News: September 2004

MONTGOMERY PARK PLAN ADVANCES

Over the summer months, the Old Town North Community Partnership met twice with staff members from the City’s Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities to present our concept plan for improvements to Montgomery Park, gain the City’s concurrence on the concept, and determine next steps. The improvements proposed include:

  • Removal of chain link fencing blocking access to the park along First Street and Fairfax Street
  • Provision of a central focal point for community events
  • Increases in the size of a central grassy area for light sporting activity (volleyball, kicking the ball around)
  • Improvements to the configuration, lighting, and materials at the dog park
  • Creation of an east-west path through the park north of the tennis courts
  • Improved landscaping and provision of benches and seating areas.

We are now working on some of the technical details, including cost estimates. The Parks Department is working with other City departments to determine soil conditions, permitting processes, engineering surveys, and other elements necessary before the plan can be finalized.

The Old Town North Community Partnership has offered to partner with the City to make the park improvements possible. To date, we have initiated and completed the preparation of the concept plan. Once the plan is finalized, we will undertake fundraising efforts among the businesses and residents of our community to provide a contribution to the total cost of the park improvements. For further information, contact Bruce Machanic at 703/836-8066.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT LEAVES BUILDING ON ST. ASAPH

The Alexandria Health Department, which has operated from a two-story brick building at 517 North St. Asaph Street since 1944, moved in August to a new location in the City’s west end, 4480 King Street. The St. Asaph Street building is owned by the City of Alexandria, and staff members in the Planning and General Services Departments have been studying potential uses or reuses for the site. In the short-term, the plan is to locate some small City agencies in the building so that it does not remain vacant. Maintenance of the property is being transferred from the State of Virginia to the City, and City crews should be in place soon to make sure there is no trash or overgrown plant material on the site.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL CHANGE PROPOSED FOR WASHINGTON AND MADISON STREETS

The City of Alexandria has announced the upcoming installation of a new type of left-turn signal at Washington Street and Madison Street, as well as three other locations in the city. The new signal display will consist of a steady green arrow, a flashing yellow arrow, a steady yellow arrow, and a steady red arrow. The green arrow protects left-turning traffic from oncoming traffic, and the flashing yellow arrow tells left-turning traffic to first yield to oncoming traffic before turning. According to the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, the flashing yellow arrow reduces driver confusion and improves motorist safety at low cost. For further information, contact the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services, 703-838-4966.

CITY LAUNCHES EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS

The Alexandria Citizen Corps Council kicked off an emergency preparedness campaign at Founders Park on September 9. A community awareness event was scheduled to follow on September 11 at the Potomac Yards retail center from 10 am to 2 pm. The group’s effort will focus on distributing emergency preparedness information to 65,000 households and 8,000 businesses in Alexandria. Civic associations are being asked to help distribute educational materials including English/Spanish preparedness fact sheets, Red Cross/FEMA family disaster planning information, and a list of items that should be included in emergency supply kits. To help with the project or to request more information, contact the Citizen Corps staff at 703-706-3940, ext 284, or visit their new web site at www.alexandriava.gov/city/citizencorps/.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN OLD TOWN NORTH AND NEARBY

  • Old Town North Community Partnership meeting, September 15, 7:30 pm, 300 Montgomery Street, 2nd floor (please call 703-836-8066 if you plan on coming; we still haven’t found a community meeting room of sufficient size). Agenda items include Montgomery Park Improvements and the initiation of a community cleanup event.
  • 63rd Annual Tour of Historic Alexandria Homes, September 18, 10 am to 3 pm, www.thetwig.org or 703-683-5544.
  • Art on the Avenue, October 2, along Mt. Vernon Avenue
  • Walk to Fight Breast Cancer, October 23, 8:00, along Eisenhower Avenue, www.alexcancerwalk.com or 703-838-5030.
  • Numerous events are listed on the city’s tourism web site, www.funside.com, on the monthly calendar tabs.

Congressman Jim Moran has announced events he is sponsoring:

  • 13th Annual Women’s Issues Conference, September 18, 10 am to 2 pm, Minnie Howard School
  • District Wide Town Hall Meeting, September 27, 7 pm to 9 pm, George Mason High School, 7124 Leesburg Pike

For additional information, call the district office at 703-971-4700.or visit his website at www.moran.house.gov.

WHAT’S NEW, IN BRIEF

Quizno’s Subs, 608 N. St. Asaph Street, has requested an increase in it’s number of seats and hours of operation. The 1,165 square foot restaurant would like to add 10 seats to its current 10, for a total seating capacity of 20. The extended hours would occur on Sundays, allowing food to be served until 8 pm rather than just 6 pm as currently. The request was scheduled for the Planning Commission meeting of September 9.

The Office of Voter Registration and Elections reminds us that new voting equipment will be used in the upcoming presidential election. The Alexandria Electoral Board is running an outreach program to ensure that all voters going to the polls are aware of the new equipment and know how to use it. If your homeowners association would like to receive voter education materials or a demonstration, contact the City’s Deputy Registrar at ginny.franco@alexandriava.gov or 703-838-4050.

SIGN UP FOR OLD TOWN NORTH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP MAILING LIST

Please send an email with your contact info@oldtownnorth.org. Or complete and mail the form below to Old Town North Community Partnership, c/o Montgomery Center, 300 Montgomery Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.