A Rock and Hard Gravel in the Fort Ward Park Maintenance Yard

A Rock and Hard Gravel in the Fort Ward Park Maintenance Yard

As part of the long talk that has been going on at Fort Ward about the use and protection of the park, many have spoken to fill, drainage, compaction and water runoff in this portion of the park.  In response to public concerns City Council, working with the City Manager and the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services, provided funds to look at short and long-term solutions to water runoff problems.  Funds were also provided by Council, working with the Office of Historic Alexandria, to research and identify graves in the park overall, especially within the maintenance yard and nursery area.

During the meetings of the Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group, as well as other related group gatherings, many city and citizen leaders have spoken to removal of the gravel in order to manage water runoff from parklands and find the graves of those who lived and are buried within the park.  For example:

Deputy-Director Roger Blakeley agreed to “re-grade the maintenance yard to change the flow of water from the site away from residential properties”.

February 26, 2008.  Meeting with Roger Blakeley, Steve Tompkins, John Walsh, Dennis Carroll, Tom Fulton, Jeanne O’Leary, Elizabeth Sullivan and Glenn Eugster.

Local historian Dave Cavanaugh proposed to, “Relocate the maintenance yard and restore the land to its natural grade”.

March 16, 2009. Draft resolution to the City of Alexandria, VA. 

1. Lance Mallamo, Director of the Office of Historic Alexandria 

said, “We will remove gravel and replant vegetation in the maintenance yard. The area needs to be restored ecologically”.  

James Spengler, Director of the City’s Recreation Department at the same meeting said, “We have to have the gravel taken up. We are taking land that has been disturbed and returning it to a natural state”. 

May 13, 2010 Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group Meeting.

Rich Baier, Director of the Alexandria Department of Transportation and Environmental Services said, “There is no [water] collection system in the park.  The maintenance area is impervious and that [material] needs to be removed. It needs to be restored to a vegative state”.

“The collection system has been filled in many places.  The collection system needs to be restored.  The maintenance yard is impervious--so are the residential properties”.

May 25, 2010.  Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group Meeting

J. Lance Mallamo said, “There will be gravel removal in the maintenance yard”.

July 27, 2010.  Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group Meeting

Contradicting his earlier statement, Lance Mallamo said, “We won’t do gravel removal in the maintenance yard.  It was determined from Ground Penetrating Radar that there wasn’t anything under the gravel.  There is no money for monitoring the gravel removal”.

Laura Durham, Open Space Planner for the Recreation Department, contradicted her supervisor James Spengler and said, “We are not funded to do gravel removal.  We are looking at putting soil on top of the gravel”.

Lance Mallamo went further to say, “We won’t be removing gravel in the maintenance yard during this first phase.  There is a large gravel area, nearly 8,000 square feet, which is likely to be a couple of feet deep”.  

August 24, 2010.  Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group Meeting.

City Archaeologist Dr. Pamela Cressey said, “We aren’t saying there is nothing here, anywhere.  We don’t know how deep the aggregate is.  This is the first test in this area.  This is not a completion of knowing everything about the maintenance yard”. 

September 28,2010.  Fort Ward Park Archaeology Meeting with Dr. Pam Cressey and Fran Bromberg.

Pam Cressey said, “The horizon A layer across most of the maintenance yard cut out and new fill put in”. 

January 8, 2011. Fort Ward History Work Group

Tom Bodor, a consulting archaeologist to the City of Alexandria from the Ottery Group, said, “The maintenance yard was an issue(for archaeological research) because of disturbance”.

Tom Fulton, then Chair of the Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group said, “The conditions in the maintenance yard made use of the Ground Pentrating Radar difficult to pick them (the graves) up”.

February 5, 2011. Fort Ward History Work Group 

Geoffrey Lyon, a Marlboro Estates resident wrote, “I would focus first on funding to raze the remaining sheds and fences and buildings at the Maintenance Lot.

Thereafter, I would focus on funding to grade the Maintenance Lot Site and re-grade the filled-in drainage swale adjacent to the Maintenance Lot and adjacent to the Park Boundaries.

Such steps would merely restore the Park to its Original State - hence no need for Expensive Studies.  Additionally, the budget expenses for these projects are modest - they can even be done by current Alexandria Park Staff rather than being contracted out.  You might even get the Sheriff to spring some Prisoner's to assist......and then get credit toward clemency/parole.  You could also enlist Citizen Volunteers to assist in the Project...”.

February 25, 2011. Letter to Fort Ward Observer. 

Rich Baier said, “We want to look around the maintenance yard in the spring.  We don’t want a compacted area”. 

December 14, 2011. Fort Ward Advisory Group Meeting.

As the City of Alexandria’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services, Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group, and the consultants serving them complete the draft Fort Ward Park and Museum Management Plan, which is to include a Drainage Plan, city and citizen leaders will decide what actions should be taken in the park maintenance yard and nursery area.  Removing the gravel will help solve water runoff problems as well as allow the search for remaining graves to be completed.

Comments on the Fort Ward Park Draft Drainage Master Plan

To:  Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group Members

Subject:  Comments on the Fort Ward Park Draft Drainage Master Plan

Date: May 7, 2014

Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the Fort Ward Park Draft Drainage Plan.  Your report is a welcome sight.  As you know water runoff from Fort Ward Park has been a long-standing problem for adjacent residents and leaders of the Oakland Baptist Church. For many years residents have contacted city staff raising their concerns with little or no response.  The fact that Fort Ward Park is managed by four separate city offices, and does not have an approved management plan, has led to many single-purpose initiatives which have been in conflict with the overall purpose of the park. 

Almost five years to the day I presented concerns on behalf of Marlboro Estates, the Seminary Hill Association, Inc. and the Oakland Baptist Church to the City’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES) at one of their “Stormwater Outreach Meeting” on May 13, 2009.  On January 28, 2010 a group of community leaders met with the then-Vice Mayor Kerry Donley about concerns we had related to storm water runoff from Fort Ward Park.  

Based on our discussion with Vice Mayor Donley, who worked with Rich Baier, Director of T&ES as well as former Councilwoman Alicia Hughes, we helped the city staff and Council craft a proposal, with funding support, for short-term stormwater solutions and the long-term study.  

We also worked with Council and the Office of Historic Alexandria staff to craft a proposal, with funding support, to do archaeological and cultural research to help make decisions in the short and long-term stormwater runoff master plan and proposed management plan.  With the strong support of the Mayor, City Manager and the City Council these efforts were given high priority and funded at the requested levels.

Although it is good to finally see this report, after reviewing it and discussing it with community leaders, I believe that your analysis is incomplete and the recommendations are premature and inconsistent with other facts in the public record.  The document indicates, “The challenge is to manage the stormwater runoff and to minimize flooding and erosion while preserving the historic and archaeological resources of the Park”.  Unfortunately what has been proposed will not meet the challenge. 

The report does not integrate information from written and verbal community input, the historical, cultural and archaeological research that has been done, or is now being completed.  For example, the research that City Council funded to identify graves and family burial areas within the park has not yet been completed.  The Office of Historic Alexandria recently made a belated written commitment to interview current and past city employees and descendant Fort Ward community family members to help identify where additional graves are located.  It is unclear at this time when that information will be available for review by the public and use in your decision-making. Decisions about stormwater and the overall management plan must be based on this information.

The report indicates that this effort has been designed to “Work with Local Government and Citizens to Create Viable Solutions”.  Although the consultants made presentations to the city and the Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group, the efforts to engage the public to help create solutions have fallen short.  For example, there was no early communication or outreach to help create viable solutions with the homeowners from Marlboro Estates or the Oakland Baptist Church leaders despite several assurances from the Mayor, City Manager and city staff that there would be.   

The report that has been prepared is also technically flawed.  The development projects for “Site 6- The Berm” and “Site 7--Stream Stabilization” are not based on good site analysis.  For example, within the Maintenance Yard where The Berm is proposed, the document failed to recognize that the site and the soils in this area were substantially modified as a result of illegal activities by the City of Alexandria.  As you may, or may not, know this area was filled and drainage areas were modified without any permit or public notice.  The fill, which included soil, gravel and organic debris, modified the areas drainage increasing and redirecting sheet flow into the cemetery and adjacent residential properties causing flooding, erosion and subsidence.  In addition, the fill degraded and covered identified graves and family burial areas within this space.

The report also does not recognize statements made by Mr. Spengler, Director of the City of Alexandria Recreation Department, Mr. Baier and Mr. Mallamo, as well as many others, indicating that the Maintenance Yard needs to be restored to find graves as well as repair damage to drainage and vegetation.

The proposal to cover this area with more fill will not correct the damage that has been done to site drainage and will permanently cover-up graves. It ignores the need to complete archaeological and oral history research before any decisions are made.

Within the ravine, where “Site 7--Stream Stabilization” is proposed, the report failed to recognize that this ravine has been identified as an area where there are graves.  The ravine was filled with park debris as part of a Fort Ward Park Master Plan and implementation project in 1979.  At that time, Recreation Department staff, some of who still work for the city, were directed to remove gravestones and markers from parklands.  City leaders have been unwilling to discuss where those markers and stones were taken and community leaders believe that they may have been discarded in the ravine.   These points were raised with Transportation & Environmental Services and Office of Historic Alexandria leaders when Daniel Imig from T & ES brought this same stream stabilization proposal to the Advisory Group on November 11, 2010.

The proposal to further fill this area with soil and rock at this time ignores the need to complete archaeological and oral history research before any decisions are made.

The report notes, “In 2012, the City implemented interim drainage improvements on the east side of the Park to divert runoff from Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery and neighboring Marlboro Estates subdivision. The measures included installation of small catch basins, drainage pipes, and infiltration trench drains (Figure 2). The improvements provide a temporary solution to prevent runoff from flowing into the cemetery”.  This conclusion reflects poorly on your analysis in that the short-term solutions have helped reduce some stormwater runoff but did not “prevent runoff from flowing into the cemetery”.  

Perhaps this conclusion was reached after the one site reconnaissance visit that was made to the park and the cemetery.  A visit to the park and cemetery during or shortly after a rainfall illustrates time and time again that stormwater runoff continues to enter the cemetery from parklands.   This fact was repeatedly made to the advisory group members, city staff and elected officials.  The report’s analysis does not make use of photos taken during wet-weather periods by community members and provided to the city and the advisory group.

The report indicates, “Approximately 50 percent of the Park drains northeast to the Stormwater Management (SWM) Pond before entering the City’s storm drainage system at Outfall C. The SWM Pond also captures the off-site runoff from the area west of Braddock Road and the Marlboro Estate subdivision (Dedicated pond)”.  The statement is confusing and seems as if the consultants believe that there are two stormwater management ponds within the park.  The only designated stormwater management pond in Fort Ward Park is the one adjacent to Van Dorn Street.  

In summary, this report is an important element of the proposed management plan and needs to be completed.  However, the Draft Fort Ward Park Drainage Master Plan is missing crucial information on the location of graves, family burial areas and cultural artifacts.  It also fails to recognize the City of Alexandria has a moral and a legal responsibility to restore the Maintenance Yard so that damage to park drainage can be repaired and graves can be located.  Without this basic restoration and information the Site 6 and 7 alternatives presented in the draft plan are premature.  

It is essential that proposals in the drainage master plan find a way to solve stormwater runoff problems without degrading and covering-up graves, family burial areas and community history.  The city’s decision to conduct three separate studies simultaneously without integrating their sequencing, timing, information, public outreach, analysis, and recommendations has muddled the objectives of each effort and continues to delay reaching agreement on solutions to long-standing problems.  The recommendations provided in this draft will not benefit the City or the community it serves.  I urge you to place this long-term work on hold until the Maintenance Yard restoration and research on archaeology, history and culture has been completed.  

Thank you for your commitment to Fort Ward Park and the citizens it serves.

Sincerely,

Glenn

1. Glenn Eugster, Co-Chair, Fort Ward History Work Group; 

Steering Committee, Fort Ward African American Descendants Society, Inc.

cc. Rich Baier, James Spengler, J. Lance Mallamo, Mayor and City Council Members

Deadline for Comments on Water Runoff Impacting the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery

Deadline for Comments on Water Runoff Impacting the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery

On May 7, 2014 the City of Alexandria and their consultant held a public meeting to discuss the proposal to solve the long-standing problem of the water that runs off of Fort Ward Parkland into the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery.  The report is on public review now.  However, the deadline for public comments is close-of-business May 21, 2014.

The City’s stormwater proposal outlines actions divert water from the park maintenance yard by adding soil and rock, to create a  “berm” next to the cemetery fence.  The Office of Historic Alexandria staff suggested that if graves are found in the berm area they would be covered to protect and honor them.

The berm adjacent to the cemetery will add soil rather than remove the soil and rock that was added to the maintenance yard when it was used for solid waste, vehicle storage and debris.  According to one of the City’s consultants, the gravel layer allows for the flow of water to move downhill and enter the cemetery.  Despite the public statements by City officials, there seems to be a reluctance to remove the fill which was placed in the maintenance yard illegally.

Another berm is proposed to be created along the road to the maintenance yard.  That proposed berm seems to suggest that the road to the maintenance yard will continue to be used by vehicles rather than removed.  You may recall that the road was placed on top of a grave and the road construction damaged the coffin and removed the human remains.

If you have an interest in this area please provide comments.  At a minimum the City needs to:

1. Remove all the soil and gravel fill that was placed in the maintenance yard;
2. Complete archaeological, cultural and historical research in the yard and under the maintenance yard road;
3. If graves are found, discuss their protection and recognition with the descendant family members;
4. Regrade the yard so that the area can be restored;
5. Provide some form of stormwater management that will prevent the surface and subsurface flow of water into the cemetery, including the entry area.

The Department of Transportation and Environmental Services prepared plans for Fort Ward Park in 1979.  The plans were not sensitive to family graves within the park or the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery, and problems have persisted since then.  The Fort Ward Park Draft Drainage Master Plan is a chance to fix the problems.  Let City officials know what you think by writing to:

Chuck Ziegler, Chair, Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group.

Who is Krystyn Moon?

Who is Krystyn Moon?

By J. Glenn Eugster

Fort Ward Observer

Last year, under the cover of darkness, Lance Mallamo, Director of the Office of Historic Alexandria entered into a contract with Krystyn Moon of the University of Mary Washington to do a study of the Fort Ward African American Community.  Mr. Mallamo and Ms. Moon didn't attempt to work with the Fort Ward and Seminary African American Descendants Society, Inc. and as a result this recent City of Alexandria effort further erodes the trust between the African American community and the public agency serving them.  

According to reports from Wednesday nights Fort Ward Park & Museum Advisory Group Meeting Ms. Moon attempted to contact family members.  She did however contact other "local historians" for information about people who lived on what is now Fort Ward Park.  Leaders of the Descendant's Society and the Fort Ward History Work Group were not contacted by Ms. Moon, Mr. Mallamo, or his staff about the report or the information the city is seeking.  

Mr. Mallamo's oversight of the African American community is especially disturbing since he has told members of the Descendant's Society, Inc., the Seminary Civic Association, and others that, "This is your story".

The Descendant's Society, Inc. appealed to Mayor Euille asking for an opportunity to review Ms. Moon's report before it is released and incorporated into the draft Fort Ward Park & Museum Management Plan.  In response Mr. Mallamo has made copies of the draft report available to the descendant family members for review and comment.

Wednesday's advisory group meeting discussion also revealed that Ms. Moon may continue to play a role in the interpretive planning for Fort Ward Park and the Fort Ward community.  For nearly two-years leaders of the Descendant’s Society, Inc. attempted  unsuccessfully to enter into an agreement to collaborate with the City of Alexandria to help OHA staff gather accurate information about the Fort Ward community.

Attached is a copy of Ms. Moon's resume which includes Alexandria and African American research projects.

http://krystynmoon.org/?page_id=6

City to Interview Alexandria Staff to Help Find Graves

City to Interview Alexandria Staff to Help Find Graves

For years community and church leaders have been requesting the City’s Office of Historic Alexandria (OHA) to interview current and former City of Alexandria employees who have first-hand knowledge of graves in Fort Ward Park.   Finally, in response to yet another request by the Fort Ward and Seminary African American Descendants Society, Inc., on March 24, 2014 OHA Director J. Lance Mallamo wrote:

“OHA has begun to interview employees on the list [provided by the Fort Ward and Seminary African American Descendants Society, Inc.] that have agreed to be interviewed or that are not already deceased.   OHA has begun the process of interviewing former and current city employees on that list  who have agreed to be interviewed or are not deceased.  The first interview

with Wanda Dowell, former director of Fort Ward, will be posted on the OHA website shortly”.

Former  and current city employees, such as Ralph Hall, Wanda Dowell, Steven Tompkins, and many others, have knowledge of work done to cover graves and remove gravestones and markers.  City department managers been less than cooperative in providing access to information and staff.  Although Mr. Mallamo’s belated action makes the interviews “voluntary” perhaps these and other individuals will step forward and do the right thing to help locate those lost souls in Fort Ward Park.

It remains unclear as to whether this information will be used to help make decisions in the proposed Fort Ward Park and Museum Management Plan. 

Why Pit Neighbors Against Neighbors?

Letters

Alexandria Gazette Packet

July 2, 2014

Why Pit Neighbors

Against Neighbors?

To the Editor:

My name is Frances Colbert-Terrell and I

have read with great interest the stories you

have written and the letters you have published

on the City of Alexandria’s proposal to allow

sporting events at night at T.C. Williams High

School.

I am president of the Seminary Civic Association,

an area of 29 homes adjacent to the

football field and Quaker Lane. We are the 4th

generation of African Americans whose original

community of approximately 61 homes was

completely decimated by the city for the construction

of T.C. Williams High School. It has

often been lamented that of all of the property

in the City of Alexandria during the early ‘60s,

the Civil Rights era, the only place the city

could find to place the new high school was

right in the middle of this viable, self-sustaining

community of homeowners, which, by the

way, had been established during the mid to

late 1800s.

And if that wasn’t horrific enough, we were

still reeling from the destruction of “The Fort”

community. That community also of African

Americans which had settled on the deserted

military fort shortly after the Civil War, had

begun establishing home ownership in 1877.

They lived there until the 1950-60s when the

homeowners were kicked off of their property

by, what else, eminent domain for the construction

of the historic Fort Ward Park and Museum.

That community was an extension of our

own Seminary community.

Our community of real estate tax paying citizens,

extending from Johnson’s Lane, a few

yards north of Bishop and Quaker Lane back

to Chinquapin, crossing King over to Braddock

was downsized by the city from again 61 to 29

houses on Quaker Lane and in a cul-de-sac on

Woods Lane bordering T.C. Williams. Why just

29 houses from such a large area? Well several

of those homeowners were seniors who

had already paid off their homes

and were no longer in a position

to be able to take on a new mortgage.

They were forced to move

out of the community as the cost

of a new “urban renewal” home

was higher than what the city had

paid for the demolition of their

homes. Back then, coming out of

a time period when ownership of

anything was impossible to them,

it was a code of honor for families

to pass on their property to their

heirs debt free. And to justify this

mass destruction, which of course,

was done for the greater good of

the community as a whole, the city

placed the derogatory label of

“Mudtown” on our community

which had heretofore been known

as simply Seminary. Mudtown to

us is synonymous to the “N-word.”

The Seminary community has

made many sacrifices for the public

good. We have given a lot in

support of public education in Alexandria.

In fact, in 1927 William Wood

whose family still resides in our

community today actually gave a

portion of the land where TC sits

today for the establishment of the

first African American Rosenwald

Elementary School.

As most may know, with the construction

of the school in 1965,

there was an agreement between

the school, city and our community

that no lights would be placed

on any athletic field in consideration

of the quality of life of the

community. In 2004, TC was enlarged,

and that agreement was

respected.

Now, city leaders are attempting

to do an about face; to break their

word; to renege on their promise,

to put up lights for night sporting

events. Frankly, the location of the

football field does not lend itself,

and has never lent itself, to continuous

day and night use for football

and other sports. Actually, we

have no problem with the students

having night football games in Alexandria,

but rather than renege

on a promise city leaders should

explore the use of more suitable

sites for a day-night sports complex.

George Washington Middle

School and Ben Brenman Park

seem to be alternatives. When I

was in high school, GW and Parker

Gray both had night football

games. Unfortunately Parker Gray

school and field were removed.

We do empathize with the students

being denied Friday night

games at TC, but lights on the stadium

and the ensuing challenges

those continuous lights would

present, including noise, traffic

congestion, crowd behavior, and

litter, would have an adverse and

detrimental impact on our community.

For those who adamantly support

lights, and consider us selfish

and opposed to change consider

this, the students are inconvenienced

for four years; our sacrifice

would be for a life time. City

leaders need to be good neighbors

and work with long-standing communities

rather than force decisions

in that pit residents against

each other.

Frances Colbert Terrell

Alexandria

Alexandria Urban Forestry Master Plan: Fort Ward Park

To:  Rich Baier

Cc.  John Noelle, Lance Mallamo, Bill S., Mark Jinks

Subject:  Alexandria Urban Forestry Master Plan: Fort Ward Park

Date: June 1, 2009

Dear Mr. Baier,

I recently learned of the Draft Alexandria Urban Forestry Master Plan which is being circulated for public review and comments.  I appreciate the opportunity to provide the following comments.

First, the Urban Forestry Master Plan is well done, timely and has many excellent recommendations that will help Alexandria sustain a high quality living environment.  The Urban Forestry Steering Committee has obviously taken this assignment seriously and should be complimented for a job well done.

Second, the 25^th recommendation on page 76 involves rededicating Fort Ward Park as the City’s Arboretum.  It also suggests that a master plan be developed and adopted for the park.  This recommendation reaffirms the City’s earlier commitment in 1983 to create a collection of trees and other woody plants that will serve as an educational resource for City residents and visitors.  $25,000 is proposed to go to implement this recommendation.

Recommendation 25 is also identified, on page 84 of the report, to be a pilot project.   The narrative notes that “the multiple uses of the park and the increasing pressures of recreational demands on the site have led to the decline of the park’s tree population and a loss of focus on its function as a showcase for native and ornamental woody plant species“.  The narrative goes further to say, “This rededication should include a careful study and development of a plan that will integrate and celebrate the park’s historic past as well as its future and importance as one of the City’s premiere recreational sites”.

The idea of rededicating the City’s Arboretum is an appropriate idea.  Inappropriate recreational uses and neglect have had a negative impact on many of the trees and shrubs and more attention to this important park value is welcome.  For example, the condition of the memorial for the first City Arborist is sad given this renewed interest in urban forestry.

The idea of the careful study and development of a plan for the park is also an appropriate idea, given that this area has never had a master plan in over 40 years.  If a plan is done for the park it needs to be for overall park use, protection, and interpretation rather than just the use of the park as an arboretum.  Unfortunately the leaders of the Recreation & Parks Department, as well as the Recreation & Parks Commission, indicate that a plan for Fort Ward park will not be undertaken within the next 5 to 10 years and many other parks are higher priority for planning if and when that service is available. 

Although the Draft Urban Forestry Plan recommendation has merit the report needs to be revised to incorporate the following points.

1.  The plan for the Arboretum needs to be done as part of the master plan for Fort Ward Park.  A coordinated effort before additional action will avoid some of the destruction and conflicting uses we have experienced over the last five years.  It will also eliminate the need to and cost of do things over.

The park continues to suffer from the uncoordinated and inappropriate activities by the Recreation & Parks Department.  As we discussed with City staff during the City’s community meetings in February and March 2009, Fort Ward Park is a Historical Park.  This area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and contains historic and cultural values from the pre-and-post Civil War periods including the graves of some of the first freed African-Americans who lived in the area before it was made a park by the City.

The pilot project description on page 84 needs to be revised to reflect that this is the City’s only Historical Park, its status on the National Register of Historic Places, and the results of the community meetings from February and March 2009.

Attached is a copy of the City’s approved national Register of Historic Places Nomination Form from February 16, 1982.

2.  The Draft Urban Forest Plan needs to recognize the various City of Alexandria Archaeological Protection Procedures and Ordinances for digging on city property.  As you know from recent tree planting work in the park these procedures and requirements have not been followed at Fort Ward despite the fact that the Office of Historic Alexandria in 1989 identified the overall area as “Land that may have the potential to contain significant archaeological materials” and in 1995 identified likely African-American graves based on interviews with Sgt. Young.

In addition, it is important to note in the pilot project description that archaeological research needs to be completed throughout the park before the new plan for the park or the Arboretum is prepared.

3.  The vision for the Arboretum is promising and would be viewed as a positive park improvement by many of the park users.  The City would do well to keep it’s February 9, 2009 written commitment, and other verbal commitments, to the public to use the results of the community meetings and prioritize a draft action plan for park improvements.  Many of our residents are baffled by the City’s unwillingness to use information provided by the public and the City’s advisory groups.

4.  Trees and shrubs are a wonderful way to connect with the public and generate support for parks.  Although the draft plans speaks to the City’s donation fund your efforts will be more effective if you create a fund specifically dedicated for planting trees and shrubs in the City’s parks.  Frankly people like to donate funds for trees and shrubs but want to be sure that the government uses the money for that purpose.

My experience managing the National Park Service’s Tree & Shrub Replacement Fund and National Cherry Blossom Fund proved to be an excellent way to raise friends for the parks as well as significant donations for planting trees and shrubs.  Should you be interested in the funds that I’ve mentioned please let me know.  I have information on how they worked and the results of our efforts.

I sincerely hope that you and the Urban Forestry Steering Committee will use these comments and take time to revise the proposed plan before it is approved.  

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Glenn

J. Glenn Eugster

4022 Ellicott Street

Alexandria, VA

703-845-8947

Glenn_eugster@comcast.net