Canal Walk Trail video from Richmond Downtown to Maymont
I found a nice video online of someone jogging from downtown Richmond up to Maymont Park. The video is a little choppy but it's worth taking a look at. Enjoy.
Inland Waterways International supports canal in Richmond
To all those interested in the future of Richmond’s historic canal: The attached letter is from Mr. D.J. Ballinger, president of the international canal organization Inland Waterways International, containing a resolution of support for the preservation and wise use of the remains of the James River & Kanawha Canal in Richmond. Originally known as the James River Canal, it was the first operating canal system with locks in America. It first opened in 1789 and was completed into the Great Basin in 1800. The canal company elected George Washington as its honorary president and gave him a grand tour in 1791. Today, much of the canal is still intact in Richmond. The resolution was passed at the annual World Canals Conference, held this year in Yangzhou, China, on China’s Grand…
Richmond’s History along the canal also had a narrow gauge railroad.
Canal in Danger, James River & Kanawha Canal, Narrow Gauge Railroad, Richmond, Richmond, Save our Canal!, Virginia
Another aspect of the historical significance of the site of Venture Richmond's proposed amphitheater is the narrow gauge railroad tracks that are on the towpath of the south bank of the canal. This railroad track probably connected Tredegar Iron Works with the iron works on Belle Isle. The stone pillars and one section of trestle for this railroad line still survive in the James River. Since this the site of the proposed amphitheater was formerly part of the Tredegar Iron Works grounds, it is very likely that these railroad tracks were actually manufactured at Tredegar Iron Works, and they may be among the few surviving tracks made at this foundry. These railroad tracks would have to be the first thing removed if the south bank of the canal were sliced…
Richmond, VA’s TV Channel 8 coverage of canal wall demolition.
The Channel 8 reporter is interested in getting to the bottom of the demolition of the 150 feet of canal wall on city property. She has done three stories so far. Jennifer had some excellent quotes. http://www.wric.com/global/Category.asp?c=190525&clipId=7869757&autostart=true http://www.wric.com/global/Category.asp?c=190525&clipId=7873928&autostart=true http://www.wric.com/global/Category.asp?c=190525&clipId=7878963&autostart=true The reporter got the contractor for the 2nd St. Connector project to show her the plans for the project. I did a screen save from the footage that shows 28 feet to be demolished on Venture Richmond property (see attachment below), yet Venture Richmond claims that they had no knowledge of any wall being removed on their property. The Liesfeld Contractor claims that the 150 feet of city owned wall somehow "collapsed" when they were removing the 28 feet of wall, although this is certainly not true since I witnessed them…
OHNA calls for investigation into the destruction of canal property
Richmond, VA: The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) acknowledges to Venture Richmond that OHNA made an incorrect assumption that Venture Richmond would be aware of bulldozers and construction crews operating on their own property, and therefore made the erroneous statement that Venture Richmond was responsible for the recent damage to the historic wall and canal. According to an article that appeared in the October 20, 2012 edition of the Richmond Times Dispatch, "William Roberts, a project manager for J.A. Liesfeld, a Rockville-based contractor, acknowledged the firm was hired by NewMarket Corp. to tear down the wall but would not discuss the project." The Richmond Times Dispatch, in October 2011, reported that NewMarket destroyed another large section of the pre-Civil War Tredegar wall, only obtaining the required permit after the fact. http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/oct/07/tdmet01-richmond-officials-say-newmarket-work-was--ar-1365435/…