The city has announced various events planned for Juneteenth, a federally observed holiday celebrating the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S.
On June 19, 1865, the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free — two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Today, Juneteenth celebrates African American history and freedom.
Alexandria City Council will consider extending leases to allow nonprofits and other programs to keep operating at its meeting on Tuesday (May 12).
City Council will consider setting a public hearing for Saturday (May 16) on a new five-year lease agreement with nonprofit Casa Chirilagua at 4109 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria, as well as three-year lease extensions for the Alexandria Boxing Club at Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street) and the Child and Family Network Centers at Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center (25 West Reed Avenue).
A proposed conversion of a vacant lot and a one-story barbershop in the Parker-Gray Historic District into five four-story townhomes is headed to city review.
Eric Bernstein and Kirby Holdings are proposing to build the homes at 724, 726 and 728 N. Patrick Street, located at the intersection with Madison Street. The Alexandria Board of Architectural Review will conduct a public hearing on the concept review proposal at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, at Charles Houston Recreation Center, which is directly across the street from the site.
A free forum focused on women’s health is coming to the Charles Houston Recreation Center this weekend.
The EmpowerHer Women’s Health Forum will feature panel discussions, curated vendors and breakout sessions to discuss mental, sexual and reproductive health. The event will be held at the recreation center at 901 Wythe Street from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.
Ahead of Valentine’s Day, preschoolers from Hopkins House brought joy and laughter to The Senior Center at Charles Houston during an annual celebration last week.
The k-prep class from Helen Day Preschool Academy joined Alexandria seniors for a lively morning of crafts and dancing on Friday, Feb. 6. About a dozen students made handmade valentines for seniors, many of whom are regular visitors to the center.
Jackie Surratt, the founder of the Alexandria Fatherless Coalition nonprofit, has been banned from recreation centers in the city for a year.
It’s not the first time Surratt has been banned. In 2022, he admitted to stepping out of bounds when he yelled at a staffer at William Ramsay Recreation Center (5650 Sanger Ave.) for not observing pandemic-related rules while trying to play ping-pong, resulting in a two-year banishment. This time, he says that the most recent ban, which went into effect last month, is unjust. Surratt says he’s peaceful, and wants the ban lifted in order to administer his mentorship program to Alexandria boys. He’s taken his case to city leaders, City Manager Jim Parajon and City Attorney Cheran Ivery.
There’s a new bible study ministry in Old Town, and it’s just for men.
Every second and fourth Wednesday, more than a dozen men and boys talk about the Bible and staying on the right path at Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street). The group “Men Seeking God” was founded earlier this year by lifelong Alexandria resident Bruce Anderson, boxer Tony Suggs and an old friend he met at the Alexandria jail, Reverend Myron Contee.
The City of Alexandria’s Community Cookout, initially scheduled for the Andrew Adkins Public Housing Community tonight (July 9), has been moved indoors to the Charles Houston Recreation Center due to a thunderstorm weather advisory, city officials announced on Wednesday.
The event, organized by the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities (RPCA), will take place at 6 p.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center located at 901 Wythe Street. Residents can expect a variety of free activities, including games, giveaways, and opportunities to connect with neighbors and learn about city services and programs.
Alexandria City Council held its second City Council Town Hall of the year on Thursday (June 12).
Approximately fifty people were present at the Charles Houston Rec Center Gymnasium as City Council members answered questions submitted by both the in-person and virtual audience.
Any regulars at some of Alexandria’s most popular recreation centers might have to take next week off.
Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA) said the following recreation centers will be closed from Monday, Aug. 12, through Sunday, Aug. 18:
A $5,000 bench honoring Martin Luther King Jr. is being donated to Charles Houston Recreation Center in Old Town.
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association is making the donation in recognition of the civil rights leader, which City Council will approve at its meeting on Tuesday.
