool, a separate leisure pool, and a retractable roof that can be opened to allow in fresh air when the weather allows. We provided some feedback regarding protection of existing trees during construction and the need for bird-safe glass since the design has glass walls along 3 sides of the structure. The project should go out for bid next year and could be complete by late 2026 or 2027.

    Hampton Roads Transit has been looking at options to bring high-capacity transit in Chesapeake. Two of the four routes on their short list go down Indian River Road. Check out the potential routes, learn more about the study, and take a survey about
    these options at https://www.connectingchesapeake.com/


    And we want to give a big thank you to the volunteers who have toiled through the summer to keep our Adopt-A-gardens looking good at the Indian River Oaklette Bridge and at Indian River Park.  It can be hot work at times, but the reward is a landscape that provides important habitat for birds and pollinators and adds beauty to our community.   



    Have an idea for an article for our newsletter?  Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.










    Saturday, July 6, 2024

    Summer Newsletter and Events

    • Upcoming Events
      • Dates for the September 
    • Planting starting at Blue Heron Landing Park
      News
      • Many Hands Make Light Work! - More Volunteers Needed
      • June Recap
      • Tree Pledge
    Upcoming Events

    Save these dates for September
    • Saturday, 9/14, 8:30 am-10:30 am - Second Saturday Hike 
    • Thursday, 9/19, 7 pm - Monthly Meeting - Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes Program
    • Saturday, 9/21 - International Coastal Cleanup


    News

    Many Hands Make Light Work! - More Volunteers Needed

    Thank you to the volunteers who have been weeding, mulching, and maintaining the gardens at the Indian River Road Oaklette Bridge and at Indian River Park, and at planters along Indian River Road.   We are looking for more volunteers to help.

    At the Indian River Park native plant garden this year, we are going to try a "Divide and Conquer" approach. We have a few people that have already expressed interest in helping with the garden and the plan is to assign a small section to each of the volunteers that signs up. If you also want to help, our Native Plant Garden Captain, Amy Weber, will meet with you to point out your section and discuss the native plant selections and which plants that we consider to be weeds. You will visit the garden on your own time, every week or two, to keep your area in good shape. She will reach out to everyone periodically to see if there are any special concerns. She will be available to help as needed if you are unavailable on vacations or other times away!  Please feel free to contact her directly at a.webercmg@gmail.com to sign up to help or if you have any questions! 


    At the Bridge Garden, we generally meet on Tuesday mornings to weed and do other tasks. If you are interested in helping out there, e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

    June Recap

    On our Adopt-A-Road cleanup, we collected litter around and under the bridge and up along Indian River Road.  We wrapped up early because of the high heat that morning, but we still collected nearly 100 lbs. of litter and debris.   Of course, I keep hoping for the day we have a cleanup and I have to report that we found no litter. 


    We were also excited to see progress on the Indian River Shopping Center renovations.  They've even added some landscaping in front of the new storefronts!
    And they are starting to do the planting of wetlands grasses at Blue Heron Landing Park!  See photo at top of newsletter.

    Tree Pledge

    Will you take our Tree Pledge to protect trees in our community?  
    Click here to help protect trees: https://forms.gle/xNCG9XMuBWPExmWt6

    Have an idea for an article for our newsletter?  Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.











    Sunday, June 2, 2024

    June Newsletter and Events

    Summer is almost here!  Join us this Saturday, June 8th, for an evening hike at Indian River Park.  And on the Summer Solstice, Thursday, June 20th, we are holding our annual Potluck Picnic in the pavilion behind Oaklette UMC.  We hope you will join us for these fun social events!

    • Upcoming Events
      • 6/8/2024 - Saturday - Evening Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
      • 6/20/2024 - Thursday - Summer Evening Potluck Picnic
      • 6/22/2024 - Saturday - Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road 
    • News
      • Comprehensive Plan Open Houses
      • Many Hands Make Light Work! - More Volunteers Needed
      • Tree and River Star Outreach
      • Protect Your Trees from Storm Damage
      • May and Clean the Bay Day Recap
    Upcoming Events

    Saturday, June 8: Evening Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
    • Time: 6 pm - 8 pm
    • Location: Indian River Park trailhead at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.)
    • Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
    • Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/wVUje9X3xE1jzLjg8 (suggested but not required)
    Thursday, June 20: Summer Solstice Potluck Picnic
    • Time 6 pm - 8 pm
    • Picnic do Bruno | Michell Zappa | Flickr
      Location: Picnic Pavilion behind Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive; park in the side lot along St. Lawrence Dr. 
    • Rather than our usual monthly meeting, in June we'll have a potluck picnic out behind the church.  Bring a dish to share and join us for some camaraderie as we roll into summer.  The Friends will set out tables and chairs, provide a main protein dish (likely chicken).  We suggest bringing a comfy lawn chair. In the event of rain, we will move the event inside the church's fellowship hall. 
    • To help coordinate who is bringing what, we set up a Sign Up Genius form at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094DADA92FA2FA7-49923076-friends

    Saturday, June 22 - Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road 
    • Time: 9 AM to 11:30 AM
    • Location: Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
    • We need your help for our quarterly cleanup.   Join us for a few hours to clean up the mile of Indian River Road from the city limits at Wingfield Avenue all the way to MacDonald Road. We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort.   And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
    • For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests.  Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful.  Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
    • Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/WEEsgH6JVp9rwBeHA (suggested but not required)


    News

    Comprehensive Plan Open Houses

    The Planning Department is continuing its Comp Planning efforts.  They finished focus group stakeholder meetings and a round of geographic area stakeholder meetings over the last couple of months.  Now another round of public Community Open Houses have been scheduled.  The closest one to Indian River will be on June 10 at the Conference Center.

    June 4 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., Great Bridge Town Meeting (Information Table) @ Great Bridge Intermediate School
    June 10 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m., Chesapeake Conference Center
    June 13 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m., Fire Station #7, 3329 South Battlefield Blvd.
    June 17 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m., Chesapeake Lifestyle Center


    The Trails and Connectivity Plan is planning its final open house for Monday, June 3, from 5:30 pm to 7 pm at the Portlock Galleries, 3815 Bainbridge Blvd. Learn more at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/tconn

    The Greenbrier Area Plan held its final open house on May 22.   You can see some of the charts from the meeting at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3100/Greenbrier-Area-Plan


    Many Hands Make Light Work! - More Volunteers Needed

    Thank you to the volunteers who have been weeding, mulching, and maintaining the gardens at the Indian River Road Oaklette Bridge and at Indian River Park, and at planters along Indian River Road.   We are looking for more volunteers to help.

    At the Indian River Park native plant garden this year, we are going to try a "Divide and Conquer" approach. We have a few people that have already expressed interest in helping with the garden and the plan is to assign a small section to each of the volunteers that signs up. If you also want to help, our Native Plant Garden Captain, Amy Weber, will meet with you to point out your section and discuss the native plant selections and which plants that we consider to be weeds. You will visit the garden on your own time, every week or two, to keep your area in good shape. She will reach out to everyone periodically to see if there are any special concerns. She will be available to help as needed if you are unavailable on vacations or other times away!  Please feel free to contact her directly at a.webercmg@gmail.com to sign up to help or if you have any questions! 

    At the Bridge Garden, we generally meet on Tuesday mornings to weed and do other tasks. If you are interested in helping out there, e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

    Tree and River Star Outreach

    We are starting a new sub-committee to identify opportunities to increase tree canopy in Indian River area by encouraging preservation of existing trees and encouraging new plantings on both residential, commercial, and municipal properties.   Along with this, we'll encourage residents and commercial property owners to become River Star Homes and River Star Businesses with the Elizabeth River Project.  If you are interested in helping with this committee, please let us know at info@friendsofindianriver.org

    Protect Your Trees from Storm Damage

    The hurricane forecast is in the news this weekend.  Trees are an enormous investment for your home and for the health of the environment.  Trees provide critical ecosystem services by protecting from damaging winds, reducing flooding, holding soil in place, and reducing summer air conditioning costs by up to 35%. And there is safety in numbers, neighborhoods with more tree canopy cover generally have less tree damage from storms.  You can take steps to ensure that your trees are healthy and properly maintained so you can enjoy their benefits for decades to come.  Learn how to keep your trees storm resilient at at https://dof.virginia.gov/urban-community-forestry/storm-planning-and-recovery/storm-preparation-and-tree-resiliency/

    Also, take our Tree Pledge to protect trees on your property and in the community.    
    Click here to help protect trees: https://forms.gle/xNCG9XMuBWPExmWt6


    May and Clean the Bay Day Recap

    Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) came to our May meeting and gave us an in-depth view of the high-capacity transit options for Chesapeake like establishing "bus rapid transit" routes.  Attendees were able to provide detailed feedback to the HRT team.   Learn more about the study at https://www.connectingchesapeake.com/

    We congratulated Mai Saldivar, winner of the Friends of Indian River 2024 Indian River High School Education Scholarship.  The scholarship recognizes a senior who excels in leadership, citizenship, extracurricular activities and academics.  Mai excels in all these areas and has done outstanding volunteer work including Clean Up projects thru the Elizabeth River Project and other groups.    She is looking forward to majoring in biology and environmental sciences. Thank you for your efforts and best wishes for college and beyond! Learn more about the scholarship at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/friends-of-indian-river-scholarship.html

    We had a fantastic turn out for Clean the Bay Day on Saturday, June 1st at Indian River Park.  47 volunteers collected over 400 lbs. of litter and debris from the wetlands and roadsides in and around the park.  Very little of this trash comes from park users.   It is mostly trash washed in from the surrounding commercial and residential streets.  We found a lot of beverage containers, food-to-go packaging, and plastic bags.   A big thank you to the groups that came out to help today at the park including Navy Logistics Support, Coalition of Sailors, and of course our dedicated Friends of Indian River volunteers.  See more photos on our Friends of Indian River | Facebook Page 

    We wish to thank the Carl W. Mangum Jr. and Marguerite S. Mangum Fund #3 of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for making a generous grant to the Friends of Indian River.  This is very appreciated and helps our organization fulfill its mission to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods of Chesapeake  

    Meanwhile, at the future Blue Heron Landing Park, there was noticeable progress. They started to regrade the site for what will ultimately be a restored living shoreline.



    Have an idea for an article for our newsletter?  Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.










    Wednesday, May 1, 2024

    May Newsletter and Events

    • Upcoming Events
      • 5/16/2024 - Thursday - Bi-Monthly Meeting: Hampton Roads Transit
      • 5/18/2024 - Saturday - Gardening/Mulching Native Plant Landscaping at Bridge 
      • 6/1/2024 - Saturday - Clean the Bay Day @ Indian River Park
      • No Second Saturday Hike in May
    • News
      • Volunteers needed for gardening
      • Wildlife in the Community
      • Bird Safe/Lights Out Hampton Roads
      • Oyster Gardening
      • April Recap
      • Tree Pledge
    Upcoming Events

    Thursday, May 16: Bi-Monthly Meeting: Hampton Roads Transit
    • Time: 
      7 pm
    • Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
    • Our guest speaker will be Sherri Dawson from Hampton Roads Transit to give us an update on their Connecting Chesapeake Study.  All are welcome.  There will be door prizes and light refreshments.
    Saturday, May 18: Gardening/Mulching Native Plant Landscaping at Bridge 
    • CANCELLED due to the predicted weather and other circumstances.

    • Our main task will be mulching and weeding around the native tree and shrub plantings along the side of Indian River Road at the Oaklette Bridge.  If we have enough folks, we'll do some cleanup under the bridge. We'll have water and snacks available.  We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles and cans.  
    • Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.

    Saturday, June1: Clean the Bay Day 
    • Time: 9 AM to Noon
    • Location: Indian River Park trailhead at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
    • The Friends of Indian River's will be hosting Clean the Bay Day at the Indian River Park
    • The city will provide garbage bags. We'll have water and snacks available. 
    • Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful.  Long pants are recommended.  We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision. 
    • Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/ua3ytZdx2FuHukig9 (suggested but not required)


    News

    Volunteers need for gardening

    We have a regular need for volunteers to help maintain our gardens and plantings both along Indian River Road at the Oaklette Bridge and at the native plant garden at Indian River Park.  This is in addition to our monthly volunteer days.  The tasks include regular weeding and other garden work; some work is small group events during the week; once having completed orientation, some work might be on an individual schedule.  If you are interested in helping out, e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

    Wildlife in the Community

    It's baby season for wildlife and you're likely to see more wildlife activity in the neighborhood.  Foxes, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, river otters, and many other mammals are busy raising their young.  You are more likely to see them out and about both day and night as they forage to feed their young and seeing them during the day is not any indicator or illness. Likewise, box turtles are on the move and even snakes.  It's the peak of the spring migration and all variety of birds are setting up the nest and laying eggs.  
    The city and suburbs are home to a wide variety of wildlife.  If you think about it, the wildlife was actually here first before we built on their land, and it's up to us to co-exist with them. Seeing a fox hustle across your backyard can be a thrill.  There are important steps to avoid conflict with wildlife in your backyard including making sure not to leave food outside, keeping trash in animal proof containers, sealing openings under and into your buildings so animals won't select your home as a place to build a den, and clearing low overhanging tree limbs which may be providing wildlife access to structures.  

    Learn more about approaches you can take to solve any wild animal problems you encounter in your home, yard or garden at https://www.humanesociety.org/wildlife-management-solutions 

    Bird Safe/Lights Out Hampton Roads

    The Friends of Indian River have teamed up with the Cape Henry Audubon Society and other regional partners including the Virginia Zoo and Elizabeth River Project to launch the Bird Safe/Lights Out Hampton Roads program.  Hampton Roads lies directly along the Atlantic Flyway and the Chesapeake Bay is a major stopover point for the birds on their marathon migration. Migration is the most dangerous time in the life of a bird.  About 80% of migrating birds make their journey at night.  Lured into urban areas by bright lights, birds often become disoriented, flying in circles and becoming exhausted.  In areas with tall buildings, the risk of building collisions increases.  The Lights Out program is asking commercial and institutional building owners and tenants to minimize unnecessary lights from 11 pm to 6am during the spring migration from March 15 to May 31 and the fall migration from August 15 to November 15. 
    While collisions with tall buildings are a major concern, hundreds of millions of birds also die every year from crashing into windows of one and two-story residential homes.  During the day, birds mistake reflections of plants and sky on the windows as a clear flight path that they try to fly through.  At night, illuminated interiors again look like a clear path that can be flown through. Window strikes can happen at any time of year but also tend to increase during spring and fall migration and during breeding season when young birds start flying.  There are several steps you can take to make your windows and yard safer for birds.  To learn more visit http://www.birdsafehr.org/

    Another important step to keep wildlife safe is keeping cats indoors.  Domestic cats kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds in the US every year, even greater than building or structure collisions, and second only to habitat loss/climate change.  Learn more at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/faq-outdoor-cats-and-their-effects-on-birds/#

    Oyster Gardening

    Switching from the skies to the river, if you would like another way to help wildlife flourish and clean up the Indian River, you may want to learn about Oyster Gardening.  If you live along the shore and have a pier or similar structure, then you can help raise baby oysters for use by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for restoration efforts around the Bay including on the Indian River.  To learn more, sign up for one of the New Gardener Seminars at https://www.cbf.org/how-we-save-the-bay/programs-initiatives/virginia/oyster-restoration/oyster-gardening/hampton-roads-oyster-gardening-seminars-new-gardeners.html

    T-Shirts and Hoodies

    We're considering ordering additional T-Shirts and Hoodies for members.  T-shirts material is 90/10 cotton/polyester; hoodies are 80/20 cotton/polyester blend. To cover the cost, short-sleeve T-shirts would be for a donation of $12-$15, long sleeve T-shirts for $15-$18, and Hoodies for $30-$33.  If you are interested in pre-ordering one or more of these, please fill out the online form at https://forms.gle/evK2RvKVoVAn2djt7. We will follow up with you about payment methods and timing.

    April Recap

    April was a very busy month for the Friends.  We had a great time and met with old and new friends tabling at the Earth Day Festival at Campostella Square Park.  Organized by the Climate Action Network and bringing together various environmental groups from around Chesapeake, we hope this will become an annual event in our watershed.
    It is also budget season for the City. The Friends of Indian River submitted feedback to the City Council on funding priorities both in writing and at a public hearing during the City Council meeting.  There are two new funding items in next year's proposed budget that directly affect our area.  One is a Facade Improvement Grant program for the Indian River Area; this would create a competitive, matching grant program for commercial property owners to apply for funding for façade improvements, landscaping and hardscape improvements, signage, outdoor eating areas, and pedestrian enhancements.  The other project is the redesign of the intersection at Military Highway and Rokeby Avenue; this will prohibit left turns from Rokeby Avenue (north or south) onto Military Highway; although designated as a Safety Improvement Project, we have previously raised concerns that the preliminary designs did not include a pedestrian crossing of Military Highway at Rokeby.  Since this is the primary path to reach Indian River Park, this is a major design oversight that we want to see corrected.

    We are also concerned about several projects that have been previously funded that have not moved forward including Indian River Road bike lanes, the Philmont Avenue Septic System Disconnection and Replacement, Norfolk Highlands Stormwater Management Improvements, and the Oaklette Bridge Repair. We urged the City Council to get these projects start soon. 

    We were also very troubled when we saw a proposal from the Planning Department to remove Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) protection from over 1000 acres of land in Chesapeake, including 10 acres of woods at the head of the tide of the Indian River at the Indian River High School/Middle School campus. The CBPA is one of our most effective tools for protecting the water quality of the many waterways that cross our City and a very important tool for protecting our vanishing tree canopy.  We objected that the parcel along the Indian River clearly met the CBPA criteria and asked the City Council to Continue (defer) any decision until these changes could be more thoroughly reviewed.  The Planning Department did ultimately ask for a 60-day Continuance to do better outreach and did respond that the removal of the 10 acres of woods in our area was done in error and will not be removed.  But we still believe more review is needed of other areas to make sure they are being properly protected, including a large tract of forested wetlands in the Fernwood Farms/Riverwalk area.  

    As part of our hands-on efforts, late in the month, sailors from the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) came out to Indian River Park today to work on removing invasive English Ivy smothering trees in the park and helping at the native plant garden.  This was part of the ship's Thousand Points of Light program, inspired by the late President Bush’s legacy and life of service, to help make our community a better place one act at a time!  We were very grateful for the help from sailors, also thank our dedicated Friends of Indian River volunteers who came out to help guide the efforts, and thank Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism for providing tools and supplies for the work day!

    Tree Pledge

    Will you take our Tree Pledge to protect trees in our community?  
    Click here to help protect trees: https://forms.gle/xNCG9XMuBWPExmWt6

    Have an idea for an article for our newsletter?  Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.