Replace Texas Streets with new ballfields

May 27, 2010
Fleet Park

Fleet Park

The Navy is shutting down Fleet Park and displacing 6 baseball fields used by the Fleet Park Little League with its 550 Little Leaguers.  The Ocean View Little League lost their playing fields last year as the Navy is no longer allowing them to use Navy fields either.  This was reported on by the Virginian-Pilot here.

Remember the Comprehensive Plan(Page 28):

. . . the high-density walkup apartments constructed in the Texas Streets section of Denby Park are, for the most part, not desirable housing. They have been built too close together, without appropriate provision of open space, and without amenities. The maze-like character of the resulting development, its proximity to highly-travelled Little Creek Road and to Interstate – 64 make it unfortunately suitable for drug dealing and for serving as a base for other criminal activity. The Norfolk police report that the situation in these buildings is getting worse. They recommend major change: the acquisition and demolition of these buildings, before the situation has even more adverse impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods.
Texas Streets Section of Denby Park

Texas Streets Section of Denby Park

The City of Norfolk now has a need for new ballfields for our children.  Let’s consider following the Comprehensive Plan, acquire and demolish the sub-standard housing in the Texas Streets, and build ballfields to replace those lost at Fleet Park.  It would create a centralized place for Fleet Park and Ocean View Little Leagues to call home.

Update: This is an idea that is being floated to gauge support.  This has not been voted on or endorsed in any way by Wards Corner Now or any civic league.

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Best of Norfolk winners from Wards Corner

May 24, 2010

Congratulations to the following Greater Wards Corner Area businesses who received “Readers Choice Best of Awards” for Norfolk in 2010 (as printed in the Virginian-Pilot):

BEST BREAKFAST – The Pancake House (Gold)

BEST CHINESE – Number 1 Chinese Restaurant (Bronze)

BEST CHIROPRACTOR – Wards Corner Chiropractic (Gold)

BEST PHYSICAL THERAPY – Southeastern Physical Therapy (Silver)

BEST PHYSICAL THERAPY – North Shore Sports and Physical Therapy (Bronze)

BEST PLACE FOR EYE CARE – Pearle Vision (Bronze)

BEST ASSISTED LIVING – The Ballentine (Gold)

BEST ASSISTED LIVING – Province Place of DePaul (Bronze)

BEST PEDIATRICIAN – North Shore Pediatrics (Gold)

BEST ANIMAL HOSPITAL / VET CENTER – Friendship Veterinary Hospital (Bronze)

BEST PET BOARDING – Friendship Veterinary Hospital (Bronze)

BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY – The Ballentine (Gold)

BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY – The Talbot on Granby (Bronze)

BEST SENIOR SERVICES – The Ballentine (Gold)

BEST SENIOR SERVICES – PrimePlus Norfolk Senior Center (Silver)

BEST SENIOR SERVICES – The Talbot on Granby (Bronze)

BEST HOLISTIC VET – Friendship Veterinary Hospital (Silver)

BEST USED BOOK STORE – Book Exchange (Gold)

BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL – Norfolk Christian (Gold)

BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL – Norfolk Collegiate (Silver)

BEST FASHION JEWELRY / ACCESSORIES STORE – Ben Cooper Jewelers (Gold)

BEST GOLF COURSE – Sewell’s Point Golf Course (Bronze)

BEST SUPERMARKET – Farm Fresh Supermarkets (Gold)

BEST SUPERMARKET – Kroger (Bronze)

BEST PHARMACY – Farm Fresh Supermarkets (Gold)

BEST PHARMACY – Walgreen’s (Silver)

BEST BAKERY – Farm Fresh Supermarkets (Gold)

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Pilot prints article on Wards Corner Now

May 23, 2010

The Compass section of the Virginian Pilot (May 23, 2010 edition) has an article on about Wards Corner Now and our group was created.  I cannot find the article posted online to link to.  Here are some notable portions of the article:

A new group, called Wards Corner now, formed in March with plans to supplant the partnership. Leaders of the new group said partnership leaders were too caustic in their criticism of the city.

The friction boiled over during a fractious meeting of Wards Corner leaders and city officials months ago that attorney Martin Thomas Jr., a Wards Corner resident, said was simply too toxic.

So Thomas joined civic league presidents Jim English and Jim McDonnell, realtor Louis Eisenberg, chiropractor Brad Robinson and others in leaving the partnership and forming Wards Corner Now.

“We don’t want to fight, we don’t want to bicker,” English said in explaining why he split from the partnership. “You don’t get anywhere that way and that’s where we were headed.”

Added Thomas: “There’s been a lot of negativity going on for about a year. City councilmen weren’t taking them seriously.”

Thomas and others established a website, held monthly meetings and injected themselves into City Council politics in a big way.

The group endorsed Andy Protogyrou in the Ward 1 council race. Protogyrou, a lawyer, defeated three opponents largely because of lopsided victories at Wards Corner area precincts.

“Wards Corner needs an advocate,” Eisenberg said, much like W. Randy Wright has been an advocate for Ocean View.

Wards Corner Now held its initial meeting in March and includes representatives of most Wards Corner civic leagues. Council members Theresa Whibley and Barclay C. Winn attended. Winn called the new group “a positive step for Wards Corner.”

Wards Corner Now: Positive Change for Wards Corner.

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Another Wards Corner murder

May 13, 2010

The Virginian-Pilot is reporting:

A man died after he was shot in the 7600 block of Lankford Ave., in the Wards Corner section of the city, on Tuesday night.

Deonta Person, 20, was shot just after 9 p.m., police said Wednesday afternoon. Someone drove him to Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, where he died a short time later, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

A quick search of the Norfolk Circuit Court docket reveals a “Deonta Person” being indicted in 2009 for 4 counts of robbery and 2 counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

REMEMBER: If you want to be a part of the conversation, Wards Corner Now is having it’s meeting this Saturday at 8:30am at the Fitness and Wellness Center.

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Norfolk Police Department 3rd Patrol Division Red Sector Meeting

May 12, 2010

Norfolk Police Department

3rd Patrol Division

Red Sector Meeting 

Where: Fitness and Wellness Center- Newport Ave.

When:   May 14, 2010 from 11:00AM to 12:00PM
 

Please come to the next meeting

Join in the networking and community partnership

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Don’t miss: Wards Corner Now meeting this Saturday

May 10, 2010

Don’t forget that Wards Corner Now is meeting this Saturday, May 15, 2010, at 8:30am at the Fitness and Wellness Center.  The Agenda includes an introduction of councilman elect, Andy Protogyrou, a representative from DePaul Medical Center, and a report on the crosswalk discussion with Norfolk’s traffic engineer, Guzin Akan.

The Wards Corner Taskforce meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 8:30am at the Fitness and Wellness Center and we will be briefed on that as well.

This meeting will be facilitated by Jim English.

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Andy Protogyrou wins Ward 1 seat on City Council

May 5, 2010
Councilman Andy Protogyrou

Councilman Andy Protogyrou

Congratulations to Andy Protogyrou on being elected to serve as the Ward 1 representative on City Council.  We look forward to working with Andy on making Wards Corner a better place.

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