Considering the current polar weather we’re experience, it seems a perfect time to remind everyone that Richmond’s favorite polar plunge is approaching fast! The Shiver in the River at Historic Tredegar (put on by our friends at Keep Virginia Beautiful) is scheduled for Saturday, January 28^th. This winter there will be three components: a Community Cleanup, a 5K Run/Walk, and the James River Jump (i.e. plunging into the freezing-a$$ James).

Starting at 10 a.m. with a community cleanup along the banks of the James, surrounding areas and neighborhoods, participants will give an hour of their time to improve RVA’s communities. Following the cleanup, is the 5K at noon, where all ages will be able to run or walk while enjoying the beauty of the river area.  This will be the first 5K in Richmond history to cross the new T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge.  The event will continue with the James River Jump at 2 pm for those daring enough to enter the chilly river. But don’t worry if swimming in 38-degree water isn’t for you, Shiver In The River attendees will celebrate in the Winter Festival with heated tents, food & beverage trucks, and entertainment in an environmentally friendly atmosphere. Registration and details can be found by clicking here.

After I posted yesterday about the conservation easement two Richmond landowners placed on their properties to protect their riverside land from development in perpetuity, I received an email from Greg Velzy. The local paddling legend wanted to remind me that the stretch of the James through Richmond is a “State SCENIC RIVER (that too few people actually know exists). Here is a brief summary of what folks have been involved with since the late 60’s. The Scenic River Advisory Committee actually meets on a monthly basis, and has been doing so for over 40 years! ….Working to preserve the scenic and recreational values of our hometown gem.”

The James River Outdoor Coalition has a fuller accounting on their website, but here’s a bit of the little-known backstory that launched this group in Richmond. It’s amazing to think that instead of Huguenot Flatwater, Pony Pasture and Williams Island, we almost had a highway.

This seems like a better use for the James than as highway decoration. Credit: Mike Ostrander

On Monday, October 24, 1966, the headline in The Richmond News Leader read “Expressway Opens Recreation Vista.” The portion of the plan that inspired the “Recreation Vista” headline, “Riverside Parkway,” turned out to be a road never built. It aroused significant opposition and launched an organized environmental awareness that led to the designation of the Falls of the James as a State Scenic River and shaped a significant portion of the river dialogue in the years to follow.

As part of the Richmond Metropolitan Authority’s plan for an expressway system, the Riverside Parkway would have created a four-lane, limited access highway along the south bank of the James River. The parkway would have extended into the river for a considerable distance, requiring the removal of part of Williams Island to replace the channel filled by the parkway. It would have had an elevation of up to 11 feet above the current riverbank.

Very little opposition to the Riverside Parkway was expressed during the period immediately following the unveiling of the expressway plans. An early foreshadowing of events to come, however, was a Girl Scout hike in 1967 along a portion of the proposed route of the Riverside Parkway. The organizer, Louise Burke, invited a reporter to join the “farewell to the river hike” and the event and the concern it symbolized were reported in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

A second note of concern came in the form of a newspaper article in the summer of 1970 by Ken Ringle, an Associated Press reporter assigned to Richmond. It read, in part:

The city of Richmond, in one of those moves that bring environmentalists close to tears, is spending money simultaneously to both celebrate and molest the city’s longtime ecological poor relation, the James River.

At one end of Richmond preparations are under way for the opening next month of the $720,000 first phase of the $6 million James River Park, an ambitious and incredibly beautiful design threading 2,000 acres of tree-arched, wildflowered riverbank with trails and rustic bridges and giving the Richmond public its first legal access to the James within memory.

At the other end of the city, in the newly annexed portion to the west, the city-backed Richmond Metropolitan Authority is preparing to run a four-lane expressway for 2 ½ miles down the south bank, ripping up trees, paving over riverbank and shadowing the boulder-stream rapids with nylon-stilted forays in the riverbed itself.

. . . . the James has been largely ignored for most of this century by Richmond, and only recently in a quest of a civic identity beyond its Confederate monuments, has the city focused attention on the natural asset which was there all along (The Free-Lance Star, Fredericksburg, June 23, 1970 ).

The Capital Region Land Conservancy had some good news to announce this morning for those who think Richmond’s stretch of the James River  — and views of it — is worth preserving as is.

For the past 25 years, the CRLC wrote in a statement, private property owners Mark and Donna Romer and Dorothy Cleal had an agreement that they would not develop their adjoining properties without consulting each other. Late last month, they took the ultimate act to formalize this agreement in perpetuity by recording conservation easements on their parcels at 5513 and 5517 Riverside Drive respectively.

The CRLC facilitated the review and recording of these two easements covering 1.4 acres for the purpose of protecting the watershed and scenic views of the James River from the scenic byway Riverside Drive and the view of the surrounding landscape from the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. In addition, these properties adjoin the James River Park System and portions of the park that the City of Richmond protected by a conservation easement in 2009. They thus provide a further buffer for the natural resources and recreational uses protected there.

Under Virginia’s Conservation Easement Act, a conservation easement is a voluntary act of the property owner and must be compatible with the locality’s comprehensive plan. The City’s Master Plan recommends that “the recreational, aesthetic, and environmental attributes of the James River be protected and enhanced in a way consistent with its role as a unique urban waterway.”

“Sharing similar goals, we were able to work as a team to not only donate the conservation easement but to make sure our neighbors and visitors would always be able to enjoy this very special view of the James River,” said Dorothy Cleal.

Parker Agelasto, Executive Director of the Capital Region Land Conservancy said “the Romer and Cleal easements are unique examples of land conservation in an urban environment where development pressures threaten important viewsheds and encroach on existing protected lands.”

Here’s a link to the area in question in Richmond’s Westover Hills neighborhood. As you can see, it’s absolutely a view worth protecting.

I thought it was worth highlighting this incredible short video from local filmmaker Melissa Lesh about the James River Park. As Lesh writes in notes accompanying the video, “The James River Park is the beating heart of Richmond, Virginia — the James River, it’s liquid lifeline.”

If you love the outdoors — heck, even if you don’t (or don’t yet realize you do) — this video will give you a fresh appreciation for the James River, the James River Park and what they mean to Richmond’s identity.

(The film was made possible by Ralph White, Anne Wright and Jon Baliles.)

Got a free lunch hour tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. or so? Head down to Brown’s Island and the new T-Pot Bridge for an “RVA group photo” shot by drone organized by the Sports Backers.

From Bike Walk RVA (a program of the SBs): Rain and cold make it difficult if not impossible to fly a drone carrying a camera. And unfortunately, that’s the forecast for this coming week. Well, except for Tuesday.

Therefore, we have decided to reschedule the RVA group photo on the Potterfield Bridge for this Tuesday, Dec. 13 at the same time (12:30 PM).

If we are going to get this done before the holidays, this is our best bet. We apologize for the short notice and any inconvenience. If you could please help spread the word, we would be very appreciative.

By now you’ve probably seen the news about the brand spanking new human friendly (as opposed to car friendly) bridge over the James River in downtown Richmond. The T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge — a.k.a. the T Pot — was officially opened just over a week ago to much fanfare.

As Jackie Kruszewski wrote in a piece for Style Weekly, “the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge is named in honor of a senior planner for the city who died in 2014 at 55. Potterfield advocated for the bridge, which was built on top of a 1901 dam from Brown’s Island to the south bank of the James.”

The bridge, which connects Manchester to Brown’s Island cost the city $11.3M and includes Colorado-based Josh Weiner’s art installation of eight 17-foot steel rings at its southern terminus.

If you haven’t seen the bridge yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. Park at the Belle Isle parking lot on Tredegar Street and walk back up Tredegar Street to Brown’s Island. In the meantime, though, Ryan Abrahamsen with Terrain360.com has brought us the next best thing. He created a 360-degree panoramic image map of the bridge, so you can walk it from the comfort of your laptop or phone. Check it out by clicking here. That should wet your whistle and get you planning an actual trip down to the river.

Belmead Plantation

The newly formed nonprofit Belmead on the James, Inc. today launched a major campaign to raise $400,000 towards the purchase of the Belmead property in Powhatan, Virginia from the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (SBS). The 2,265-acre property is the site where St. Emma Military Academy and St. Francis de Sales High School, established by Louise Drexel Morrell and Saint Katharine Drexel respectively, operated from 1895 to 1972 and educated over 15,000 African American youth. On May 3, 2016, the SBS announced their intention to sell Belmead, and on October 26, 2016 the property was officially placed on the market.

The Board of Directors of Belmead on the James, Inc. (BOJI), countless volunteers, Alumni, and other supporters are working tirelessly to save the cultural, historical, spiritual, ecological, and educational legacy of Saint Katharine Drexel, so that present and future generations of Virginians and Americans can benefit from these treasures. In a time when our Nation and the world have been rocked by vitriol and violence amongst people of different races, creeds and socioeconomic backgrounds, we need a place that speaks to our human potential for justice and healing . . . for ourselves and for our environment. St. Katharine created such a place over 120 years ago in the heart of Virginia, at Belmead.  BOJI is committed to maintaining the pristine natural beauty of this sacred space as a warm and welcoming place for all God’s children.   BOJI is dedicated to providing excellent stewardship of the natural resources and of St. Katharine Drexel’s cultural, historical, spiritual, ecological, and educational legacy at Belmead.

To accomplish this BOjI needs immediate help from the public. As a first step BOJI must raise $400,000 dollars by December 1, 2016, to assist in securing financing to purchase the property. To that end, BOJI is asking 4000 donors to give $100 dollars as soon as possible, but by December 1, 2016 at the latest. While this a tall order, based on the outpouring of concern expressed during the past six months that this National treasure might be lost to commercial interests, BOJI believes that donors will step forward to save this amazing place – Belmead on the James.

For more information about Belmead on the James, Inc. and the campaign to save Saint Katharine Drexel’s Legacy, please email belmeadonthejames@gmail.com or visit the website www.belmeadonthejames.com .

You can support our cause by visiting our donation page at http://www.belmeadonthejames.com/donate or mailing a check to Belmead on the James, Inc. 4599 Cosby Road, Powhatan, VA 23139.

If you do anything in your day that includes water, you should appreciate how important it is for it to be clean and free of pollution.

“A fully healthy James River will help our community thrive,” said Bill Street, the CEO of the James River Association. “It can be our greatest asset or our greatest liability.”

James River Association 40th Anniversary Celebration at The Boathouse, Oct. 27, 2016

Street was speaking in Richmond Thursday evening during the celebration of the James River Association’s 40th Anniversary, which included an oyster roast, great food and cocktails at The Boathouse restaurant at Rocketts Landing. The meeting was the final of three annual meetings held throughout the watershed. The first two were held in Williamsburg and Lynchburg and included updates on the nonprofit’s progress as well as a look to the future.

He and other speakers on the evening spoke about nature deficit disorder and our need as a society to spend more time connecting with Mother Nature. “Studies have shown us that if people have a personal experience outdoors, they are twice as likely to care and say that they are willing to do their share and invest in protecting the environment,” he said.

What better way than a visit to your favorite sport on the river?

According to the 2015 State of the James River Report, the overall health of the river was graded as a B-minus. Street said that 40 years ago when the James River Association was formed, the river was graded as a D-minus.

“Now it is one of the most improved rivers in the country” and one of the healthiest tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay, he said. “Where the Boathouse is [now] was once one of the most polluted in the country.”

Street told a few touching stories about how nasty the river had become. Hard to believe we would tolerate that kind of abuse, especially since it is the primary source of drinking water for the Richmond region.

“We had really just reached the low point,” he said. The river had been shut down to fishing. Pollution made the river unsafe for recreational use. “The James was looked at as dispose all, a dumping ground…raw sewage was released into the river,” he said. “Truly we had reached the depths.”

If you’ve never read about Newton Ancarrow, you may not know about how unhealthy and polluted the James River was in by the 1970s. It is safe to say that people like Ancarrow were the inspiration for people like Ralph White (retired James River Park manager) that made Richmond take notice of this beautiful asset – which is now a watery playground for so many after decades of neglect.

Now we have the highest concentration of bald eagles on the East Coast and one of the most robust populations of Atlantic Sturgeon as well.

Street said that the JRA was challenged to look ahead to 10 years from now and how they should celebrate at their 50th anniversary. He mentioned several developments and initiatives that will help in the next decade:

• This past year, the Virginia General Assembly dedicated $140 million to clean water, including a record investment of $60 million to help farmers with runoff and point source pollution
• More protections against coal ash pollution
• More work with cities like Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Richmond and Petersburg to limit stormwater runoff
• Continued improvements in volunteer water monitoring

Street said the James River Association helped open 20 new access points along the James River in the past year. Also, they have continued to push for improvements to the Richmond Riverfront and have continued to help plan for more recreational options on rivers that feed the Chesapeake Bay by participating in the Regional Rivers Plan.

At the event, the JRA recognized this year’s River Hero Award winners: Alyson Sappington from the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District and Julie Coleman, an educator who is currently at Monacan High School in Chesterfield County.

Well, let’s be honest: The time is long past to begin training for this, but should you be in the James River Park System tomorrow (possibly taking part in Blue Sky Fund’s Hike for Kids) keep your eyes open for this cool event.

An “Otillo”-style event in Europe.

Sponsored by Swim RVA, the first annual Swim-Run–VA event takes place tomorrow down the fall line of the James River in downtown Richmond. Swim–Run–VA is the first “Otillo Style” swimrun event to come to Virginia and just the second in the United States.

Swimrun is a fast-growing endurance sport between two predefined points along a set course of cross country runs and open water swims without stopping in between. SwimRun races are team events with 2 athletes per team. Teams can be either all male, all female or gender mixed.

Athletes on the same team have to be within 10 meters of each other at all times. Racers can use any gear they deem necessary but must start and finish the race with all gear with which they started.

The spirit of SwimRun is based on teamwork, motivation, fun and passion. The sport was conceived in 2006 when ÖTILLÖ (meaning “Island to Island”) was held for the first time in Sweden. The concept of SwimRun was a challenge between a group of friends to race across the Stockholm archipelago, running over the islands and swimming between them. The race concept has grown all over Europe and the original is now the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship.

ÖTILLÖ as an organization celebrates its 11th year anniversary this year. The race will start at 3Sports in the River Road Shopping center near the Huguenot Bridge. Racers will enter their first swim on the south side of the bridge at Huguenot Flatwater Park. The race will continue to Chapel Island where the racers will exit their final swim of the day and race to the finish near Tredegar American Civil War Center.

Blue Sky Fund kids on a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Credit: Blue Sky Fund

If you’ve got a hole in your schedule for the upcoming weekend, I’ve got an event your outdoorsy family will love.

The Blue Sky Fund is an East End-based nonprofit which seeks to enrich the lives of Richmond’s urban youth through transformational experiences in the outdoors. One of its annual fundraisers is the Hike for Kids, and it’s happening this Saturday!

Choose between 5ish-, 10ish- and 17ish-mile hikes, all starting and ending at Legend Brewery in Manchester and employing the world famous James River Park System trails. There’ll be a party with food, beer, music, a raffle and much more at the finish line. The cost is only $35, and kids 12 and under hike for free!

Don’t think your 5-year-old can handle a 5-mile hike? The short hike is an out and back on Buttermilk Trail; turn around whenever the little tyke gets tired and get the party started early!

Check out the event page for more info on this one-of-a-kind event.