Holmes Run Trail through Eisenhower’s West End was fragmented by last year’s flooding, and city staff said it could remain that way for years to come.
Under normal circumstances, the Holmes Run Trail runs continuously northwest from Eisenhower Avenue to Columbia Pike with few, if any, interruptions. Flash floods from last year’s July 8 storms changed that.
Jack Browand, division chief of Parks and Cultural Activities, said when the Barcroft Dam overflowed the stormwater caused significant damage to four areas along Holmes Run. Two bridges were damaged, one streambank got washed out and took the trail with it, and one crossing at Ripley Street was closed.
“We had to shut them down,” Browand said. “They’re not $50 fixes, they’re substantial engineering. We had them inspected and we have to keep them closed. So we’ll have to seek funding for design, engineering, and construction [of replacements].”
Browand said the city is still working through the documentation to receive reimbursement as a result of the state declaring an emergency.
“The timetable for seeking funding through budget process means it is likely going to be closed for one to three years in areas,” Browand said. “We established a website and we’re going to put out signs so people know why they’re closed. Some we might be able to open partially on extreme west end — where the bridge was washed out — west of I-395 but east of Beauregard. We can probably open a portion of the trail but the bridge cannot be used.”
As a result, Browand said the trail will not function as a continuous path from Eisenhower Avenue to Fairfax County. Visitors to the trail will have to take several detours, which Browand said will be obvious and clearly defined paths.
After more than eight years of planning, Alexandria will soon begin revamping its pocket parks.
In April, renovations at two of the city’s 25 pocket parks — parks less than a half-acre in size — are slated to begin with the Woodbine Tot Lot at 1509 Woodbine Street and the 48 South Early Street Park.
“We’re excited to start making an impact to some of the smaller parks that mean a lot to their communities,” Dana Wedeles, a principal planner with the city’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, told ALXnow.
The Park and Recreation Commission received a draft plan on the renovation of the parks last month, and the final Pocket Parks Improvement Plan will be the subject of a Feb. 20 public hearing before the commission at Mount Vernon Community School (2701 Commonwealth Avenue).
The plan will then go to the city council for their endorsement, and the parks will be be slotted in the city’s Capital Improvement Program for renovation over the next decade.
Renovations at the Woodbine Tot Lot are estimated to cost $80,000. Much of that amount has been cut down due to a contribution from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which has contributed $25,000 toward the project through the city’s Community Matching Fund. Through the fund, the city provides a one-to-one matching contribution and the funds will be available at the start of the fiscal year on July 1. The renovation was made possible by the wish of a child living in the neighborhood, according to the city.
Rebuilding Together DC – Alexandria, which renovates homes and properties throughout the region, is partnering with the city on the pocket park at 48 South Early Street. The park is located in the city’s Society Hill neighborhood between Duke Street and Wheeler Avenue, and it has been adopted by the neighborhood homeowners’ association. Planned improvements include adding signage and natural play features like boulders, logs and stepping stones.
Most of the projects are stand-alone, and city staff are currently working on getting cost estimates.
Here is the city’s full list from the Pocket Parks Improvement Plan:
- 48Â South Early Street Park
- 1301 Powhatan Park
- 2304 East Randolph Avenue Park
- Armory Tot Lot ParkÂ
- Braddock & Commonwealth Dog Area
- Charles Hill Park
- Chetworth Place Park
- Elbert Triangle Park
- Gentry Park
- Hillside Park
- Hunter Miller Park
- Interior Park
- Lake Cook Pocket Park
- Le Bosquet at Sunnyside Park
- Lynhaven Gateway Park
- Lynhaven Park
- Mason Avenue Mini Park
- Pendleton Park
- Portner Park
- Potomac Triangle Park
- Ruby Tucker Park
- St. Asaph Park
- Sunset Mini Park
- Washington Way
- Woodbine Tot Lot
Nobody knows where the styrofoam that washed up on Alexandria’s shore came from, but it was one part of the haul of debris that got swept up in a recent deep clean of Alexandria’s waterfront.
“We have a debris problem on the river,” said Jack Browand, division chief of Parks and Cultural Activities.
Alexandria is no stranger to flooding, but the city frequently struggles with debris not just from floods, but the common currents and tides that make Alexandria’s waterfront the region’s dumping ground.
Browand said the Potomac River’s flow pushes materials up into the city’s waterfront areas. High tides push those up into pools or riprap and they get stuck.
Browand said the city recently allocated $50,000 in funding to clean the waterfront, which paid for an initial cleaning from late December to Jan. 10. There’s enough funding for another major cleaning in the spring, likely around May, he said.
There are some areas that Browand said didn’t get the same level of treatment. If Alexandrians notice more debris in the northern portion of Windmill Hill Park, for instance, Browand said there is a contract to do planting there in the spring as part of a park renovation; it wouldn’t have been efficient to take the debris out just to re-clean that area after the planting.
“It just takes one strong storm with a northwest wind and we get a large accumulation overnight,” Browand said. “It’s consistently inconsistent with where debris lands.”
The city does implement some measures to try to cut down on debris. In the marina, Browand said there are “bubblers” that are partially submerged and create turbulence that keeps debris from becoming stuck. Even those solutions have their own problems, though, and Browand said the bubblers have to be adjusted regularly and are useless if there’s a low tide. There are also booms that keep debris out, but they’re not foolproof — they get breached and have to be manually cleared.
On a larger scale, there are several flood mitigation measures included in the city’s multi-year capital program for the waterfront. A study released last year included a review of plans for new bulkheads, a rehabilitated local storm sewer, and pumping stations.
“There’s no shortage of potential solutions, but they all cost money, time, and have environmental impacts,” Browand said. “The city’s waterfront is three miles long. That’s a lot of waterfront.”
One of the worst offenders for flooding is the riprap — man-placed stone obstacles meant to reinforce the shore and break up waves. Browand said the riprap has a tendency to collect and hold onto the debris pushed up by the tides. On the bright side, however, Browand said sometimes flooding during high tides pushes the trapped debris up onto the parks, which is unsightly but easier to clean up.
As for the styrofoam, Browand said the city doesn’t know where it came from and may never know.
“It was kind of odd,” Browand said. “It was a large concentration of it. Since then, we haven’t had that problem. Usually, there are things based on the weather, like tiny pieces of things will show up.”
Registration for Alexandria’s winter recreation program, with activities ranging from dog obedience training to cooking, opens soon.
On Wednesday, December 18, registration will open online and in person for city residents at the Registration and Reservation Office at Lee Center (1108 Jefferson Street). Registration for nonresidents starts Dec. 20.
There are over a hundred classes and activities available, such as athletic programs, social clubs, and creative arts. Winter recreation programs from from January to mid-April.
New programs for 2020 include a Dining Etiquette for Youth program, in which teens between the ages of 13 and 17 can learn “appropriate dinner conduct and conversation,” and an Intro to Scottish Dancing class for ages 18 and older.
Additional classes include camps for students over spring break, including a nature camp and a lifeguard certification program.
Pricing for the programs range between approximately $50 to $325. A full catalog for all of the programs can be found here.
Photo via City of Alexandria/Facebook Â
(Updated at 12:25 p.m.) Alexandria has closed a pedestrian bridge along Holmes Run after a safety inspection found the structure needed “immediate repair.”
The bridge that spans from Ben Brenman Park to Holmes Run Parkway was shut down late last week, according to city officials.
“During routine park amenity inspection by staff from the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, it was found that the bridge footings were unstable due to soft soil and loose rock below the footing,” the city said in a statement.
“An inspection by a civil engineer from the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services deemed the bridge to require immediate repair to ensure pedestrian safety,” city officials added.
For now, pedestrians will be able to follow signs for a detour route that crosses Holmes Run at the footbridge just south of the stream from the Holmes Run playground. This temporarily route links to back to Holmes Run Trail as it heads north towards Duke Street.
Image 1 via Google Maps
Bald Eagle Rescue Near Cameron Run — “A bald eagle that appeared to be injured was spotted Wednesday morning on the ground at the Cameron Run Regional Park, near the Metro tracks in Alexandria, Virginia. It seemed like something was wrong with one of its wings.” [WTOP]
Old Town Eatery to Offer Original Menu — “Longtime Old Town Alexandria Italian restaurant Landini Brothers, at 115 King St., is marking its 40th anniversary Oct. 28 by taking diners back to the past. The family-owned restaurant, founded in 1979, is bringing back for one night only the original menu that waiters brought to diners’ tables. And that means 1979 prices.” [WTOP]
Trash Collection Reminder — “DYK which November Holidays the City’s trash & recycling collection is delayed by one day? It’s a trick question: NONE. On both Veteran’s Day AND Thanksgiving, trash and recycling is collection as scheduled.” [Twitter, City of Alexandria]
More Local Halloween Events — “Celebrate a safe Halloween with friends and neighbors during Halloween Spirit Week, October 25 through October 31. The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities offers a variety of fun options for families, and even their four-legged friends, throughout Alexandria.” [City of Alexandria, ALXnow]
