Tonight , the Richmond City Council, the Mayor, and other VIPs will be recognizing and honoring Ralph White for his many achievements and his retirement in December.  The Council session begins at 6 p.m., and the award ceremonies are the first general order of business.

See more from a note from river supporters:

Please attend if you can and cheer Ralph’s City-side Celebration.  Also, if you see your Council representative, tell them how important the river is to you, and that we should keep it wild and undeveloped west of the Mayo Bridge, protecting the extraordinary views of the rapids and rocks, the islands and wildlife. 

Tell them you like or support the Riverfront Plan (recently adopted) and would like to see terracing on Brown’s Island (so visitors can get closer to the James) for visual access, relaxing and picnicking.  Secondly, ask them to support restoring the VEPCO Levee walking bridge, which would connect Brown’s island and the southern shore (near the Manchester Climbing Wall and not far from the western terminus of the floodwall, which is beneath the 9th St Bridge, and one of the coolest spaces in Richmond.  Only three or four new sections are needed to complete the VEPCO Levee  bridge, and it is ideally suited for bike-pedestrian uses.  What a great resource for greatly expanding connectivity in our great, wet “Central Park!”

And tell them that you hope the City and the Parks and Recreation Department hires a new Park Manager like Ralph: a person with vision; a professional with extensive naturalist and environmental experience, with the ability to work with and outreach to school children, volunteers, and other river lovers; and the gift to communicate why managing and protecting the James is so important, to you, to us, and to future generations.