Road closures at Byrd Park to begin this weekend
The City of Richmond introduces a new event beginning June 4

Richmond, VA – Using the Open Streets concept as seen in other cities around the nation, the City of Richmond is reducing automobile traffic in Byrd Park on weekends beginning Saturday, May 13, 2023. The gate closures will open the space to be used for a range of activities for visitors of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

Beginning at 7 a.m., Saturday, May 13, the following road closures will be implemented in Byrd Park:

1. Entrance to the park at S. Arthur Ashe Jr. Blvd. and Grant Street

2. S. Robinson Street at Boat Lake Drive

3. Lakeview Avenue at S. Robinson Street

4. Strollers Lane at Grant Street

5. Westover Road at Boat Lake Drive

6. Trafford Road at Westover Road

Parking is available on S. Arthur Ashe, Jr. Blvd, Grant Street at Blanton Avenue, S. Sheppard Street, or S. Davis Avenue.

These closures will be in effect through 7 a.m. on Monday, September 18, 2023.

To further make use of the space and bring the community together, the City will be hosting Jazz at the Fountain at Fountain Lake. Beginning on Sunday, June 4th, Jazz at the Fountain will feature Richmond native Chan Hall beginning at 4 p.m. The July 2nd performance will feature the quartet Michael Hawkins and the Brotherhood, which features Mr. Hawkins on bass, James “Saxsmo” Gates on Alto Saxophone, Dr. Weldon Hill on piano, and Billy Williams Jr. on drums. Information for the August 6th and September 3rd performers will be posted on the Parks and Recreation website and social media channels.

For more information about the department, follow PRCF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit our website.

~ Meeting scheduled to provide information and solicit public input ~

RICHMOND, Va. – The Department of Public Works (DPW) invites the community to attend a public meeting Monday, May 22 from 5 - 7 p.m. at Main Street Station, 1500 East Main Street to learn more about the US-60 Downtown Expressway Gateway Pedestrian Improvements Project. The project will provide improvements to the pedestrian infrastructure around Kanawha Plaza (South 9th Street, East Canal Street, South 7th Street, and East Byrd Street) in the vicinity of the downtown expressway. The proposed improvements will provide safer pedestrian access to the Plaza. The development team will be available to answer questions. Public engagement is important to the success of the project.

The proposed improvements include:

• Increased pedestrian accessibility
• Adding and widening sidewalk
• Reconstruction of intersection geometry
• Enhanced pedestrian crossings by reducing the length of the crossing and clearly marked crosswalks
• Installation of pedestrian signals
• Planting street trees
• Installation of a new traffic signal at South 7th and East Byrd Streets

Project information will also be available at City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Please call 804-646-2467 to make an appointment to review project documents. Please call ahead to ensure the availability of appropriate personnel to answer questions.

Comments can be submitted at the meeting or mailed to: Ms. Yongping Wang, Richmond Department of Public Works, 900 East Broad Street, 6th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219 or by email to Yongping.Wang@rva.gov. Please include "UPC111702 – US 60 Downtown Expressway Gateway Pedestrian Improvement Project” on the email subject line. All comments must be received by the June 5, 2023 deadline.

If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, email Yongping.Wang@rva.gov or call 804-646-2467.

For more information, please visit us online at rva.gov/public-works or email us at askpublicworks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting;  graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1.

~ The event includes document shredding and the collection of household hazardous waste items and electronics ~

WHO:   The Department of Public Works, The Clean City Commission and The Department of Public Utilities

WHAT: Richmond E-Cycle Day

WHEN:  Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE:  Broad Rock Sports Complex, 4825 Old Warwick Road (23224)

BACKGROUND:  The City of Richmond’s E-Cycle Day offers City residents an efficient option to recycle paper and electronics to help keep hazardous waste materials out of city waterways, streams and rivers. This event is available to city residents – proof of residency is required. Please note, this is a drive-thru event. Volunteers will remove items from the cars.

Paper Document Shredding

• • Up to five (5) boxes of documents
  • Be sure to remove all binders, staples and clips

Electronics (various fees apply)

• • Computer systems (hard drive or CPU) and accessories (cables, wires, keyboards, mice, speakers, etc.) VCRs, camcorders, stereos and all phones
  • Televisions, computer monitors and printers
• Other used electronic equipment (almost anything with a plug - see the online list for clarification)
• Go to www.rva.gov/public-works/clean-city-commission to get fees and the full list of electronics to recycle

Household Hazardous Waste Items (HHW)

• Pesticides, Herbicides and Oil-based Paints
• Bug spray, rodent poison and herbicides (Roundup, Weed B Gon etc.)
• Latex and water based paints will not be collected. These items can be left in open paint cans until they have dried out and then put in with regular curbside trash pick-up.

For more information on recycling or the event, please visit us online at www.rva.gov/public-works/clean-city-commission or email us at AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting;  graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is a premier provider of utility service. DPU provides natural gas, water, wastewater and stormwater service to more than 500,000 residential and commercial customers in the metropolitan region. In addition, DPU operates an electric street lighting utility, which maintains 37,000 streetlights throughout the City.  For more information, visit DPU's website at www.rva.gov/public-utilities.

Wife of Former VCU Basketball Coach is Promoting Early Childhood Literacy 

Richmond Public Library, Richmond Public Library Foundation, and The Friends of the Richmond Public Library are teaming up to raise awareness of alarming data that shows nearly 60% of Richmond children are not ready for kindergarten. To address the issue, the library groups have enlisted the help of Maya Payne Smart and invited her back to Richmond for a day-long literacy forum. 
 
Smart, a literary advocate, and author, recently published Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six. The book highlights the importance of parents interacting and having conversations with their babies to lay the foundation for future learning. Smart is the wife of Shaka Smart, former Head Coach of Men’s Basketball at Virginia Commonwealth University, and was the 2014 Richmond Christmas Mother. She says she still maintains close ties to Richmond and is honored to return and discuss the ways parents can help their children succeed.
 
“I’m most passionate about public libraries because they are the only place where everyone is totally welcome to walk in,” explained Ms. Smart.

Smart, an alumna of Harvard and Northwestern universities shares, “Standardized assessments are valuable but limited, alert systems,” adding, “Alarms ring; they don’t teach.”

She will share creative, easy, and fun ways to engage in reading and learning to help parents and caregivers prepare children for school. Her day in Richmond includes conversations with civic leaders and child-focused organizations, followed by Story Time at the Main Library. Her visit will conclude with a free public forum where she will serve as Keynote Speaker. Event honorary co-chairs are Meg Medina, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, and the Honorable Jennifer McClellan.
 
“As the child of educators and mother of two children in Richmond Public Schools, I have long understood the importance of early childhood learning and literacy. Building literacy from an early age is a way to increase equity and build strong communities,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “Libraries play an integral role in these efforts and have a major impact in our communities. Connecting with neighborhood libraries means connecting to resources and trained staff dedicated to answering the needs of our communities. I applaud Maya’s ability to shine a light on how we, as a community, can support families through coordinated efforts. The logical place for this coordinated support is in partnership with our local libraries. Let’s come together in a way that supports our Richmond families.” 
 
Fellow honorary co-chair Meg Medina, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature shared, “Maya Payne Smart offers a living example of how to make books and stories a joyful part of children’s lives as well as a vehicle to lift communities. Whether through her engaging blog series, her community leadership roles, or as an author, she has a track record of using practical ideas to inspire people and connect them.” 
 
Smart is scheduled to speak from 7 P.M. – 8 P.M., in the Robins Family Forum at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Her book will be available for purchase, and she will be available to autograph copies after her speech. The event is free and open to the public. Her visit coincides with National Library Week (See attached for a full list of events). For additional information or to schedule an interview, contact Scott Firestine, Library Director, Richmond Public Library at scott.firestine@rva.gov or (804) 646-4550.

More About Maya Payne Smart
Maya Payne Smart is a parent educator, literacy advocate, and author. Her website, MayaSmart.com, publishes new book lists, literacy activities, and other free family resources weekly to help parents play their dual roles as first teachers and educational advocates. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the Medill School at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s in social studies with honors from Harvard University. She serves as affiliated faculty in Educational Policy and Leadership in the College of Education at Marquette University.


More about the Richmond Public Library
Richmond Public Library is celebrating 100 years of service to the City of Richmond with a series of RPL100 events to Inform, Enrich, and Empower our City’s residents. The Richmond Public Library Foundation supports a resilient and vibrant community through philanthropic investment in the Richmond Public Library, and the Friends of the Richmond Public Library organizes and maintains an association of people interested in the process and welfare of the Richmond Public Library. 
 

 National Library Week: April 23 – 29, 2023

The Richmond Public Library Presents:

Maya Smart, Reading for Our Lives

DATE: Tuesday, April 25, 2023

SCHEDULE: 

7:30 A.M. – 9 A.M.
Leadership Breakfast
*Private Event

10:30 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.
Story Time featuring Maya Payne Smart

Richmond Public Library, Main Branch

101 E. Franklin St., Richmond 23219

5:30 P.M. – 6:45 P.M.
Donor Reception

7 P.M. – 8 P.M. 
Maya Payne Smart, Community Talk with Book Signing

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The City of Richmond Is Now Accepting Applications for the Position of Police Chief

After taking some time to receive feedback from residents, community partners, and stakeholders about what they would like to see in the next Police Chief, the city

With that in mind, the city, in consultation with POLIHIRE, has created a detailed job description and posting for the Police Chief position.

The qualified applicant will have demonstrated mastery of the following knowledge areas, skills, and abilities:

• Emergency management operations

• Crime prevention and deterrents

• Community policing

• Constitutional law

• Human resources management

• Public presenting and reporting

• Communication and engagement with diverse audiences

• Urban environments

The city is looking for someone with a history of implementing 21st-century policing strategies. Understanding what Richmond has to offer, the applicant must be an effective and inspiring leader who is approachable, technologically savvy, and solutions driven.

The salary ranges from $155,234 to $247,986, and the posting will remain open until filled.

To read the full description and job posting, click here.

(Click here to download as a PDF)