ALEXANDRIA BIRTHDAY EVENTS TO BE HELD IN ORONOCO BAY PARK
The City of Alexandria will celebrate its 255th birthday and the USA’s 228th birthday on Saturday, July 10 from 4 to 10 pm in Oronoco Bay Park. The celebration begins with pre-show entertainment featuring dancing, food, and music from African, Armenian, Cambodian, Chirilagua, and Irish cultures. A presentation of awards by the Park and Recreation Commission is scheduled for 7:30 pm, followed by the cutting of birthday cakes by the Mayor and City Council. At 8:30 pm, the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra will play swing music of the ’30s and ’40s. The event concludes with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and a fireworks display.
A LA LUCIA APPROVED FOR LONGER HOURS
Neighborhood favorite A La Lucia has received permission for extended hours of operation, allowing it to serve breakfast as well as the current lunch and dinner service, and to add seats. A La Lucia may now open as early as 7 am, seven days a week. Currently, the restaurant opens at 10am and is closed on Sundays. Also, the restaurant may add up to 35 indoor seats in a new space adjacent to its kitchen, bringing the total indoor seats to 75. Eight outdoor seats will remain available on a seasonal basis.
IT MAY BE SUMMER, BUT THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF EVENTS!
On July 16 through 18, Alexandria and the USO of Metropolitan Washington Celebrate our nation’s World War II veterans and military community. A variety of events are planned to take place at several venues throughout Alexandria, including a swing dance at the Torpedo Factory, big band music at the Old Town Theater, a USO review at Market Square, and a show entitled “Letters from the Front: WWII” at the George Washington Masonic Memorial. For a complete schedule of events and ticket information, check www.funside.com, the official web site of the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association. Old Town North businesses participating in the celebration include Villa d’Este with a restaurant special, and the Sheraton Suites and Holiday Inn and Suites with hotel packages.
The City of Alexandria and Comcast are presenting an Outdoor Film Festival on July 30 through August 1 at Ben Brenman Park, 5000 Duke Street. The family-oriented event includes the movies Grease, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Shrek. For more information, call 703/838-4800.
The Potomac West Business Association continues to sponsor “First Thursday” along Mount Vernon Avenue from 6 to 9 pm on the first Thursday of each month. For July, the theme is “Red, White and Blue”, and for August, “Lights, Camera, Fashion”. For more information, check www.PWBA.org or call 703/836-1155.
Retail merchants along King Street are sponsoring “Second Thursday”, also from 6 to 9 pm, featuring entertainment and longer business hours. The theme for July 8 is “Saluting World War II Veterans”, and for August 12, “Family Fun in Old Town”.
OLD TOWN NORTH IS HISTORICAL TOO, DID YOU KNOW?
- Oronoco Bay Park is the remnant of a large marsh originally called Ralph’s Gutt
- The current site of the Rivergate townhouses on Madison Street used to be occupied by the Norton Rendering Plant
- Texaco operated a tank farm at Oronoco Bay Park
- The area currently occupied by the Radisson Hotel was once the site of the Old Dominion Glass Factory built in 1901.
- The tall white colonial-style building at 515 North Washington Street used to be a cotton mill and factory, and later was part of the Portner Brewing Company.
The Old Town North Community Partnership will continue to research the area’s history over the summer months. If you have any documents, photos, or stories about the history of the area you can share, please contact Agnes Artemel, work phone 703/683-2788 or send us a message at info@oldtownnorth.org.
CITY COUNCIL SENDS STRONG MESSAGE TO MIRANT POWER PLANT
At its final meeting for fiscal year 2004, the Alexandria City Council adopted a number of recommendations made by the City Manager affirming the City’s desire to see the Mirant Power Plant in Old Town North closed, and its policy that the plant improve the effectiveness of its pollution prevention measures. The City will continue to collect data on the plant’s operations in order to understand and address any potential health issues. A number of documents are available to the public, including a consultant’s study and staff analyses. To get a copy, contact the City Clerk’s office at 703/838-4550, asking for docket item 29 for the June 22, 2004 City Council meeting.
A NOTE ON NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTION
This newsletter is available at various businesses in Old Town North and distributed by volunteers to the different housing complexes. If you have not been getting a newsletter, please volunteer someone from your immediate neighborhood to assist with distribution!
WHAT’S NEW, IN BRIEF
The City of Alexandria has completed its work sessions and public hearing on a Strategic Plan for 2005-2015. Vice Mayor Pepper and Councilman Smedberg will work over the summer to incorporate citizen comments and improve the format of the plan. A revised version will be presented to City Council in the fall for adoption.
City Council approved the Open Space Steering Committee’s recommendations on open space “Priority Sites”, while at the same time noting that the report does not imply specific acquisition actions by the City. The report is available from the City Clerk’s office as item 2 of the June 21, 2004 City Council docket.
A citizen task force will be appointed to discuss potential sites for a new Police Department facility. So far, the top two sites identified by the City include City-owned property south of Duke Street east of Wheeler Avenue, and a site at Mark Center Plaza (Beauregard Street).
SIGN UP FOR OLD TOWN NORTH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP MAILING LIST
The Partnership’s membership year begins October 1. Until then, please provide your contact information to receive notices of community events or information of general interest.
Please mail the form below to Old Town North Community Partnership, c/o MRE Properties, 300 Montgomery Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.