Letter to the Editor: Walker Offers His Local 'Oscar' Nominations

To the Editor:

On Oscar night I think there should be awards for the local heroes who have helped make Alexandria a better place in 2011. I love the movies, and I am often moved to tears by a good movie, as I am by a good story, and I hope that lasts year’s story ends well. But for the issues I have been passionate about, the credits have not rolled, and the local heroes who have helped me in my causes cannot claim victory yet.  Here are my Five Nominations:

1. A victory in court that saved the historic American Legion/Carver Nursery School Building at 224 N. Fayette St. Demolition of the building was applied for by the current owner, and approved by the Parker Gray BAR and the City Council, but we won a decisive victory in court. The judge reversed herself when she saw most of the visitors in her court room stand up and leave after she ruled that civil rights could not be used as grounds for the appeal, and three days later ruled in our favor, which led to the settlement with the property owner, and the city. It is a building important to many African Americans in Alexandria who feel that too many buildings, like the two Parker Gray Schools that were demolished, have been lost, and that this building that was built as the Carver School for African American Children in 1943 so their parents could work in the war effort, should be saved. The City recently put up a for sale sign, and it is being offered for $675,000 to someone willing to preserve it. I appreciate the help of city staff, but much more is needed to bring attention to the building, and perform the miracle that will be needed to find a purchaser, or to convince the city to purchase it, and restore it. So even though so many helped by supporting the effort, including the 100-year-old Margaret Chisley, whom the court case was named after, and Randy Stevens, who is trying to raise the money for the purchase, the outcome is unknown. But if a purchaser is not found than the building will likely be demolished and new condominiums put in its place. 

2. Citizens for An Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan. When you start a movement or stand up for a cause you never know how many people will join you. Our cause started on a very rainy blustery morning last April, and when we began to set up our press conference we only saw a few people, but like something out of Brigadoon, people began to appear, and soon we had at least 40, maybe 50 people willing to stand in the rain and listen to what has become one of the most important movements to engage citizens in Alexandria. We chose that day as it was the day that George Washington left the Dock at West’s Point (where Robinson Terminal North now stands) to be inaugurated our first president. I had read this in the History part of the Waterfront Plan that was added to the city’s development plan by the Archeology Commission, and written by James McCall. When Andrew Macdonald, Bob Montague and I stood there little did we know that we would have to fight for a year to get to where we are now. We began a petition drive at an Old Town Civic Meeting and with over 1500 hundred signatures, I believe it is one of the largest petition drives ever in Alexandria. We formed a new organization with Andrew and me at the helm, several experienced citizen activists like Katy Cannady, Van Van Fleet and Poul Hertel on board, and many great new people we would have never met if it was not for our common cause. No matter what happens, we have made known the importance of the Alexandria Waterfront, gotten the city and a committee to look more closely at the proposed plan and its consequences, and to recommend 8 studies. I would like to single out the three members of the Waterfront Work Group who live near the water, and shared our long term vision: Bert Ely, Bob Wood and David Olinger. Bob became the chief architect of the document that was produced, and Bert produced his own minority report, providing additional press and scrutiny. And David Olinger, not known for his outspokenness, became more outspoken and delivered some of the toughest questions and comments. Finally we have prevented rezoning of the waterfront for now with the help of three Iron Ladies: Marie Kux, April Burke and Beth Gibney.

3. Seminary Hill Association, which has not only supported the waterfront not once, but twice, showing that the issue is important outside of Old Town, but who has been a bulwark when it comes to the preventing lights to be illegally put up at the upper field of Hammond Middle School, to providing information about the widening of Beauregard, and the truth about BRAC. Just go to their website and you can see oodles of information on each topic. The catalog of information that has been posted on a variety of issues is a great resource. Nancy Jennings and the rest of the board are keeping up on the issues, going to meetings, and asking tough questions. The unexamined city is not worth living in, so thank goodness there is an organization keeping focused on every issue in the city. As I say that, I realize I must also congratulate the Federation of Civic Associations for doing similar work, and I learn a lot from attending those meetings.  The sharing of information and knowledge of issues that affect the whole city is an important tool for citizens to help shape changes that will be better through citizen involvement. 

4. Ft. Ward Park is not a cause I have been closely involved in but I have followed and support the efforts of Glen Eugster, Tom Fulton, Dave Cavanaugh, Adrienne Washington, Francis Terell and the Descendents of the residents who once lived in the boundaries of Ft. Ward Park. Through their efforts not only will the park become better managed, but a maintenance yard has been moved off gravesites in the Oakland Baptist Cemetery, located in the park, and other graves have been discovered, and a whole different story can now be told about the history of the park, and the residents who lived there, but were pushed out in the creation of a park that extended beyond the boundaries of a civil war fort. Archeology has begun to identify what needs to be protected, and the descendents are working with Pam Cressey, the City Archeologist and working to place new signs to honor the African American Community that lived within the boundaries of this park. The continued efforts of these and other individuals should make it a great park for recreation, neighbors, and those interested in all the history of Ft. Ward Park. It is a process that began in 2007, and has evolved into the creation of a Ft. Ward History Work Group, a Descendents Group and better communication between Parks and Recreation, Office of Historic Alexandria, and other stakeholders. The sequel will be the completion of a management plan for the park.

5. The last nomination is an unknown, and might be the first great cause of next year. It is one of those performances that come so late in the season, when other shows crowd it out, that your not sure it should be considered yet. This is the Old Town Movie Theater. There used to be several independent theaters in Alexandria, from the Reed on Upper King (I have three seats from there) to the Carver Theater on Fayette St. to the one that was on First St. next to the bowling alley and the roller rink. My mom saw both Kris Kristofferson and Gordon Lightfoot there, which shows and that Alexandria was once a great place for both movies and live performances. But the last of these theaters, built originally in 1914 as a vaudeville Stage and originally called the Richmond Theater has closed. I understand the new owner has not ruled out using it as a theater, but I am afraid without the involvement and support of the community it will be hard to achieve. The former owner, Roger Fons, should perhaps get a lifetime achievement award, for keeping the theater going for nine years. The first movie Roger showed was Cinema Paradiso, which if nothing else, is about the love of the movies, like the Oscar nominated Hugo. The last movie he showed was Mission Impossible, which this may be, but I love Alexandria, and I love the theater, and hope this building will be kept as a space for movies, music or live theater. 

As you enjoy the Oscars, I hope you will also consider the people and organizations that have made our community better in the last year.