80 more volunteers are needed for construction of the Denby Park Playground on Thursday, August 21st. We must have 100 volunteers for this great project to happen. It is a condition of the grant. Please contact: Melinda Luchun at 823-4210 or email CommunityOutreach@norfolk.gov to volunteer.
Wards Corner Now - Wards Corner, Norfolk, Virginia 
I have no interest in Kaboom.Park in the middle of 352 sanAntinio.They smoke crack there in the middle of the day.Better get neighborhood watch going.Cause they will destroy it as fast as it is being built.
With all due respect Beverly. This is unbelievable as someone else wrote. We can certainly understand the worry that a bad element will hang out at the park. We just can’t believe that the worry outweighs the benefit of adding a playground to your neighborhood. This will not look good if they have the money to build this playground and we can’t get the volunteers to meet the criteria of the grant. The area will be hard pressed to get and ask for anything else (or it will be hard to at least) if this thing fails because of lack of community support. The Partnership will push for lighting and whatever else needs to happen to make this a great and safe Park for the Denby Park area. Don’t turn down a good thing. That will be a mistake. Instead push for more vo;unteers to build this playground. If the Denby Park community truly dones not want the Park then where were your voices of dissent earlier. This is in fact will help make the neighborhood better in the long run. Jim English
I expect to be there with my shovel and gloves before 11AM. I do hope others feel the need to keep our community family friendly and drug user free! Channel 3 (Barbara Ciarra ) gave a few minutes report on the project on Monday? and Barbara Lai was interviewed in the VA Pilot. Maybe we can request some Navy volunteers, too! Denby Park will expect police patrols and adult supervision, if what Beverly states is true.
believe what she says and i have some land for sell that will make you a rich person.who is doing the supervision bet she never said that.
jim eglish should walk a mile in our shoes before critizing someone else.
this is undoubtable the worst plan that could have been hatched by the city of norfolk.all they had to do was fullfil that promises that have made over the last 7 years and guess what problem solved
Mr.English.First you did not hear it was so suppose to be a surprise.When i found out i went to city council.If you want to know if it is true about the crack.Just ask Barbara Lai and jody fiffe and janice the new manager for the apts. they was with me when we was walking around at 2 in the afternoon.Last i am asked togive of my time all the time but howabout the people that live in them apts. how about helping yourself sometime in stead of having something handed to you.I believe it is called work for it.
Sorry i forgot one thing more.Someone already has busted out the sliding glass doors to the apt they was going to give for multi-use.Police,after school care,parks and rec .
As a resident of Denby Park I am very disturbed by the actions of city officials with regard to this “park”. First, discussions of this park were not held with residents, as far as I know. It was not brought to the civic league by any city official until all plans were made and all decisions were final. The civic league has been asking to have the sidewalks and driveways in the 300 block of San Antonio fixed for several years, it appears where this new “park” is being put the city is putting in new sidewalks and a new hadicap access, I am assuming for the “park”. While a park is a great place for children to play, there is a lack of supervision now in that area, for whatever reason. What is putting a “park” there going to do to improve supervison of the young children?
There had been discussions in the past on getting some recreation in the area for children, nothing was broght back to the residents for comment. I found out about this “park” when it hit the news.
When the changes to Northside Park were proposed, there were studies done, everyone looked at the “plan” to determine the needs and things of this nature. When did this happen with this “park”? Who has evaluated what was needed to make this a safe and viable area for children? Why is it that our neighborhood does not need to have the same considerations that other neighborhoods in our city seem to need?
It seems as if the officials of our city are trying to put “band aids” on the issues in Denby Park as opposed to fixing the real problems. WE HAVE A DRUG AND OVER POPULATION ISSUE. Hopefully revitilization fo the neighborhood watch program in Denby Park and Oakdale Farms will help with some of the problems. At least it is a proactive step by residents to take back our neighborhood. Craddock did it and I think we can too!
Placing a “park” in the center of a known drug area is not the answer to making our residents safer.
City Officials – please help with our neighborhood!!!!
Respectfully,
RJ Luce
First I would like to begin by thanking Jim and Joan both for being so positive regarding the playground going in at 352 San Antonio. As a resident of the “300 block” for over 5 years I have seen and heard many things. I would like to address some of the issues brought up in the previous comments. What is the purpose of a neighborhood watch, if not to ‘watch your neighborhood?’ I am confused…what are we watching for? To see to it that the ‘element’ we want to rid ourselves of doesn’t remove our assests or valuables? What is more valuable than a young child? Because drug dealers, prostitutes, etc. are around, children should pay the price? Who wins if we don’t move forward with this playground? That very element of which you speak. We asked for new and or improved sidewalks. Does it honestly matter if it took the playground to get them in? We are getting them, right? And who attended the ‘build day’ to hear Glen say he was going to ‘talkk to the powers that be’ to see about getting in a speed bump? (Yeah-I requested one at a meeting with Project Focus…hasn’t happened-but if the playground gets it in I am thrilled senseless). Will they tear it up, who knows? Do we refuse to build schools because of the ‘element’ attending, or homes, or hospitals, etc.? Did anyone discuss w/Barbara the walk thru done with the new owner or his manager, or the other individuals yesterday. How Mr. McNew (sp?) is now convinced that the walk thru he proposed in the back may not be the wisest choice, and he will now put in a fence instead. Or that there are other precautions that will be taken to insure (or attempt to) the safety of these children who play there. The cameras, lighting, etc. Joan-I have met with the navy officials at NOB and they are totally on board. They believe it to be a fantastic idea (they have some people who actually live in the area and want something for their children). They are putting together a mass email (he has even contacted the ombudsman to encourage spouses, significant others to help). And yes, there are apartment dwellers who have signed up to help also (like everyone, there is an issue with it being done on a workday). This could be such a positive for this area. How do we ask for something and then turn it down because it isn’t “exactly what we asked for”? It’s a step and I believe a very positive one. Let’s show everyone how we can work together, take back our neighborhood and let those “undesirables” know we are serious!! (i know i am going to get it again for my rosecolored glasses, but that’s ok too 🙂
Jody, thank you for your comments on the playground.
Jody, Amen and thanks! Others should learn from your remarks. Things will get better if we are positive and move forward with improvements to your area as well as the entire Partnership area. You are not seeing things through rose colored glasses. You are being realistic and you are right. Jim English
You want to know what is more valuable than a child.A parent raising there child they brought into this world that they did not ask.Not a child raising themselfs.Schools we have schools with high droput rate.In fact there is a reason why your children are home taught.Right.Navy help.Speaking of navy your spouse is getting out next year and most likely you will not be a long time resident.We the people in denby park will still be fighting the crime.Fact fight the crime.I understand you are for the children you have said that from the start.That is why we bump heads.But these children need to stop having children and it starts in the home.Not school or anywhere else.Last you might want to take the rosecolored glasses off .Beverly
Mr. English.Just one question.Did you or did you not say you would not walk in denby park?
The negativity is very counter productive, things in this city would NEVER improve IF people didn’t take a chance! Let’s take the chance on the park! What can it hurt??? We will not solve all of Bev’s issues by NOT going forth with the project. If there is so much worry about the “element” in the area join in the Block Watch and HELP out. The children will not have to cross the traffic laden Little Creek Road to come to the Monticello Village playground to play. Can we all try to remember it takes all of us to make changes for the better and I think this is a positive step for the residents in Denby Park and the area in general. Whether the children playing there will be ours or not we all owe them a chance to have a place to play.