Friends of Indian River

April Newsletter and Events

2026-03-31T13:57:00.006-04:00

Upcoming Events

Saturday, April 11: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
Saturday, April 18: Adopt-A-Park @ Indian River Park
Saturday, May 2, 2026: Clean the Bay Day

News

Earth Month
Special Election - Redistricting Referendum
March Recap

Upcoming Event

Saturday, April 11: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.)
Join us for a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/okbSRpfb6NCmXbTg8 (suggested but not required)

Saturday, April 18: Adopt-A-Park @ Indian River Park

From 9:00 am to Noon.
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.)
We will focus on two efforts this day:

Weeding and cleaning up the native plant garden at the park entrance area.
Invasive plant control in the park. This will focus on hand-pulling young Linden Viburnum plants and English Ivy.

The more volunteers that come out, the more that we can accomplish!
Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, a hat and bring work gloves. Hoes and other weeding tools will be useful. We will have water and snacks, but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize the use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/75kg9tNRWNfU6wcL8, suggested but not required.

Saturday, May 2, 2026: Clean the Bay Day

From 9 AM to Noon
Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
For Clean the Bay Day, we will be working around Oaklette Bridge and Blue Heron Landing Park. We will be weeding and mulching the roadside gardens, doing a cleanup along the Park shoreline, under the bridge, and along Indian River Road.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. Bring your favorite hand weeding tool, if you have one. We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/ZKDmYu7zyNF9Z2Jf6 (suggested but not required)

News

Earth Month

Our partners at the Chesapeake Sustainability Network have documented a ton of stuff happening in Chesapeake for Earth Month, including cleanups, Chesapeake Recycles Day, plant sales, Big Tree Tour, Fix-It-Fair, nature walks and contests. A few events they are highlighting include:

Saturday, April 18, Earth Day Festival @ Lakeside Park
Sunday, April 19, The Lorax Movie “Speak for the Trees” screening @ Central Library
Tuesday, April 21, Earth Day Proclamation at the City Council Meeting

For the formal Earth Day Proclamation on April 21, 6:30 pm, we would love to fill the City Council Chamber with people who care for the environment. Come out, wear your favorite environmental t-shirt, or something green or blue, and join us in standing up for a Greener Chesapeake!

Get the full schedule of events for the entire month here and check back for updates - more events are still being added!

Special Election - Redistricting Referendum

Early Voting is underway at Registrar’s Office, 411 Cedar Road, Mon-Fri, 8 am-5 pm; also Saturday, April 11 and April 18, 9 am-5 pm. The last day for early voting is April 18. In person at your regular voting precinct is on Tuesday, April 21, 7 am-7 pm. To see the sample ballot and get more voter information, visit https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1055/Sample-Ballot

March Recap

The Friends of Indian River supported two clean-ups in March. On March 21, 14 volunteers came out for our Adopt-A-Road around the bridge, at Blue Heron Landing Park, and along Indian River Road. About 250 lbs. of litter were collected. On March 28, we teamed up with Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism and the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council for the Great American Cleanup. 8 volunteers removed about 150 lbs. of trash plus 1 microwave oven we pulled from the lake.

Photo by Bob Ruegsegger for the Virginian-Pilot

The Virginian-Pilot published a great article highlighting Indian River Park and our Second Saturday Hikes. As one visitor was quoted in the article, “I come here to enjoy all of the different types of trails they have. I like to see the wildlife and the different types of birds,... it’s such a unique piece of land.” Read the full article in the e-Pilot (subscription).

A huge Thank You to everyone who donated during our spring membership drive. We blew past our fundraising goal, raising $2750. The Friends of Indian River is an all-volunteer, local, 501(c)(3) non-profit, and we depend on member contributions to advance our mission to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods. You can become a member, renew your membership, or just make a contribution online at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/membership.html

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

March Newsletter and Events

2026-03-02T11:27:00.001-05:00

In this edition:

Upcoming Events

Saturday, March 14: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
Thursday, March 19: Monthly Meeting - Jim Lang on Waterfront Law
Saturday, March 21, 2026: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup
Saturday, March 28, 2026: Great American Cleanup around Indian River Civic Campus

News

Throwing Shade
February Recap
Spring Membership Drive

Upcoming Events

Saturday, March 14: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.)
Join us for a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/1pPAdMYFQCg1nXGW6 (suggested but not required)

Thursday, March 19: Monthly Meeting - Jim Lang on Waterfront Law

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Our guest speaker will be Jim Lang speaking on Waterfront Law. He will discuss Waterfront Property Owner Rights and Responsibilities, including aspects of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (CPBA).
We will also have a short business meeting to adopt our budget for the coming year.
All are welcome. We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refreshments.

Saturday, March 21, 2026: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup

From 9 AM to 11:30 am
Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
Join us for our quarterly cleanup along Indian River Road and at Blue Heron Landing Park.
We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort. And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup, please take 15 minutes and clean up the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat, and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. We will have water and snacks, but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize the use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/G32PjVyWr9Vvbb98A (suggested but not required)

Saturday, March 28, 2026: Great American Cleanup around Indian River Civic Campus

From 9 AM to 11 AM
Meet at Indian River Library parking lot, 2320 Old Greenbrier Rd
We're teaming up with the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council to do the Great American Cleanup at the Indian River Civic Campus and the lake.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat, and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. We will have water and snacks, but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize the use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/WbnYxokrDcwRma6t8 (suggested but not required)

Other Events

Chesapeake Recycles Day - March 7, 9 am - Noon, at Oscar Smith Middle School. https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1089/Chesapeake-Recycles-Day
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) is seeking public input for Hampton Roads Horizon, a long-range regional strategic plan focused on improving the quality of life and strengthening economic competitiveness. Take the survey at https://hrpdcva.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/280

News

Throwing Shade

Spring planting season is right around the corner and the Virginia Department of Forestry wants to help you plant native trees and shrubs. The Throwing Shade Virginia program will provide discounts of $25 on eligible purchases valued at $50 or more, as an incentive to customers to purchase and plant native species of trees and shrubs. Only available for trees and shrubs native to Virginia and only at participating nurseries. Locally, Southern Branch Nursery in Chesapeake and Lady Fern’s Native Plants in Norfolk are participating nurseries. Learn more at https://dof.virginia.gov/urban-community-forestry/urban-forestry-community-assistance/throwing-shade-va-program/

February Recap

Thank you to Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism for leading three Weed Warrior events at Indian River Park in February. Volunteers and city staff worked on the west side of the park to remove English Ivy from trees and tackle other invasive plants like privet and false holly.

Spring Membership Drive

It's time for our annual spring membership drive. The Friends of Indian River is an all-volunteer, local, 501(c)(3) non-profit, and we depend on member contributions to advance our mission to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods. Our fiscal year ends March 31 and our fundraising goal is $2100; we are currently at $1580. Help us reach our goal. You can become a member, renew your membership, or just make a contribution online at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/membership.html

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

February Newsletter and Events

2026-02-01T11:22:00.003-05:00

Upcoming Events

~~Tuesday, February 3, 6:30 pm: Town Meeting @ Indian River High School~~
~~Saturday, February 7, 8:30 am: Birding Walk @ Lake by Indian River Civic Campus~~
Weed Warrior Wednesdays, 1 pm - Feb 4, 11, and 25 @ Indian River Park

News

Chesapeake 2045 Comprehensive Plan
Friends of Indian River Annual Meeting
January Recap

Upcoming Events

~~Tuesday, February 3, Town Meeting @ Indian River High School~~

~~Cancelled~~
~~Location: Indian River High School~~
The City is scheduled to hold a Town Meeting on Tuesday, February 3, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Indian River High School (1969 Braves Trail). Residents are encouraged to attend at their leisure to discuss topics of interest with City Council members and City staff. For more information, visit www.CityOfChesapeake.net/TownMeetings

Saturday, February 7, 2026: Birding Walk @ Lake by Indian River Civic Campus

CANCELLED
~~Location: Meet at the Indian River Community Center, 2250 Old Greenbrier Rd.~~
We're doing our annual birding walk a week early this year. Join us for a guided bird walk around the lake between the Indian River Community/Rec Center and the High School.
Previous years we've been treated with seeing Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Ospreys, Bluebirds, various species of woodpeckers, and a large variety of waterfowl on the lake.
We'll have some binoculars and a spotting scope, but do bring your own if you have some!
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/fzyoJdQPuZKdSPvw8. Suggested but not required.

Weed Warrior Wednesdays - Feb 4, 11, and 25 @ Indian River Park

From 1 pm to 3 pm
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.)
Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism is leading Weed Warrior Wednesday volunteer events at Indian River Park in February to remove invasive plants in the park.
Please bring your own work gloves, water bottle, snack, sunscreen, bug spray, and other items you may need for all of the activities listed below. Please wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes and dress for the conditions. These activities are for ages 14 and up.
Please see sign up instructions at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040c4aacae2eaaf58-fall

News

Chesapeake 2045 Comprehensive Plan

The City Council approved the new, revised Chesapeake 2045 Comprehensive Plan for the City on January 20. This is the culmination of 2 years of effort by the Planning Department. The Plan serves as the city's blueprint for future growth, development, and preservation of resources. It is a key tool used by the Planning Department when reviewing and approving zoning applications. While there were some areas where we felt the plan could have had stronger policies or environmental protection, overall, the document presented a strong vision for creating a high-quality future for the City that is proactive about developing necessary infrastructure, protects green and open space, works to connect people, and respects the unique character of different parts of the City. The plan references and adopts existing local area plans, such as the Indian River Planning Area Study approved in 2021. The final plan can be found at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3275/2045-Comprehensive-Plan

Friends of Indian River Annual Meeting

We had a lively Annual Meeting on January 15, discussing plans for the coming year. The Friends of Indian River have been very effective since the group was established in 2012. The Friends have been key stakeholders and drivers for many local improvements, including the Indian River Small Area Plan, the City acquisition and replacement of the Aqua Virginia Water System, improved trail management at Indian River Park, and the creation of Blue Heron Landing Park. We maintain two native plant gardens and other planting areas, organize regular cleanups that have removed over 20,000 lbs. of litter and debris, and have performed over 11,000 hours of volunteer service over the last 14 years. But we can't rest on our laurels and are looking at this year to revitalize the organization, strengthen our volunteer base and membership, increase outreach, and prepare new leadership to carry the organization forward. Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved!

January Recap

We had a great turnout for our Invasive Species Workshop in mid-January at Indian River Park. After learning about the impact of these harmful, introduced plants in the park, 14 volunteers worked to remove English Ivy climbing trees in the southwest section of the park, cutting vines off the base of trees. We should see the impact in the work area in a couple of months as the vines wither.

The Friends of Indian River were honored to be recognized again for Sustained Distinguished Performance at the Model Level by the Elizabeth River Project at their annual River Star Business Awards Luncheon.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next editi

January Newsletter and Events

2026-01-03T09:36:00.002-05:00

Upcoming Events

Thursday, January 15, 2026: Annual Meeting
Saturday, January 17, 2026: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop @ Indian River Park

News

2025 Year in Review
December Recap
Upcoming Winter Events Flier

Upcoming Events

Thursday, January 15, 2026: Annual Meeting

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Join us for our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition. We will hold elections and use the meeting to brainstorm ideas on how to get more people actively involved in our efforts to improve the quality of life for all the residents of our community.
We will also recognize our existing volunteers and the great work they do. There will be refreshments and desserts. Whether you've been supporting us for years or are just curious to learn more about who we are, all are welcome to attend the meeting.
All are welcome. We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refreshments for the meeting.

Saturday, January 17, 2026: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop @ Indian River Park

NEW LOCATION: Meet at the Indian River Park Miller Avenue Entrance - at the south end of Miller Avenue. GPS address 2329 Miller Avenue, Chesapeake, Virginia
From 9:00 am to Noon.
Learn to identify various invasive plant species that threaten Indian River Park and natural areas across the Tidewater region. Those found in the park include English Ivy, Chinese Privet, Multifloral Rose, Linden Viburnum, and others.
Then we'll have a work effort to manage some outbreaks of English Ivy. The more volunteers that come out, the more that we can accomplish!
Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, a hat and bring work gloves. Bring pruning clippers, loppers, screwdrivers (which are amazingly useful in prying ivy off tree trunks) and/or pruning saws if you have them. We will have water and snacks, but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize the use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/r1paWMWKGaJ4HjAa6, suggested but not required.

News

2025 Year in Review

2025 was a year for progress along the Indian River Road corridor. The rehabilitation of the Oaklette Bridge was completed. The City Council approved the Indian River Design Guidelines, laying out design criteria for new development or redevelopment along Indian River Road, Providence Road, and the eastern portion of Military Highway. The owners of the Indian River Shopping Center continued revitalization efforts with new facades, tree plantings, and expectations for the opening of a grocery store in early 2026. Expansions or rehabilitation work continued at several other establishments along Indian River Road. And designs for safety improvements by Public Works along Indian River Roads are reported to be 90% complete, although we're still waiting to hear about implementation dates.

The Friends of Indian River continued our volunteer and advocacy work with cleanups, gardening, civic engagement, and input to the City on planning and project implementation. Overall, 125 volunteers contributed over 850 volunteer hours in 2025.

Please join us at our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition on Thursday, January 15, 7 pm at Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive. As an organization, we are very proud of all that we have accomplished last year – and over the previous 14 years. But we can’t rest on our laurels. In 2026, we are looking to reinvigorate the organization and build our membership and active supporters. We will use the meeting to brainstorm ideas on how to get more people actively involved in our efforts to improve the quality of life for all the residents of our community. We will also recognize our existing volunteers and the great work they do. There will be refreshments and desserts. Whether you've been supporting us for years or are just curious to learn more about who we are, all are welcome to attend the meeting.

Read our full Year End Report here.

December Recap

Thank you to the dozen volunteers who braved the cold, damp morning in December to help with our Adopt-A-Road cleanup along Indian River Road. We removed about 250 lbs. of litter and debris!

In mid-December, about two dozen members and supporters gathered at La Hacienda Restaurant on Military Highway at Robert Hall Blvd. for a festive Holiday Dinner. Good times and good food for all!

Upcoming Winter Event Flier

2025 Year in Review

2025-12-19T15:02:00.012-05:00

The Friends of Indian River continued our volunteer and advocacy work with cleanups, gardening, civic engagement, and input to the City on planning and project implementation. Overall 125 volunteers contributed over 850 volunteer hours in 2025.

Please join us at our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition on Thursday, January 15, 7 pm at Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive. As an organization, we are very proud of all that we have accomplished last year – and over the previous 14 years. But we can’t rest on our laurels. In 2026, we are looking to reinvigorate the organization and build our membership and active supporters. We will use the meeting to brainstorm ideas on how to get more people actively involved in our efforts to improve the quality of life for all the residents of our community. We will also recognize our existing volunteers and the great work they do. There will be refreshments and desserts. Whether you've been supporting us for years or are just curious to learn more about who we are, all are welcome to attend the meeting.

The Friends of Indian River is an all-volunteer, local 501(c)(3) non-profit. You can support our efforts by becoming a member, renewing your membership, or just making a contribution online http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/membership.html

Year in Review

Revitalization Progress

The core mission of the Friends of Indian River is to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods of Chesapeake, Virginia, by promoting and preserving a healthy and clean river, shorelines, parks, and green spaces connected to the surrounding community.

In 2021, the City adopted the Indian River Planning Area Study and Redevelopment Strategy as the "Plan" for improving our community. Following this plan, the City approved the Indian River Design Guidelines this year, laying out design criteria for new development or redevelopment along Indian River Road, Providence Road, and the eastern portion of Military Highway. The Friends were a key stakeholder in providing input for these guidelines.

Once the Guidelines were approved, the City also activated funding for the Indian River Façade Improvement Grant to help businesses along the Indian River Road corridor with matching grants to make improvements to façades, landscaping, hardscaping, signage, outdoor eating areas, as well as pedestrian enhancements.

Along Indian River Road, the rehabilitation of the 50-year-old Oaklette Bridge was finally completed. The Public Works department is completing design plans for further safety improvements along Indian River Road. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan identified Indian River Road in Chesapeake as one of the Top 1% statewide roadway segments in priority to review for safety projects. Plans include repaving the road, adding bike lanes, speed limit reductions, and improved crosswalks. This will include a new crosswalk and warning lights at Lilac Avenue to improve access to the new Blue Heron Landing Park. At last report, the design work for these improvements was 90% complete.

The owners of the Indian River Shopping Center have continued revitalization efforts, renovating the central section of the complex, installing new facades, and planting trees along the store side of the parking lot. While we are still waiting to see a formal announcement, there are expectations for the opening of a grocery store in early 2026. Meanwhile, the Indian River Professional Building complex, across the road from the shopping center, is also expanding its footprint, and farther down the street in Virginia Beach, the Indian River Shoppes shopping strip is also undergoing renovations.

At the annual Elizabeth River Project River Star Business Recognition Luncheon early in 2025, Wickers Crab Pot received top honors for their educational support of the ERP Learning Barge and their solid environmental practices at their restaurant on Indian River Road, the Rivercrest Condominium Association was recognized for Sustained Distinguished Performance, and Blue Heron Landing Park was highlighted when Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) was recognized for its work.

The other big event in the area was the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Cuffee Aquatic Center in Campostella. This will be the first municipal pool in the City. This indoor pool will feature an 8-lane, 25-yard competition pool with a diving well, a family-friendly therapeutic pool with water play features, and a retractable roof. The new pool, located a mile from Indian River Road, is expected to open in 2027.

Incremental improvements continue at Indian River Park. New trail signage is being installed to help visitors navigate the park and old bridges are being replaced. The City is also starting design work on a major redesign of the intersection at Military Highway and Rokeby Avenue to reduce the likelihood of vehicle crashes. Thanks to persistent input from the Friends of Indian River, the plans now also include a pedestrian crossing across the intersection to make it safer to reach the park on foot or by bicycle.

Volunteer Events

We organized 5 major cleanups this year, including four along Indian River Road and the Oaklette Bridge and one at Indian River Park. These included efforts under the Adopt-A-Road, Great American Cleanup, Clean the Bay Day, and International Coastal Cleanup programs. Overall, our volunteers removed over 1500 lbs. of trash and debris.

We continued to care for the native plant garden at Indian River Park and the plantings at Oaklette Bridge on Indian River Road, both through group events in the fall and spring and individual volunteer activities throughout the year.

Invasive species management at the park focused on removing Japanese Stilt Grass, pulling English Ivy, pruning Linden Viburnum and Privet. We held Invasive Species Workshops in January, April, and November to both teach about the problem of invasive plants and remove them. In February and March, we partnered with Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism to hold multiple "Weed Warrior Wednesday" sessions to cut back Viburnum, Privet, and Multifloral Rose in the park.

We also received assistance from multiple groups who came out for volunteer events, including Burns and McDonnell, Inc., sailors from the USS George H.W. Bush, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Additional volunteers came out for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation sponsored Clean the Bay Day. Volunteer Hampton Roads also continued to be a valuable source of volunteers.

Our dedicated volunteers also continued regular maintenance at the various gardens maintained by the Friends of Indian River, including at Indian River Oaklette Bridge, Indian River Park, Plymouth Park, and several planters along Indian River Road.

Overall, more than 125 Volunteers performed 850+ Hours of Volunteer Service in 2025.

Connecting with Nature

We had a great turnout for our First Day Hike on New Year's Day. Throughout the year, we held several Second Saturday Hikes at Indian River Park. In September, a large contingent from the East Coast Hikers group came out for one of our hikes to discover the park.

We held our hike for the Great Backyard Bird Count around the civic campus and lake located between the Indian River Community Center and the High School in mid-February. We spotted 21 bird species. Some of the less common sightings on the lake included Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, and Ruddy Ducks.

In the fall, we had a member field trip to visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach.

Civic Engagement

In 2025, speakers at our meetings included:

January: Hampton Roads Transit on the Connecting Chesapeake study
March: Vince Bowhers of LRNOW on Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
May: Lisa Renée Jennings, Hampton Roads Grassroots Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
September: Christina Trapani, Executive Director for Clean Virginia Waterways
November: Rogard Ross on the History and Value of Trees in Chesapeake

In June, we held our annual picnic.

Indian River High School Scholarship

The Friends of Indian River Education Scholarship is awarded to an Indian River High School graduating senior who embodies the spirit of the Friends of Indian River mission and excels in leadership, citizenship, extracurricular activities, and academics. This year, the award went to Katherine Hamburg. Katherine demonstrated exceptional academic performance, leadership abilities, and a remarkable commitment to our community. She is looking forward to majoring in biology. We thank her for her efforts!

Applications are now open for students graduating in 2026. Learn more about the scholarship at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/friends-of-indian-river-scholarship.html

Planning

The Friends of Indian River have been partnering with other local environmental groups to provide input on City planning documents through the newly formed Chesapeake Sustainability Network.

In 2025, the City approved the Greenbrier Area Plan, looking to transform Greenbrier into the new urban core for the City, promoting walkability and connectivity. While the plan does an excellent job of defining human-scaled neighborhoods and commercial districts, we supported comments that the plan needs to do more on tree preservation and healthy lighting standards.

The citywide Comprehensive Plan is currently making its way through the approval process. The final draft of the document promotes a vision to create a high-quality future for the City that is proactive about developing necessary infrastructure, protects green and open space, works to connect people, and respects the unique character of different parts of the City. The Friends continue to urge the City Council to incorporate stronger policies in the Plan on conservation landscaping - planting native plants, rain gardens, living shorelines, pollinator gardens, reducing areas of turf grass, and using less herbicides and pesticide, and also retain policy from the current Comp Plan supporting farmers markets, community gardens, and education on the value of wetlands and streamside buffers.

In October, the City Council also approved changes to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) Ordinance. The CBPA Ordinance is our primary tool for protecting the land along our waterways, at least in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The changes reinforced the protection of mature trees in these buffer zones and factored in the impact of sea level rise in planning. The Friends of Indian River commented in support of these changes.

Hampton Roads Transit is also moving on to the next phase of the Connecting Chesapeake Study, assessing the feasibility of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and/or Express Bus service along two possible routes between Greenbrier and downtown Norfolk. One of the two options being considered comes through the Indian River area, going along Volvo Pkwy, Greenbrier Pkwy, Military Hwy, and Indian River Rd. The other option follows Battlefield Blvd/Atlantic Ave, cutting over to Poindexter St.

Awards and Recognitions

We thank the Burns and McDonnell Foundation Fund for making a generous grant to the Friends of Indian River to support our efforts. Employees from their local office also joined us for our Earth Day Volunteer Event at the Oaklette Bridge and Blue Heron Landing Park in April.

Friends of Indian River Board of Directors

Rogard Ross Carol Warren Jayne Whitney Helene Haluska

Amy Weber Jennifer Raymond Vickie Easley Anna Cook David Miller

Active Supporting Members and Volunteers 2025

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority ^V

Gary Ball ^MV*

Susan Ball ^M

Homer Babbit and family ^V

Catherine Bernard ^M

Yonna Billingsley ^V

Rhawyn Bradshaw ^V

Mark Bunker ^V

Diane Burke ^MV*

Don Burke ^V

Joe Burke ^M

Justin Burns ^V

Burns and McDonnell, Inc. ^V

USS George H.W. Bush
(CVN 77) ^V

David Carter ^V

Ha Chau ^M

John Cheshire ^M

Cindy and Ken Church ^M

Anna Cook ^MV

Phillip Cox ^V

Benjamin Custis ^V

Art Davenport ^M

Chauneci Davis and family ^V

Alexis Dekrone ^V

Rene Deleon ^V

Robin Dolce ^V

Robert Dorman ^V

Brian Easley ^MV

Vickie Easley ^MV

Eliza Farrell ^V

Jeff Ferlanto and family ^V

Keven Gambold and family ^V

David and Lynn Greenfield ^M

Becky Greenwald ^V

Annie Guertin ^M

Helene Haluska ^MV*

Jim Haluska ^M

Jim Hartle ^MV*

Jorge Henao^V

Kerri Hoffius^V

Robert Ike, Jr. ^M

Kelsey Jamison^MV

Harpreet Kaur Jassal^V

Kaiyac Jenkins ^V

Blessing Jones and family ^V

Lisa Kennedy ^M

Tom Kennedy ^M

Janet Kerns^V

Sharon Komenda ^MV*

Jim Lang ^M

Susan Lang^MV

Greg Layton^MV

Paige Lewis ^M

Scott Lotan ^M

Charles Lowe ^M

Amya Lynch ^V

Arriene Maloney ^V

Barbara McCane ^M*

Kemi McRae ^M

David Miller ^MV

Jonathan Miller ^V

Damida Mills-Henao ^V

Noah Milun ^V

Maerine Mitchell ^V

Victoria Mitchell ^V

Keith and Debbie Moore ^M

Debbie Newman ^V

Vic Nichols ^M

Sean Patrick ^V

Amy Petersen ^M

Jennifer Raymond ^MV*

Bidhan Regmi ^V

Rogard Ross ^MV*

Zion Saint Ange ^V

Brooke Schaab ^M

Ethan Shum ^V

Jill Skipper^MV

Trena Smith ^V

Jim Spiegeler ^M

Ted Swearingen ^M

Douglas Throp ^V

Ashley W. ^V

Carol Warren ^MV*

Gabriella Washington ^V

Amy Weber ^MV*

Chris Whitney ^M*

Jayne Whitney ^MV*

Drew Wiggans ^V

Jacqueline Wilson ^V

James Wilson ^V

Janet Wilson ^V

Marc Winans ^M

M – Supporting Member V – Volunteer

* - Completed more than 100 lifetime volunteer hours with FIR

December Newsletter and Events

2025-11-29T11:07:00.001-05:00

Upcoming Events

Saturday, December 6, 2025: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup
Saturday, December 13, 2025: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
Thursday, January 1, 2026: First Day Hike @ Indian River Park

News

Election Results
Cuffee Pool Groundbreaking
November Recap
Giving Tuesday

Upcoming Events

Saturday, December 6, 2025: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup

From 9 AM to 11:30 am
Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
Join us for our quarterly cleanup along Indian River Road and at Blue Heron Landing Park.
We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort. And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/TZejpGmvQ8dpHnSj8 (suggested but not required)

Saturday, December 13, 2025: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Indian River Park entrance
at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Join us for a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/N6VghuCAroAHQW837 (suggested but not required)

Thursday, January 1, 2026: First Day Hike @ Indian River Park

1 pm to 3 pm
Location: Indian River Park entrance
at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Start the New Year with a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/4oYUNC95Cutr1Ma59 (suggested but not required)

News

Election Results

In Virginia, we hold elections every year, and this year it was for state-wide officeholders, the House of Delegates, and several local offices.

For the local results, the winners were:

Commonwealth's Attorney - Matt Hamel
Commissioner of Revenue - Victoria Proffitt
Sheriff - Wallace Chadwick III
Treasurer - Corrie Kring
School Board - Amanda Quillin

Winning re-election for the House of Delegates in our area were

Bonita Anthony, HD92 (Chesapeake/Norfolk)
Cliff Hayes, HD 91 (Chesapeake/Portsmouth)
Alex Askew, HD 95 (Virginia Beach)

Cuffee Aquatic Center Groundbreaking

City officials and community members gathered at the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Community Center on a bright morning on November 14 for the ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Aquatic Center. This indoor pool will be the City's first municipal pool. The 28,280 square foot facility will house a 25-yard competition pool, a separate leisure pool area, a therapy room, the Aquatics Office, toilets and showers. It is expected to be completed in 2027.

Enclosed in glass walls and a retractable roof, one feature that the Friends of Indian River and our partners at the Cape Henry Audubon Society continue to advocate for is the inclusion of bird-safe glass to prevent deadly window collisions. Our understanding is that this is still one of the options being negotiated as part of the final construction plan.

November Recap

We are grateful for the six volunteers who came out in November for our Invasive Species Workshop at Indian River Park. Participants learned how to identify various invasive plants threatening the habitat in the park and then worked to prune Linden Viburnum and clip and remove its berries. Thousands of berries, and thus thousands of potential new plants, were removed.

At our bi-monthly meeting, attendees were engaged with a presentation on the History and Value of Trees by our own Rogard Ross. The talk discussed the importance of trees in our region from pre-Columbian times through today. It also examined the ongoing threat to trees in our urban environment, with the City of Chesapeake having a net loss of over 800 acres of trees in the previous decade.

Giving Tuesday

Please keep the Friends of Indian River in mind on Giving Tuesday. The Friends of Indian River is an all-volunteer, local 501(c)(3) non-profit. You can support our efforts by becoming a member, renewing your membership, or just making a contribution online at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/membership.html

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

November Newsletter and Events

2025-11-03T13:18:21.538-05:00

View this newsletter online at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, November 4 - Election Day
Saturday, November 8 - Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
Saturday, November 15 - Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop
Thursday, November 20 - Monthly Meeting - City Council Member Pat King

News

Leave the Leaves
Alternative Waste Disposal coming to Chesapeake
Revised Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Ordinance to Protect Mature Trees
Chesapeake Comprehensive Plan heading to City Council
Climate Action Series at Brock Environmental Center on Nov. 12
October Recap - Mulching and Weeding at the Park

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, November 4, 2025: Election Day

6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. at your regular polling location
On the ballot are the Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Delegate, Commonwealth Attorney, Sheriff (a major party write-in candidate is also running), Commissioner of Revenue, Treasurer, and a Special Election for one School Board position.
Get all the official election information, including Sample Ballots at Voter Registrar | Chesapeake, VA.

Saturday, November 8, 2025: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Indian River Park entrance
at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Join us for a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/sZ91FcLm2ZAKs3Qq6 (suggested but not required)

Saturday, November 15, 2025: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop

From 9:00 am to Noon.
Meet at the Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Learn to identify various invasive plant species that threaten Indian River Park and natural areas across the Tidewater region. Those found in the park include English Ivy, Chinese Privet, Multifloral Rose, Linden Viburnum, and others.
Then we'll have a work effort to manage some outbreaks of the either Linden Viburnum or English Ivy (TBD). The more volunteers that come out the more that we can accomplish!
Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, a hat and bring work gloves. Bring pruning clippers, loppers, screwdrivers (which are amazingly useful in prying ivy off tree trunks) and/or pruning saws if you have them. We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/FfNEETA13wxMrANH9, suggested but not required.

Thursday, November 20, 2025: Monthly Meeting - City Council Member Pat King

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Our guest speaker will be City Council Member Pat King. This is a chance to discuss community and citywide matters with the Council Member.
All are welcome. We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refresh

News

Leave the Leaves

Each autumn, homeowners dutifully bag their leaves in the required clear 35-gallon plastic bags so that the workers can see that it is "light yard waste". In November and December, City trucks will collect a maximum of 50 bags per home per week. Tax dollars pay for the trucks, fuel, and thousands of staff hours required to collect all these leaves, and then pay again to haul the leaves to the landfill. Currently, there is no local market to commercially compost such large volumes of leaves.

And for the most part, this is all unnecessary. Leaves have been "God's mulch" since the first trees sprouted. Leaves provide a cover for gardens that conserves moisture, keeps the ground warmer during the winter, and reduces soil erosion. The fallen leaves also hide countless butterfly and moth eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalises; over the winter, the leaves provide vital habitat for these over-wintering pollinators, native bees, and other beneficial insects. By spring, bacteria, fungi, and other naturally occurring organisms compost the leaves to enrich the soil and provide plants with valuable nutrients. Besides all these benefits for both your yard and the local ecosystem, leaving the leaves can also greatly reduce the need for buying and hauling commercial mulch to your yard.

Tips for using leaves in your yard

Mulch mow the leaves on your lawn. Mulch-mowing your leaves builds soil health and provides nutrients for the lawn; it's easier than raking and a lot quieter than leaf blowing.
Leave the leaves and add leaves, mulched mowed or not, around your trees and perennial plants. They'll protect your plants in the same way as store-bought bagged mulch. Don't pile the leaves too high. Like with wood chip mulch, leaf mulch should not be piled against the trunks of trees and shrubs. Put a 3 to 6-inch layer of leaves around the base of trees and shrubs. A 2 to 3-inch layer of shredded leaves is ideal for perennial flower beds. For vegetable gardens, a thick layer of leaves placed between the rows functions as a mulch and an all-weather walkway that will allow you to work in your garden during wet periods.
Add leaves to an existing or new compost pile. Mulched leaves will decompose faster in a compost pile. If you're new to composting, remember you want to mix equal volumes of carbon-rich, naturally dry plant material, such as fallen leaves, with nitrogen-rich green yard clippings, fruit and vegetable kitchen waste, etc.

Alternative Waste Disposal coming to Chesapeake

New single-stream waste management that combines trash, recycling, and composting into a single bin may be coming to Chesapeake and the Hampton Roads region in 2026.

In October, after a Closed Meeting, the Chesapeake City Council voted to direct the City Manager to extend the Use and Support Agreement with SPSA for 25 years to 2052. This is contingent on SPSA, the Southeastern Public Service Authority, finalizing a contract with Commonwealth Sortation LLC to provide a mixed waste sorting facility using AI and robotics to remove recyclables and organics. This contract would guarantee a waste diversion rate of 50%, with 20% of the waste sent for recycling and 30% of the waste (the organic material) processed by pyrolysis to create Biochar (to be used to make concrete and provide long-term carbon sequestration). Half of Chesapeake's waste would be handled at the pilot facility by July 2026, and all of our waste will be sent to the future processing facility by 2028.

This will actually entail an increase in tipping fees and overall waste management costs for the City of Chesapeake, and it will essentially restore recycling for City residents at a rate higher than was achieved with blue bins. However, as one of the speakers noted, even if we achieve a 50% diversion rate from the landfill, we are still sending 60,000 tons of trash to the landfill. And while the contract guarantees 20% will be separated for recycling, that doesn't actually guarantee how much of the material will actually be converted into new products. The mantra of REDUCE and REUSE continues to be as important as ever.

Revised Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Ordinance

In October, the City Council also approved changes to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) Ordinance. The CBPA Ordinance is our primary tool for protecting the land along our waterways, at least in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This ordinance protects the 100' buffer along our shores, i.e., the Resource Protection Area (RPA), from development and is critically important for protecting water quality and building coastal resilience. The amendments, reflecting the changes made by the General Assembly in 2020, reinforce the protection of mature trees in these buffer zones and factor in the impact of sea level rise in planning. These are significant improvements supported by the environmental community.

The Friends of Indian River commented in support of these changes. We also asked that developers be required to post informational signage along the edge of the RPA to educate post-construction residents and tenants that the buffer is an environmentally sensitive protected area. The City Landscape Specification Manual currently requires signage for Reforestation areas, but not Preserved Areas.

Chesapeake Comprehensive Plan

The draft Chesapeake Comprehensive Plan was reviewed by the Planning Commission on October 8th. Overall, the draft does a good job of providing a strong vision for creating a high-quality future for the City. The policies presented adopt the principles of Smart Growth, environmental responsibility, resilience, and Complete Streets that provide safe access to all, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users.

The Friends of Indian River, along with partner organizations, submitted comments on the draft. Several of these were addressed, but others were not. A key issue of interest to us is the need for a policy to educate and connect residents, businesses, and institutions with conservation landscaping practices such as the use of native plants, creating pollinator gardens, rain gardens, and reducing erosion. Many local organizations, including the Friends, are working on this today, and we need continued support from the City. You can read more about this in our partners' Greening Chesapeake newsletter.

Climate Action Series at Brock Environmental Center

Wednesday, November 12, 6:30 pm is the final installment of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Climate Lecture Series at the Brock Environmental Center. Dr. Jeremy Hoffman, a leading climate scientist and expert in urban microclimatology, equity, and science communication, will explore how climate change intensifies challenges in cities—especially for vulnerable communities—and share community-driven solutions for a more just and resilient future. Register at https://events.cbf.org/climateimpacts-111225

October Recap

Thank you to the volunteers who came out for our Adopt-A-Park volunteer event at Indian River Park in October. We had a great turnout with 13 volunteers weeded and mulched the garden, getting it ready for the winter!

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

October Newsletter and Events

2025-10-07T14:07:00.009-04:00

Upcoming Events

Saturday, October 18: Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden
Saturday, October 25: Field Trip to the Brock Environmental Center, located at Pleasure House Point, Virginia Beach

News

Indian River Facade Improvement Grants
September Recap
Upcoming Volunteer Schedule

Upcoming Events

Saturday, October 18, 2025: Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden

9 am to Noon
Location: Indian River Park 2003 Rokeby Ave.
It is time for our fall gardening at Indian River Park. We'll be tending to the native plant garden at the park entrance, including weeding, mulching and preparing the garden for the winter. We may also do some trail work, pruning, weeding, and cleanup.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves. Long pants are recommended. If you can, bring shovels, rakes, pruners, saws and other gardening tools. We'll have water and snacks available. We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles and cans.
Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/UngHnV3Q9Jvk2fnR6 (suggested but not required)

Saturday, October 25, 2025: Field Trip to the Brock Environmental Center, located at Pleasure House Point, Virginia Beach

12:45 pm at Brock Environmental Center located at Pleasure House Point, Virginia Beach.
Our annual field trip will be a tour of the Brock Environmental Center, local headquarters for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Lynnhaven River Now. The building has achieved one of the toughest building standards in the world—a Living Building Challenge™ certification, which looks at construction techniques, material standards, energy and water self-sufficiency, and more. Come discover what makes this one of the greenest building in the nation.
Afterwards, those who are interested can join us at Bubba's Seafood Restaurant and Crabhouse for an optional late lunch (“going Dutch”).
The tour is limited to 15 persons, Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/yCQpkCtcUCCDBaCKA and we will coordinate meeting times, transportation, etc.

News

Elections

Have you made your plan to vote? On the ballot are the Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Delegate, Commonwealth Attorney, Sheriff (a major party write-in candidate is also running), Commissioner of Revenue, Treasurer, and a Special Election for one School Board position.

Early Voting is currently underway in Chesapeake at the Voter Registrar's Office at 411 Cedar Rd. Early Voting at satellite locations at including the Indian River Library and Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Community Center begins on October 20. The last day for early voting is November 1st. October 24 is the last day to register to vote, update your address, or request that an absentee ballot be mailed to you. The last day to vote is Election Day, Tuesday, November 4, and would be at your regular polling place from 6 am to 7 pm that day. Get all the official election information, including How to Vote (including Early Voting, Absentee Voting, and Where to Vote), Election Information (including Sample Ballots), and how to Register to Vote at Voter Registrar | Chesapeake, VA.

Ballotpedia - Virginia election, 2025 is a source for candidate information and profiles.

Indian River Façade Improvement Grant

The City is now taking applications for funding through the Indian River Façade Improvement Grant program. The Indian River Façade Improvement Grant is a competitive program that aims to support impactful exterior improvements to privately owned, non-residential properties within the Indian River Road Character Corridor. Improvements may include, but are not limited to, the following: façade improvements, landscaping and hardscape improvements, signage improvements, outdoor eating areas, and pedestrian enhancements. Businesses can apply and get more info at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3694/Indian-River-Faade-Improvement-Grant

September Recap

We had 14 volunteers out for our Clean Virginia Waterways/International Coastal Cleanup in September around the Oaklette Bridge, Blue Heron Landing Park, and Indian River Road. Our volunteers collected about 150 lbs of litter and debris, including over 250 bottles and cans and hundreds of food wrappers, cup lids, straws, and one complete toilet. A big thank you to everyone who helped out.

Christina Trapani, Executive Director for Clean Virginia Waterways, was the guest speaker at our September meeting. We discussed efforts to reduce plastic pollution in Virginia, including collecting statistics at cleanups, the Clean Swell App, and getting rid of plastic bags. We also got in some EcoManiac shopping!

The City Council approved the start of construction for the new indoor swimming pool at Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Community Center in South Norfolk. Construction is expected to start as soon as this month.

Upcoming Volunteer Schedule

Please mark your calendar for our winter, early spring volunteer events:

Saturday, Nov 15, 9 am - 11:30 am: Adopt-A-Park- Invasive Species Workshop @ Indian River Park
Saturday, Dec 6, 9 am - 11:30 am, Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road and Blue Heron Landing Park
Saturday, Jan 17, 9 am - 11:30 am, Adopt-A-Park- Invasive Species Workshop @ Indian River Park
Weed Warrior Wednesdays, Feb 4, Feb 11, and Feb 25, 1pm - 3 pm @ Indian River Park in conjunction with Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Saturday, Mar 21, 9 am - 11:30 am, Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road and Blue Heron Landing Park
Saturday, Apr 18, 9 am – 11:30 am, Adopt-a-Park – Native Plant Garden @ Indian River Park

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

September Newsletter and Events

2025-09-02T15:19:00.005-04:00

Upcoming Events

Saturday, September 13: Second Saturday Hike
Thursday, September 18: Monthly Meeting - Clean Virginia Waterways
Saturday, September 20: International Coastal Cleanup

News

Indian River Shopping Center
Indian River Road
Indian River Park Signage
Planning Department Updates
Summer Recap

Upcoming Events

Saturday, September 13, 2025: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Indian River Park entrance
at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Join us for a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/PXjRyeGSYLydZJgp6 (suggested but not required)

Thursday, September 18, 2025: Monthly Meeting - Clean Virginia Waterways

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Our guest speaker will be Christina Trapani, Program Director for Clean Virginia Waterways about pollution prevention, education, and stewardship activities. Christina is also the founder and owner of Eco Maniac, a retail store for eco-friendly items including alternatives to single-use plastics, waste-free and plastic-free and Fair Trade goods.
All are welcome. We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refreshments for the meeting.

Saturday, September 20, 2025: International Coastal Cleanup

From 9 AM to 11:30 am
Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
We need your help for our fall cleanup at Blue Heron Landing Park and around Oaklette Bridge. Join us for a few hours to clean the shoreline and along Indian River Road.
We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort. And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/FELP36mtMesJaiiF8 (suggested but not required)

News

Indian River Shopping Center

Everyone is starting to get excited about the progress on the renovations at the Indian River Shopping Center. There is still no official confirmation on who is moving into the renovated section, but the leasing company Katsias is marketing "the newly renovated shopping center grocery anchor coming 2026".

Indian River Road

The restoration work on the Indian River Road Oaklette Bridge is finally complete. As part of our ongoing discussions with the Public Works Department, we understand that the City is finalizing their plans on resurfacing (repaving) and restriping all of Indian River Road from the Norfolk City Line to the Virginia Beach City Line. Part of this will be installing a new crosswalk with flashing beacons to serve Blue Heron Landing Park. We're also expecting the overall work to include upgrades to the existing crosswalks at Sparrow Road and Tatemstown Road. We are still waiting to hear the schedule for the work to start.

Planning Department Updates

The Planning Department has been keeping busy over the summer. In August, the City Council approved the Greenbrier Area Plan that lays out the vision to develop Greenbrier into the future urban core of Chesapeake, focusing on human-scaled neighborhoods and commercial districts that are pedestrian and bicycle friendly, balancing the needs of people while accommodating vehicular traffic.

Planning also held a series of Open Houses in August to review the Draft of the City-wide Comprehensive Plan, which would set the revised guidelines for the City Planning for the coming 20 years. In our initial review, we saw a strong vision for creating a high-quality future for the City. The policies presented adopt the principles of Smart Growth, focus on moving people on Complete Streets that provide safe access to all, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users, It includes good policies related to the environment and resilience. Something new for Chesapeake in the Plan is the description of Character Districts that describes a range of appropriate uses in different types of communities that exist across the City. We see some areas that could be strengthened to address healthy landscapes and planning for energy infrastructure. The City is accepting comments through September 26.

The Planning Department also released proposed Ordinance changes for the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area. In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly amended the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act to incorporate new guidelines for "coastal resilience and adaptation to sea-level rise and climate change". Localities had until 2025 to adopt the changes and the revised guidelines are expected to be presented to the City Council in October.

Summer Recap

Parks, Recreation and Tourism has started to install new trail maps and signage at Indian River Park. Join us for our Second Saturday Hike on September 12 and we'll check them out in person.

A big thank you to the volunteers who braved the summer heat to continue the ongoing weeding at our gardens at the Oaklette Bridge and at Indian River Park.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

Summer Newsletter

2025-07-01T15:23:00.006-04:00

In this Edition

Upcoming Events

On-going - Volunteers Needed for Gardening

News

Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes Program
Why Healthy Landscapes in Your Yard Matter
June Recap
Fall Preview

Upcoming Events

On-going Volunteer Activities

We have a continuing need for volunteers through the summer to help maintain our gardens and plantings at the Oaklette Bridge and the native plant garden at Indian River Park. If you are interested in helping, please e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

Tasks include regular weeding and other garden work. Some of the work involves small group events during the week. Once orientation is completed, some work might be on an individual schedule.

News

Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes Program

We are encouraging folks to sign up for the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council and the City of Chesapeake's new Chesapeake Healthy Landscape Program. This program recognizes and encourages residents to take steps to create healthy landscapes on their properties. Participants who sign up can receive an information kit and a landscape flag as recognition for their efforts.

To be recognized, they are looking for commitments to Protect Your Trees, put the Right Plant in the Right Place, Consider Wildlife, Reduce Lawn Maintenance, Reduce Runoff, Avoid or Remove Invasive Plants, and Limit Chemical Usage. Learn more and sign up at Chesapeake Healthy Landscape Program | Chesapeake, VA

We're hoping that the Indian River will be the top area for sign-ups in the Chesapeake.

Why Healthy Landscapes in Your Yard Matter

Bird populations are down 30% since 1970. Butterfly abundance is down 22% since 2000. Half of all native bee species are in decline and a quarter are in danger of extinction. Human-caused habitat loss and climate change are the primary causes of these declines. People have transformed nearly all the land of the eastern US by cutting down trees and converting land to farms, cities, and suburbs. We've replaced entire native ecosystems with cropland, lawns, ornamental plants, and asphalt that provide little value to wildlife, especially the insects that form the central layer of the food chain.

This is where you can make a difference. There are nearly 44 million acres of lawns across the US. The "well-kept" lawn sold by the lawn care industry is a burden on nature and homeowners' time and money. Lawns provide practically no benefits to nature while needing constant mowing, watering, and application of herbicides and pesticides to keep out "weeds" and "pests".

In contrast, a healthy home landscape incorporates native flowers, shrubs, and trees while minimizing lawns to those areas needed for play or access. Native plants support the food chain and provide homes and nutrition for bees, butterflies and beneficial insects. In turn, these insects provide food for baby birds, turtles, and a variety of small animals. An established native plant garden also rarely needs the use of herbicides and pesticides. Rather than a sterile yard, your garden now becomes a habitat that helps restore balance and resilience to nature. More plants also mean less rain runoff, less flooding, cleaner air, cooler local temperatures, more CO2 removal, and a lot more peace of mind.

This doesn't mean you need to run out and start tearing out your lawn tomorrow. But every native plant added helps. Start small, perhaps planting a few pollinator-friendly native plants. Make a plan and add to your garden over time. Think about steps you can take to make your yard more wildlife-friendly, like adding a water source for birds, setting aside a brush pile, or just leaving more leaves on the ground in the fall. (Leaves provide an important habitat for many overwintering insects including fireflies). Set aside space where you can enjoy your garden and watch as it comes to life. Plant SEVA Natives — Plant Virginia Natives is a great starting point for learning about native plants.

Want more information and advice? The Chesapeake Healthy Landscape program has a ton of great tips and advice to share when you sign up at the link above.

June Recap

Our big cleanup this month was Clean the Bay Day at Indian River Park. 28 volunteers including from the Friends of Indian River, Tidewater Master Naturalist, The Ohio State University Alumni Club of Hampton Roads, and Scouting America Virginia Beach Troop 16B came out to the park and removed 300 lbs. of litter and about 400 lbs. of construction debris.

Later in the month, Five volunteers braved the late June heat to help with our Adopt-A-Road cleanup. We collected about 120 lbs. of litter, including a large bag of aluminum cans that we'll take to the Chesapeake Animal Services aluminum collection bin.

A big thank you to everyone who came out to help!

Fall Preview

In September, we'll resume our regular event schedule with

Saturday, Sept. 13, Second Saturday Hike at Indian River Park
Thursday, Sept. 18, Bi-Monthly Meeting with Christina Trapani from Clean Virginia Waterways
Saturday, Sept. 20, International Coastal Cleanup volunteer event.

We're still finalizing the fall schedule, but it will include more hikes, cleanups, and gardening at the park. For our November meeting, we invited Council Member Pat King to speak to our group. And we'll plan a holiday get-together for December. Stay tuned for more details in our September newsletter.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

June Newsletter and Events

2025-06-01T11:45:00.005-04:00

Upcoming Events

Saturday, June 7: Clean the Bay Day
Saturday, June14: Second Saturday Evening Hike
Thursday, June 19: Summer Evening Picnic
Saturday, June 21: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road
On-going - Volunteers Needed for Gardening

News

Chesapeake Budget
Connecting Chesapeake
Indian River Design Guidelines
Indian River High School Scholarship
Chesapeake VoiCeS
Oyster Gardening
May Recap

Upcoming Events

Saturday, June 7, 2025: Clean the Bay Day @ Indian River Park

9AM to Noon
Location: Indian River Park trailhead
at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
The Friends of Indian River's will be hosting Clean the Bay Day at the Indian River Park
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves. Long pants recommended. Some of the cleanup area is in the river flood plain which can be muddy.
We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles.
Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/EiokEr1KHgStDVqt7 (suggested but not required)

Saturday, June 14, 2025: Evening Hike @ Indian River Park

6 pm to 7:30 pm
Location: Indian River Park entrance
at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Join us for a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/1V6v7U6EdPV4phwC6 (suggested but not required)

Thursday, June 19, 2025: Summer Evening Potluck Picnic

6 pm to 8 pm (come out anytime during the event)
Location: Picnic Pavilion behind Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive; park in side lot along St. Lawrence Dr.
Rather than our usual monthly meeting, in June we'll have a potluck picnic out behind the church. Bring a dish to share and join us for some camaraderie as we roll into summer. The Friends will set out tables and chairs, provide a main protein dish (likely chicken). We suggest bringing a comfy lawn chair.
In the event of rain, we will move the event inside the church's fellowship hall.
To help coordinate who is bringing what, we set up a Sign Up Genius form at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094DADA92FA2FA7-56804950-friends

Saturday, June 21, 2025: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road

From 9 AM to 11:30 am
Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
We need your help for our quarterly cleanup. Join us for a few hours to clean up the mile of Indian River Road from the city limits at Wingfield Avenue all the way to MacDonald Road and at Blue Heron Landing Park.
We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort. And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/fmzaaiipuXW2JE5H6 (suggested but not required)

On-going

We will have a regular need for volunteers to help maintain our gardens and plantings both along Indian River Road at the Oaklette Bridge and at the native plant garden at Indian River Park. This is in addition to our monthly volunteer days. The tasks include regular weeding and other garden work; some work involves small group events during the week; once orientation is completed, some work might be on an individual schedule.
If you are interested in helping out, e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

News

Chesapeake Budget

On May 13, the Chesapeake City Council approved the City's Operating and Capital Budget for 2025-2026. The new fiscal year starts on July 1st.

1) We are pleased to see new funding for several items that can benefit the Indian River Area including

(NEW) #26-300 Indian River Strategic Acquisition of Real Property - This project funds the purchase of commercial and residential property along key transportation corridors within the Indian River Planning Area to support the implementation of the Indian River Planning Area Study and Redevelopment Strategy, adopted by City Council in 2021.
(NEW) #15-300 Chesapeake Pedestrian Access Improvements - funds improvements to pedestrian crossings at 33 signalized intersections that include high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian signal poles, push buttons, and curb ramps with detectable warnings. Per Highway Safety Improvement Program - VDOT Smart Portal, these include the intersections at Indian River Road and Tatemstown Road, Indian River Road and Sparrow Rd, Sparrow Rd and Providence Rd, Sparrow Rd and Military Highway, Providence Rd and Dunbarton Dr (near Georgetown Primary), and Providence Rd and Campostella Rd, Border Rd and Campostella Rd.
(New) #20-300 Urban Forestry & Tree Inventory Plan - This will include the development of an Urban Forest Master Plan, which will inform future decisions regarding the City's tree canopy. This is another important project that the Friends of Indian River have requested for several years to reverse the steady decline of tree canopy cover in our community and across the City. As per the data on urban tree canopy recently published in TreeCanopy.US, created by the Arbor Day Foundation, with the USDA Forest Service and PlanIT Geo, the tree canopy in the Indian River and Campotella area in 2023 was 1,022 acres or 25.5% of the area's total area of 4,010 acres. This was a loss of 73 acres of tree canopy since 2018 when our tree cover was 27.3%.
(NEW) #27-300 Wayfinding Signage - This project funds the design and implementation of a scalable wayfinding sign ‘family’ consisting of entryway, gateway, and both pedestrian and vehicular wayfinding signage. This sign family will connect areas in the City to a cohesive Chesapeake identity while highlighting unique community features. Our community can benefit from better wayfinding to direct to locations such as Blue Heron Landing Park, the IR Library, IR Community Center, the Cuffee Center and the new pool, Indian River Park, Plymouth Park, etc. This was also identified as a need in the Indian River Planning Area Study.

2) The City approved funding for bike lanes on Indian River Road in 2022 - #40-270 Indian River Rd. Diet - Phase I - but the project has yet to get underway. With the first summer coming at the new Blue Heron Landing Park, it becomes ever more urgent to implement a safe crosswalk at the new park. VDOT's Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan (PBSAP) identifies Indian River Road in Chesapeake as one of the Top 1% statewide roadway segments in priority to review for safety projects and other planning needs. We've effectively had a lane diet in place for the past 9 months with Oaklette Bridge Rehabilitation work and it did not negatively impact traffic throughput. The current roadway configuration with two lanes going each way has demonstratively made the road easier for pedestrians to cross at Blue Heron Landing. Public Works is engaged in design studies for a crosswalk and the bike lanes and finished the speed limit study. The Friends of Indian River continue to advocate for getting these safety improvements implemented now.

3) Last year the budget added $2.3M, funded via VDOT, to rebuild the intersection of Military Highway and Rokeby Avenue, project #41-290. Design is supposed to start in this coming fiscal year. The redesign will prohibit left turns from Rokeby Avenue (north or south) onto Military Highway. Although designated as a Safety Improvement Project, we have previously raised concerns that the preliminary designs did not include a pedestrian crossing of Military Highway at Rokeby. This was a major oversight, and in our comments, we reiterated that the design must include a pedestrian and bicycle crossing at this intersection to provide access to Indian River Park. The Friends of Indian River are asking to engage with Public Works at the earliest possible time to look at the design for this intersection.

4) With the pending completion of the Indian River Design Guidelines, we look forward to starting funding for #16-290, Indian River Façade Improvement Grant of $40K per year. We believe this will be another important tool to help support commercial revitalization along Indian River Road corridor, consistent with the Indian River Small Area Plan.

5) We asked that some of the funding for #42-270 Streetscaping and Landscaping of Various Gateway Corridors be applied to the Indian River area. Streetscaping was another key element of the Indian River Planning Area Study and Redevelopment Strategy,

6) The Budget also includes several previously funded projects that are either underway or pending include

#65-230 Philmont Ave Septic System Disconnection (and replacement by sanitary sewer system) - expected to start this summer
#52-250 Norfolk Highlands Stormwater Improvements - expected to start this summer
#72-270 Cuffee Community Center Pool - design in progress
#05-260 Broadlawn Apartments Stormwater Outfall Improvements
#61-270 Providence Road Crossing Replacement (replacement for the existing damaged cross pipes under Providence Road near the middle school) -

Connecting Chesapeake

Also on May 13, Hampton Roads Transit provided a report on the Tier 2 Alternatives for the Connecting Chesapeake Study looking at high-capacity transit options in our city. Their recommendation was to do further study on the Bus Rapid Transit options on Alignments A and B. Alignment B would run across Volvo Parkway, Greenbrier Parkway, Military Highway, and Indian River Road through our community. The next step is for the City Council to formally endorse the recommendations and ask Hampton Roads Transit to proceed with more studies in preparation for potential grant applications.

Indian River Design Guidelines

On May 20, the City Council approved the new Indian River Design Guidelines. As a key stakeholder in the Indian River Small Area Plan, the Friends of Indian River worked with the Planning Department to provide input on this document.

The Design Guidelines are an important next step in advancing the commercial revitalization of the Indian River area. Public input during the document development highlighted recurring themes regarding the need for better pedestrian and bicycle safety, enhanced landscaping and green space, and encouraging new destination-style businesses such as coffee shops, eateries, and a grocery store. Overall, our group found the document's contents very positive, especially for the Indian River Road corridor, our community "Main Street". It describes a path forward for transforming the community into a more pedestrian-friendly shopping street with landscaping, trees for shade, and sidewalks. We also appreciate that the plan adopts Dark Sky and Bird Safe lighting and window standards. The Guidelines also support efforts to implement urgently needed pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements along Indian River Road. We were pleased that most of the landscape plant pallets include a substantial emphasis on using plants native to our region, helping promote biodiversity.

We thank the Planning Department and the consultant team for their diligent work on these guidelines and their strong emphasis on getting community input.

Indian River High School Scholarship

Congratulations to Katherine Hamburg, winner of the Friends of Indian River 2025 Indian River High School Education Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes a senior who excels in leadership, citizenship, extracurricular activities, and academics. Katherine demonstrated exceptional academic performance, leadership abilities, and a remarkable commitment to our community. She is looking forward to majoring in biology. Thank you for your efforts and best wishes for college and beyond!

Chesapeake VoiCeS

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is holding a virtual session of its Volunteers as Chesapeake Stewards (VoiCeS) program. This multi-week adult education course is designed to deepen your understanding of the Chesapeake Bay and how you can make a difference in its restoration. A number of our members have taken this class and recommend it highly. Held virtually over six consecutive Wednesday evenings, this interactive course features expert speakers covering a wide range of environmental topics relevant to Virginia, plus chances to get out in the field. Dates: Wednesdays, July 9–August 13, 6:00–8:00 p.m. Online via Zoom.

Oyster Gardening

Live along the water? Want to help restore the oyster population in our river in the Chesapeake Bay? The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is hosting Oyster Gardening training in June and July. Sign up at https://www.cbf.org/how-we-save-the-bay/programs-initiatives/virginia/oyster-restoration/oyster-gardening/hampton-roads-oyster-gardening-seminars-new-gardeners.html

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Oyster Gardening Program gives citizens an opportunity to help bring back this vital species by growing oysters alongside their docks. Once grown, the adult oysters are returned to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for planting on sanctuary reefs. Learn more at https://www.cbf.org/how-we-save-the-bay/programs-initiatives/virginia/oyster-restoration/oyster-gardening/

May Recap

The guest speaker at our May meeting was Lisa Renée Jennings, Hampton Roads Grassroots Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Lisa Renée leads advocacy and volunteer efforts for the Save the Bay program in our region. Many of our founding members have gone through the Chesapeake Bay Foundation volunteer training and the meeting was a great chance to hear the latest from the organization and share all our local efforts and successes.

From The Nature Conservancy

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

May Newsletter and Events

2025-05-03T15:04:00.009-04:00

In this Edition

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 10: Indian River Park Hike
Thursday, May 15: Monthly Meeting - Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Saturday, June 7: Clean the Bay Day

News

April Recap
Volunteers Needed for Gardening

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 10, 2025: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Join us for a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations.
Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/944Niqw7MAts59vL6 (suggested but not required)

Thursday, May 15, 2025: Monthly Meeting - Chesapeake Bay Foundation

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Our guest speaker will be Lisa Renée Jennings, Hampton Roads Grassroots Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Lisa Renée leads advocacy and volunteer efforts for the Save the Bay program in our region and will provide us with an update on their latest activities.
All are welcome. We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refreshments for the meeting.

Saturday, June 7: Clean the Bay Day

9AM to Noon
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
The Friends of Indian River's will be hosting Clean the Bay Day at the Indian River Park
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves. Long pants recommended. Some of the cleanup area is in the river flood plain which can be muddy.
We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles.
Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/EiokEr1KHgStDVqt7 (suggested but not required)

News

April Recap

We had two big volunteer events this month.

Just before Easter, we hosted a detachment from the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), who came to Indian River Park for their annual Volunteer Service event. Along with our dedicated Friends of Indian River volunteers and staff from Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the volunteers worked to remove invasive English Ivy in the park and weed and mulch the native plant garden at the park trailhead. A successful day all around!

On April 26, to recognize Earth Day, we were at the gardens by the Oaklette Bridge on Indian River Road to do weeding and mulching. We had a great turnout with 26 volunteers. A big thank you to local office of the Burns & McDonnell who came out with 16 volunteers! The newly weeded and mulched gardens look fantastic.

We also wish to extend a big thank you to the Burns & McDonnell Foundation Fund for a generous grant to the Friends of Indian River to support our continued efforts to improve the quality of life for all the residents of our community.

Volunteers needed for gardening

We will have a regular need for volunteers to help maintain our gardens and plantings both along Indian River Road at the Oaklette Bridge and at the native plant garden at Indian River Park. This is in addition to our monthly volunteer days. The tasks include regular weeding and other garden work; some work involves small group events during the week; once orientation is completed, some work might be on an individual schedule. If you are interested in helping out, e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

April Newsletter and Events

2025-04-04T11:04:00.002-04:00

In this Edition

Upcoming Events

~~Saturday, April 12: Indian River Park Hike~~
Saturday, April 26: Earth Day Gardening and Cleanup

News

Chesapeake City Budget
March Recap

Upcoming Events

Saturday, April 12, 2025: Indian River Park Hike

CANCELLED
Spring has sprung and we should find quite a few wildflowers blooming in the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.

Saturday, April 26, 2025: Earth Day Gardening and Cleanup

From 9 AM to Noon
Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
To recognize Earth Day this year, we will be working around Oaklette Bridge and Blue Heron Landing Park. We will be weeding and mulching the roadside gardens, doing a cleanup along the Park shoreline and under the bridge, and working to remove some invasive English Ivy.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. Bring your favorite hand weeding tool, if you have one. We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/egnsLV8Hwahi3nRM7 (suggested but not required)

News

Chesapeake City Budget

The City Manager released the proposed City Capital Improvement Budget and we were please to find several new items that are positive for the Indian River area:

(NEW) 26-300 Indian River Strategic Acquisition of Real Property - This project funds the purchase of commercial and residential property along key transportation corridors within the Indian River Planning Area to support implementation of the Indian River Planning Area Study and Redevelopment Strategy, adopted by City Council on December 21, 2021. Financial Summary: $150,000 per year for next 5 years
(NEW) 15-300 Chesapeake Pedestrian Access Improvements - funds improvements to pedestrian crossings at 33 signalized intersections [that] include high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian signal poles, push buttons, and curb ramps with detectable warnings. Financial Summary: $4,125,000 in 2026, VDOT Reimbursement.

Per Highway Safety Improvement Program - VDOT Smart Portal, these intersections include IR Road and Tatemstown, IR Road and Sparrow, Sparrow and Providence, Sparrow and Military Highway, Providence and Dunbarton (near Georgetown Primary), and Providence and Campostella, Border Rd and Campostella.

(New) 20-300 Urban Forestry & Tree Inventory Plan - This will include the development of an Urban Forest Master Plan, which will inform future decisions regarding the City's tree canopy. Financial Summary: $500,000 in 2026
(NEW) 27-300 Wayfinding Signage - This project funds the design and implementation of a scalable wayfinding sign ‘family’ consisting of entryway, gateway, and both pedestrian and vehicular wayfinding signage. This sign family will connect areas in the City to a cohesive Chesapeake identity while highlighting unique community features. - Financial Summary: $350,000 in 2026

The City Council will be taking action on the budget in May. We will be in support of these and other previously approved funding efforts to implement the Indian River Planning Area Study and improve our community. In conjunction with the pedestrian access improvements above, we'll continue to advocate for safety improvements along our area roads including a safe crossing at Blue Heron Landing Park.

With the pending completion of the Indian River Design Guidelines in the coming months, we look forward to the City releasing funding for 16-290, Indian River Façade Improvement Grant, approved in last year's budget. This competitive grant program can be another important tool to help support commercial revitalization along Indian River Road corridor. Stay tuned for more information on this program when it becomes active.

March Recap

At our monthly meeting, we had an excellent presentation on the problem of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels on our waterways by Vince Bowhers, the Restoration Coordinator for LRNOW. Are you a boat owner now or in the past? Take this survey from LRNow to help understand the problem of abandoned boats and help find solutions! Take the survey at http://www.boatsurvey.org/

We had a great turnout for our Great American Cleanup/Adopt-A-Road Cleanup in mid-March. We had 26 volunteers and worked along Indian River Road, under and around Oaklette Bridge, and cleaned up the shoreline of Blue
Heron Landing Park. About 300 lbs. of litter was removed so that it won't become marine debris in our river and the Bay. A big thanks to all our volunteers including wonderful group representing the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority!

Thank you to the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council - CEIC for organizing a Great American Cleanup at the Indian River Civic Campus between the Library, Community Center, and High School during the last weekend of March. Volunteers removed several hundred pounds of trash and debris.

Parks, Recreation, and Tourism held three more volunteer Weed Warrior sessions at Indian River Park in March to remove invasive Linden Viburnum, Japanese Privet, Multifloral Rose, and English Ivy. The crew made a big dent in the problem, but there is a lot more to do.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

March Newsletter and Events

2025-03-01T11:41:00.003-05:00

View this newsletter online at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/

Upcoming Events

Saturday, March 15: Indian River Park Hike
Thursday, March 20: Monthly Meeting - Abandoned and Derelict Vessel (ADV) program
Saturday, March 22: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road
Weed Warrior Wednesday @ Indian River Park, March 5 and 12

News

Indian River Design Guidelines
February Recap
Spring Membership Drive

Upcoming Events

Saturday, March 15, 2025: Indian River Park Hike

8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Indian River Park entrance
at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/2UDkv6RHqmBULQpj6 (suggested but not required)

Thursday, March 20, 2025: Monthly Meeting - Abandoned and Derelict Vessel (ADV) program

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Our guest speaker will be Vince Bowhers, the Restoration Coordinator for Lynnhaven River NOW who will talk to us about the Abandoned and Derelict Vessel (ADV) program. This effort funded through a NOAA grant is working to remove 100 ADVs from coastal Virginia waterways and to create a statewide program to prevent ADVs. We will also have a short business meeting.
All are welcome. We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refreshments for the meeting.

Saturday, March 22, 2025: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road

From 9 AM to 11:30 am
Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
It is the Great American Cleanup and we need your help. Join us for a few hours to clean up the mile of Indian River Road from the city limits at Wingfield Avenue all the way to MacDonald Road and at Blue Heron Landing Park.
We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort. And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/J6t7F6YPEezg5pYf7 (suggested but not required)

Weed Warrior Wednesdays, March 5 and March 12

From 1 pm to 3 pm each Wednesday
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
We are teaming up with Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) to do Weed Warrior Wednesday at Indian River Park, weather allowing, Two more Wednesday have been added in March, Our focus will be to deal with invasive Linden Viburnum and Chinese Privet infesting the park. Please come out to help for one or more of these dates if you are available. PRT will provide hand tools to those who sign up, but please bring your own loppers or pruning saws if you’d prefer.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, a hat and bring work gloves and bring water in reusable container.
Team size for these events will be limited, so please sign up at the PRT Sign-Up Genius at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040c4aacae2eaaf58-fall#/

News

Indian River Design Guidelines

The draft Indian River Design Guidelines document is scheduled to go to the Chesapeake Planning Commission on March 12 - Meeting Agendas & Videos | Chesapeake, VA.

Our group thoroughly reviewed and commented on the draft and support the revisions that will be presented at the meeting. The document is an important next step in advancing the commercial revitalization goals in the Indian River Small Area Plan. It does a good job of describing the qualities, deficiencies, and redevelopment objectives of the commercial corridors in our community. Public input for developing the guidelines highlights the recurring themes of better pedestrian and bicycle safety, enhanced landscaping and green space, and encouraging new destination-style businesses such as coffee shops, eateries, and a grocery store.

Overall, our group found the document's contents to be very positive and, especially for the Indian River Road corridor, our communities "Main Street", describe a path to transforming the community to a more pedestrian-friendly shopping street with landscaping, trees for shade, and sidewalks. The Guidelines support efforts to implement urgently needed pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements along Indian River Road and Military Highway. We appreciate that the plan adopts Dark Sky and Bird Safe lighting and window standards.

We thank the Planning Department and the consultant team for their diligent work on these guidelines and their strong emphasis on getting community input.

February Recap

Winter found us in February and disrupted our event schedule somewhat. We had to cancel our February Invasive Species Workshop due to the snow but Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (PRT) was able to hold two Weed Warrior Wednesdays in which we made a big dent in the population of invasive Linden Virburnum. They have two more Wednesdays scheduled in March. The Virginian Pilot did a story on the effort - Weed Warriors help control invasive plants in Chesapeake parks – The Virginian-Pilot

We did hold our hike for the Great Backyard Bird Count hike around the civic campus between the Indian River Community Center and the High School in mid-February. We spotted some 21 species with some of the less common sighting including Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, and Ruddy Ducks.

Our president, Rogard Ross, also attended the February 25 City Council meeting to keep the focus on implementing pedestrian and bicycle safety improvement along Indian River Road, particularly with the approach of warmer weather which will increase use of the new Blue Heron Landing Park. VDOT's Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan (PBSAP) identifies Indian River Road in Chesapeake as one of the Top 1% statewide roadway segments in priority to review for safety projects and other planning needs. It was noteworthy that two other speakers at the meeting raised similar safety concerns for around Cedar Road and Greenbrier Parkway.

Spring Membership Drive

It's time for our annual spring membership drive. The Friends of Indian River are an all-volunteer, local, 501(c)(3) non-profit, and we depend on member contributions to advance our mission to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods. Our fiscal year ends March 31 and our fundraising goal is $1800; we are currently at $1233. Help us reach our goal. You can become a member, renew your membership, or just make a contribution online at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/membership.html

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

February Newsletter and Events

2025-02-01T14:59:00.006-05:00

Upcoming Events

Saturday, Feb 15: Great Backyard Bird Count Hike @ Lake by Indian River Civic Campus
~~Saturday, Feb 22: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop~~
Weed Warrior Wednesday @ Indian River Park, Feb 5, 12,19, 26

News

River Star Businesses Recognized
January Recap

Upcoming Events

Saturday, Feb 15, 2025: Great Backyard Bird Count Hike @ Lake by Indian River Civic Campus

From 8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Meet at the Indian River Community Center, 2250 Old Greenbrier Rd.
It's the weekend of the Great Backyard Bird Count, a worldwide effort to identify the distribution of birds; as part of this we'll be leading a guided bird walk around the lake between the Indian River Community/Rec Center and the High School.
Previous years we've been treated with seeing Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Ospreys, Bluebirds, various species of woodpeckers, and a large variety of waterfowl on the lake.
We'll have some binoculars and a spotting scope, but do bring your own if you have some!
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/eTANAGvRtnqkims86 (suggested but not required)

~~Saturday, Feb 22, 2025: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop~~

Cancelled
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Learn to identify various invasive plant species that threaten Indian River Park and natural areas across the Tidewater region. Those found in the park include English Ivy, Chinese Privet, Multifloral Rose, Linden Viburnum, and others.
Then we'll have a work effort to clear some outbreaks of the English Ivy. The more volunteers that come out the more that we can accomplish!
Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, a hat and bring work gloves. We'll be working both to remove Ivy on the ground and on trees. Bring pruning clippers, loppers, screwdrivers (which are amazingly useful in prying ivy off tree trunks) and/or pruning saws if you have them. We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/jjQ5gAaFToyTit9V8, suggested but not required.

Weed Warrior Wednesdays, Feb 5, Feb 12, Feb 19, Feb 26

From 1 pm to 3 pm each Wednesday
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
We are teaming up with Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) to do Weed Warrior Wednesday at Indian River Park, weather allowing, every Wednesday from 1 pm to 3 pm. Our focus will be to deal with invasive Linden Viburnum and Chinese Privet infesting the park. Please come out to help for one or more of these dates if you are available. PRT will provide hand tools to those who sign up, but please bring your own loppers or pruning saws if you’d prefer.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, a hat and bring work gloves and bring water in reusable container.
Team size for these events will be limited, so please sign up at the PRT Sign-Up Genius at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040c4aacae2eaaf58-fall#/

News

River Star Businesses Recognized

The Elizabeth River Project held their annual River Star Business Recognition Luncheon in January and several local organizations were honored at the event. Wickers Crab Pot got top honors for advancing to the Model Level for their educational support of the ERP Learning Barge and their solid environmental practices at the restaurant on Indian River Road.

Also recognized Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) for Sustained Distinguished Performance at the Model Level and the Rivercrest Condominium Association for Sustained Distinguished Performance at the Achievement level. The Elizabeth River Project highlighted the opening of Blue Heron Landing Park in recognizing PRT achievements.

Congratulations and thank you to all the River Star Businesses for making environmental stewardship the business standard on the Elizabeth and Indian Rivers. Would you like to become a River Star Business or River Star Home? Email us for more information.

January Recap

At our annual meeting in January we discussed on-going efforts for 2025 and held elections for our board and officers. We also had a briefing from Hampton Roads Transit on their Connecting Chesapeake study. This study looks at options to bring Express Bus, Bus-Rapid Transit, or Light Rail to Chesapeake. They've narrowed the study to four route options, two of these coming down Indian River Road. They took our feedback on some of the design concerns. Learn more about the project at Winter 2025 Updates — Connecting Chesapeake

We had an excellent turn out for our Invasive Species Workshop at Indian River Park in January. A big thank you to the 13 volunteers came out and cleared the ground of an entire section of English Ivy. This was an important exercise to help contain the outbreak. We'll be back in the park on Saturday, February 22 to work on another section of Ivy and working with PRT to tackle Linden Viburnum on Weed Warrior Wednesday in February. See above for all the details.

In January, PRT and other stakeholders met to discuss trail signage plans for Indian River Park. The trail network in the park is extensive, it developed organically, and coming up with a trail signage plan has been more involved that one may imagine. But hopefully new signage will start to be installed in the coming months.

We also met with the Public Works Department to get an update on plans for safety improvements along Indian River Road. We were told that a speed limit study was completed and they were kicking off studies to look at crosswalk design options and bike lanes installation. We emphasized that the safety issue will become critical for Blue Heron Landing Park when temperatures warm up and urged them on the need to implement solutions in the coming months.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

January Newsletter and Events

2025-01-04T16:11:00.010-05:00

Upcoming Events

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025: Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation
Saturday, Jan 18, 2025: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop

News

2024 Year in Review
"Main Street" Holiday Lights Contest Winners
One-Question Social Media Survey
December Recap

Upcoming Events

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025: Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation

From 7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Please join us for our Annual Meeting. We will hold elections of officers for 2025. We will also use this meeting recognize our volunteers and the great work they do.
We are also expecting guest speakers from Hampton Roads Transit to tell us the latest on the Connecting Chesapeake plans.
We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refreshments after the meeting.
Whether you've been supporting us for years or are just curious to learn more about who we are, all are welcome to attend the meeting.

Saturday, Jan 18, 2025: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop

From 9:00 am to Noon.
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Learn to identify various invasive plant species that threaten Indian River Park and natural areas across the Tidewater region. Those found in the park include English Ivy, Chinese Privet, Multifloral Rose, Linden Viburnum, and others.
Then we'll have a work effort to clear some outbreaks of the English Ivy. The more volunteers that come out the more that we can accomplish!
Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, a hat and bring work gloves. We'll be working both to remove Ivy on the ground and on trees. Bring pruning clippers, loppers, screwdrivers (which are amazingly useful in prying ivy off tree trunks) and/or pruning saws if you have them. We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have alt supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/AipQdF6itUaEM82B8, suggested but not required.

News

2024 Year in Review

Our biggest news for 2024 was the grand opening of Blue Heron Landing Park in October. The Friends of Indian River initiated efforts to create a canoe/kayak launch at this location nearly 10 years ago. In diligently working with the City of Chesapeake and other partners, we were thrilled to see what was a rubble-filled lot turned into a living shoreline complete with a boardwalk and ADA-accessible canoe/kayak launch. The new park is proving to be very popular with locals, anglers, and paddlers. One key concern we continue to push is enabling safe access across Indian River Road. Plans for safety improvements along the length of Indian River Road were included in the Indian River Small Area Plan and funding was approved in 2022, but implementation has lagged. This will be a key focus for 2025.

Some highlights of our accomplishments in 2024 include:

Support Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park, Adopt-A-Spot Trees and Gardens at Oaklette Bridge, and Adopt-A-Road along Indian River Road, Clean The Bay Day, Internation Coastal Cleanup, Business Area Planters
Input on multiple City Planning initiatives including Indian River Design Guidelines and Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area boundaries
1350 lbs. Trash Removed over Multiple Cleanups
4 Nature Walks and 1 History Walk
4 Guest Speakers
1 High School Scholarship Awarded
Recognized for Sustained Distinguished Performance as an Elizabeth River Project River Star Business
Overall, 93 Volunteers performed 900+ Volunteer Hours

Read more details about our work in 2024 in our Annual Report at https://www.friendsofindianriver.org/2024/12/2024-year-in-review.html

"Main Street" Holiday Lights Contest Winners

We were excited to bring back our “Main Street” Indian River Holiday Lighting & Decoration Contest for the 2024 Holidays. Our judges gave top marks to Midway Veterinary Hospital, Shadez of Beauty Hair Salon, and Moulton Tax Service. Honorable mentions go to Trade Team USA, NAE Credit Union, Wickers Crab Pot, Botanica Spiritual House, Mobile Pig-Nic Catering / The Pig Shop Restaurant, Affordable Transmission, Beasley's Farm Market, Sky Lounge, and Crossroad Cleaners.

One Question Social Media Survey

The Friends of Indian River have a Facebook page and a limited presence on Instagram. We'd like to know what social media platforms you use. Take our one question survey and let us know at https://forms.gle/VcgamTqZv6W4tce4A

December Recap

December was a quite month for the Friends. We had a single volunteer event to remove invasive English Ivy at Indian River Park. A big thank you to the volunteers who came out for that event.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

2024 Year in Review

2024-12-28T09:40:00.005-05:00

Please see our Year in Review below to learn about things we accomplished this past year. Some highlights include:

Support Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park, Adopt-A-Spot Trees and Gardens at Oaklette Bridge, and Adopt-A-Road along Indian River Road, Clean The Bay Day, Internation Coastal Cleanup, Business Area Planters
Input on multiple City Planning initiatives including Indian River Design Guidelines and Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area boundaries
1350 lbs. Trash Removed over Multiple Cleanups
4 Nature Walks and 1 History Walk
4 Guest Speakers
1 High School Scholarship Awarded
Recognized for Sustained Distinguished Performance as an Elizabeth River Project River Star Business
Overall, 93 Volunteers performed 900+ Volunteer Hours

We couldn't accomplish any of this without dedicated members, volunteers, and supporters. Please join us for our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Event on Thursday, January 16 at 7 pm at Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive. We'll recognize our volunteers and the great work they do at this meeting and there will be refreshments and desserts. We will hold elections for our Board. And because there are timely updates, we will have two guest presenters at this meeting: a) a representative from the Indian River Shopping Center to share what's happening at the center, and b) representatives from Hampton Roads Transit to get our feedback on the plans for Connecting Chesapeake of which two option included improved bus service along Indian River Road. Whether you've been supporting us for years or are just curious to learn more about who we are, all are welcome to attend the meeting.

Year in Review

Blue Heron Landing Park

On October 23, Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism held the Grand Opening event for Blue Heron Landing Park. Along with Mayor West and members of the City Council, the Friends of Indian River participated in the unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremonies. The new park features a broad boardwalk, a floating kayak launch, and a restored living shoreline complete with oyster castles to form a new oyster reef, marsh areas, and what will grow into a new upland forested area.

The Friends of Indian River have been working to make this park a reality since 2015, with founding member and current Vice President Carol Warren spearheading our efforts. The site has always been a popular but unofficial fishing spot. Seeing the potential to provide a greatly needed public access site to the Indian River, we were able to connect the City with the property owner to begin the process. Working with partners, including the Elizabeth River Project, we advocated for grant funding from the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation Grant that helped the City acquire the property in 2017. We stayed engaged with the City through the long process of design, funding, permitting, bidding out - delayed by the fallout of the Pandemic- and finally construction, which culminated in the grand opening of the park this year.

Planning and Zoning

We are continuing to push for near-term safety improvements to Indian River Road, including reducing speeds, establishing a safe crosswalk over Indian River Road at the new Blue Heron Landing Park, bicycle safety improvements, and traffic enforcement. As part of the implementation of the Indian River Small Area Plan, in 2022 the City Council approved funding for the Renovation and Rehabilitation of Indian River Road. With the opening of the new park, implementation of these improvements is urgent. Indian River Road has severe issues with speeding and has been the site of multiple severe accidents. VDOT's Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan (PBSAP) identifies Indian River Road in Chesapeake as one of the Top 1% statewide roadway segments in priority to review for safety projects and other planning needs. There have been at least two pedestrian fatalities since 2010 and multiple injuries. This past July, the bus stop at the corner of Lilac Avenue was wiped out in a crash, fortunately with no serious injuries. We have sent letters, petitions, and spoken with members of the City Council and City Staff and hope to have a meeting with Public Works in January.

The City has been updating the City's Comprehensive Plan and associated planning documents including drafting a Greenbrier Area Plan and a Trails and Connectivity Plan. Locally, they've been working on the Indian River Design Guidelines. The Design Guidelines "focus on the creation of a vision and unique sense of place for the development or redevelopment of the three key commercial corridors of Indian River Road, Providence Road, and the eastern portion of Military Highway." The latest draft can be found at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3217/Indian-River-Design-Guidelines. The Friends submitted detailed comments on the latest draft which is expected to go to the Planning Commission for review in February.

In the first part of the year, the Planning Department published new maps revising Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CPBA) district boundaries. We were alarmed that these maps removed CBPA protection from areas around the head of the tide of the Indian River by Indian River High School. We were able to get the City Council to defer action and then working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Wetlands Watch, and other groups we got the Planning Department to do a second review of the boundaries, restoring protection to about 280 acres of land around the City including the land near the High School and identifying 14 additional acres to add to the CBPA, including parcels around the south end of Indian River Park.

We've provided feedback on the design plans for the new Cuffee Center Pool regarding the protection of existing trees during construction and the need for bird-safe glass since the design has glass walls along 3 sides of the building. The project should go out for bid next year and could be complete by late 2026 or 2027.

We worked with the City Developments and Permits Department to ensure that Coleman Farms townhouse development next to Indian River Park completed its Landscaping Plan. In the final phase, the developer planted nearly 250 trees and shrubs, mostly native species on the property.

Volunteer Events

We organized 5 major cleanups this year including three along Indian River Road and the Oaklette Bridge and two at Indian River Park. These included efforts under the Adopt-A-Road, Adopt-A-Park, Clean the Bay Day, and International Coastal Cleanup programs. Overall, our volunteers removed 1350 lbs. of trash and debris.

Besides the cleanups, our efforts at Indian River Park focused on the care of the Native Plant Garden at the Trailhead Entrance and invasive species management. We had group efforts to weed and mulch the Native Plant Garden in January, April, and October, as well as individual volunteer activities throughout the year.

Invasive species management at the park focused on removing Japanese Stilt Grass, pulling English Ivy, and pruning back the red-berried Linden Viburnum to contain and reduce the spread of the plants. We had Invasive Species Workshops in February and December to both teach about the problem of invasive plants and remove English Ivy.

In April, sailors from the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) came out to Indian River Park to help remove English Ivy and help in the native plant garden. This was part of the ship's Thousand Points of Light program, inspired by the late President Bush’s legacy and life of service. We were very grateful for the help from sailors, thank our dedicated Friends of Indian River volunteers who guided the efforts, and thank Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) for providing tools and supplies for the work day!

We also patrol the trails in the park to help keep them clear of debris, do minor trash pickup, and report major trail blockages, bridge damage, or other issues. We've been involved in planning meetings with PRT to establish a new system of trail signage in the park, which will hopefully be installed in 2025.

Our dedicated crew of volunteers kept up with regular maintenance at the various gardens maintained by the Friends of Indian River, including at the Indian River Oaklette Bridge, Indian River Park, Plymouth Park, and several planters along Indian River Road. Without their dedicated efforts, these gardens would likely get overrun by plants we don't want in these plantings, i.e., "weeds". (Although the definition of what is a weed varies depending on gardening goals).

Overall, 93 volunteers performed 900+ Volunteer Hours with the Friends of Indian River in 2024

Connecting with Nature

We held our First Day Hike on New Year's Day, several Second Saturday Hikes at Indian River Park, and our annual Great Backyard Bird Count hike in February at the lake between the Indian River Community Center and the High School. Some noteworthy wildlife reports along the Indian River this year include river otters and dolphins.

In the fall, we had a member field trip to visit the Elizabeth River Project's new Ryan Resilience Lab, a cutting-edge green building with floating docks, green roofs, solar arrays, rainwater capture, and much more.

Civic Engagement

In 2024, guest speakers at our meetings included:

March: Kevin Finn, Chesapeake Planning Department on the planning document updates
May: Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) reported on planning the high-capacity transit options for Chesapeake
September: Amy Weber, Chair of the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council (CEIC), briefed us on the new "Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes" program
November: State House Delegate Bonita Anthony

In April, we joined multiple other environmental groups to table at the Earth Day Festival at Campostella Square Park organized by the Climate Action Network.

In June, we held a picnic instead of a regular indoor meeting.

The Friends of Indian River teamed up with the Cape Henry Audubon Society and other regional partners including the Virginia Zoo and Elizabeth River Project to launch the Bird Safe/Lights Out Hampton Roads program. Bird collisions with windows are actually among the biggest human-caused reasons for bird deaths, right up there with cats and habitat destruction. Up to 1 billion birds a year in North America die from crashing into windows and not just in tall buildings, but also with one and two-story homes. The Bird Safe/Lights Out effort looks to improve building safety by advocating for bird-safe window treatments, reducing unnecessary outdoor lighting, and other steps to make our community safer for birds. Learn more at https://birdsafehr.org/

In October, just after the Blue Heron Landing Grand Opening, we partnered with Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism to do a History Walk. Starting at Norfolk Highlands Primary School, we went over to the new Blue Heron Landing Park on the Indian River, then over to the Oaklette Historic District including the Colonna's Boathouse. We had a great turnout with over 30 attendees who learned about the history of the area covering topics from the original native Chesapian people to European settlement to the turn of the 20th century suburbanization to today.

We brought back our “Main Street” Indian River Holiday Lighting & Decoration Contest this year. Our judges gave top marks to Midway Veterinary Hospital, Shadez of Beauty Hair Salon, and Moulton Tax Service. Honorable mentions go to Trade Team USA, NAE Credit Union, Wickers Crab Pot, Botanica Spiritual House, Mobile Pig-Nic Catering / The Pig Shop Restaurant, Affordable Transmission, Beasley's Farm Market, Sky Lounge, and Crossroad Cleaners.

Of course, we continued our online outreach through our monthly newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, Next Door, and our website.

Indian River High School Scholarship

The Friends of Indian River Education Scholarship is awarded to an Indian River High School graduating senior who embodies the spirit of the Friends of Indian River mission and excels in leadership, citizenship, extracurricular activities, and academics. This year, the award went to Mai Saldivar who did outstanding volunteer work including Clean Up projects through the Elizabeth River Project and other groups. She is looking forward to majoring in biology and environmental sciences.

Applications are now open for students graduating in 2025. Learn more about the scholarship at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/friends-of-indian-river-scholarship.html

Awards and Recognitions

We thank the Carl W. Mangum Jr. and Marguerite S. Mangum Fund #3 of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for making a generous grant to the Friends of Indian River this year. This helped our organization fulfill our mission to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods.

The Friends of Indian River were recognized for our Sustained Distinguished Performance at the Model Level at the Elizabeth River Project River Star Businesses Recognition Luncheon in January. In particular, we were called out for our effort to plant the native trees and shrubs along Indian River Road by the bridge.

We congratulate Lynn Gilbert for being named "Spat Catcher Supreme" by the Elizabeth River Project for catching the most oyster spat for the Elizabeth River. Lynn has been an oyster gardening on the Indian River for several years, raising baby oysters in cages hung from her pier. In this case, she also participated in the Elizabeth River Project's Catch the Spat citizen science program to measure how well oysters are naturally reseeding themselves. Several oyster restoration projects have been done along the Indian River by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, through the Elizabeth River Project River Star Homes program, and as part of the new Blue Heron Landing Park. Oyster populations are rebounding in the river.

There are nearly 200 Elizabeth River Project River Star Homes and 6 River Star Businesses in the Indian River watershed today, but we want to recruit many more. Learn how you can become a River Star and take advantage of its benefits at https://elizabethriver.org/river-stars/

Board of Directors

Rogard Ross Carol Warren Diane Burke Helene Haluska

Jayne Whitney Amy Weber Chris Whitney Jennifer Raymond Vickie Easley

Active Supporting Members and Volunteers 2024

Larry Allen ^V

Simon Ardyna ^V

Jill Arnone^M

Semih Atabey ^V

Gary Ball ^MV*

Susan Ball ^M

Catherine Bernard ^M

Heather Black and family ^V

Cynthia Blankenship ^V

Edward Borges and family ^V

Mark Bunker ^V

Diane Burke ^MV*

Don Burke ^V

Joe Burke ^M

USS George H.W. Bush
(CVN 77) ^V

Margie Carraway^M

John Fisher Clark ^M

Coalition of Sailors ^V

Anna Cook ^MV

Brian Easley ^M

Vickie Easley ^MV

Kyle Carlo Evangelista ^V

Eric Fiedorczyk ^V

David and Lynn Greenfield ^M

Annie Guertin ^M

Helene Haluska ^MV*

Jim Haluska ^M

Jim Hartle ^M*

Sandy Hill ^M

Mike Hoffman^V

Matthew Huff^V

Robert Ike, Jr. ^M

Jill Jamison^MV

Lisa Kennedy ^M

Tom Kennedy ^MV

Janet Kerns^V

Sharon Komenda ^M*

Jim Lang ^M

Susan Lang^MV

Jessica Lettiere and family ^V

Paige Lewis ^M

Robson Da Costa Lopez ^V

Scott Lotan ^M

Nicole Marlow ^V

Justin Martin ^V

Chris Mathew ^M

Ed Mathew ^M

Cheynne Maupin ^M

Barbara McCane ^M*

Kemi McRae ^M

David Miller ^MV

Keith and Debbie Moore ^M

Navy Logistics Support ^V

Vic Nichols ^M

Timothy Moreland ^V

Amy Petersen ^M

Aiden Poulsen ^V

Jennifer Raymond ^MV

Cynthia Rodriguez ^V

Rogard Ross ^MV*

Bianca Roxas ^V

Reynaldo Roxas ^V

Brooke Schaab ^M

Brjiesh Sharma ^V

Jim Spiegeler ^M

Pat Starling ^V

Pat Swearingen ^M

Douglas Throp ^V

Justin Traugen ^M

Carol Warren ^MV*

Amy Weber ^MV*

Chris Whitney ^MV*

Jayne Whitney ^MV*

Bill Will ^M

Marc Winans ^M

Herman Wong ^V

M – Supporting Member V – Volunteer

* - Completed more than 100 lifetime volunteer hours with FIR

December Newsletter and Events

2024-11-30T15:15:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays!

Upcoming Events

Saturday, Dec 14, 2024: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop
Wednesday, Jan 1, 2025: First Day Hike @ Indian River Park

News

"Main Street" Holiday Lights Contest
November Recap

Upcoming Events

Saturday, Dec 14, 2024: Adopt-A-Park - Invasive Species Workshop

From 9:00 am to Noon.
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Learn to identify various invasive plant species that threaten Indian River Park and natural areas across the Tidewater region. Those found in the park include English Ivy, Chinese Privet, Multifloral Rose, Linden Viburnum, and others.
Then we'll have a work effort to clear some outbreaks of the English Ivy. The more volunteers that come out the more that we can accomplish!
Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, a hat and bring work gloves. We'll be working both to remove Ivy on the ground and on trees. Bring pruning clippers, loppers, screwdrivers (which are amazingly useful in prying ivy off tree trunks) and/or pruning saws if you have them. We will have water and snacks but we also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have alt supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/TiE99BfvXenCzEKi8, suggested but not required.

Wednesday, Jan 1, 2025: First Day Hike @ Indian River Park

1 pm to 2:30 pm
Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
Join us for our New Year traditional nature hike in Indian River Park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/PN7G16x1QEpFCo457 suggested but not required

News

"Main Street" Holiday Lights Contest

We are bringing back our “Main Street” Indian River Holiday Lighting & Decoration Contest this year. The contest is open to all businesses along Indian River Rd from Oaklette Bridge to Military Highway and along Sparrow Road from Nautilus Ave. to Fontana Ave. To participate, just decorate your storefront!

Judging will be between 4 pm and 7 pm on Tuesday, Dec 17, and based on overall appearance, festiveness, and being fresh and appropriate for site. Top 3 winners will be announced by Thursday, Dec. 19. Winners will receive $25 prize money and be recognized in our newsletter and social media channels.

November Recap

A big thank you to the 10 volunteers who came out this morning for our Adopt-A-Road cleanup in mid-November. We were able to work from around St. Lawrence to Sparrow, including under the bridge, and collected nearly 400 lbs. of litter and debris. The haul included lots of small stuff like food wrappers, cups, bottles, cigarette butts and the like that now won't get washed into the river. Also, some bigger and heavier items including a chair.

Our guest speaker at our November meeting was State House Delegate Bonita Anthony. She gave us a good overview of the upcoming General Assembly meeting in January and encouraged us to stay involved and let her know of our priorities.

In November, the Friends of Indian River also wrote another letter to the City asking that the City look at making safety improvements along Indian River Road, especially with the opening of Blue Heron Landing Park. At the City Council meeting on November 19, under New Business, Council Member Don Carey formally asked City staff to provide recommendations on crosswalk options to get across Indian River Road to get to Blue Heron Landing Park. We thank Council Member Carey for raising the issue. The Friends will continue to push for action to make Indian River Road safer for everyone.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

November Newsletter and Events

2024-11-07T12:06:00.001-05:00

Upcoming Events

Thursday, Nov 21, 2024: Monthly Meeting - Guest Speaker Virginia State House Delegate Bonita Anthony
Saturday, Nov 23, 2024: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road

News

Local Election Results
Blue Heron Landing Grand Opening
Indian River Design Guidelines
October Recap

Upcoming Events

Thursday, Nov 21, 2024: Monthly Meeting - Guest Speake Delegate Bonita Anthony

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Our guest speaker will be Virginia State House Delegate Bonita Anthony. We'll have a chance to learn about the upcoming General Assembly meeting in Richmond and issues that affect our community.
All are welcome. We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refreshments after the meeting.

Saturday, Nov 23, 2024: Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road

From 9 AM to 11:30 am
Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
We need your help with our quarterly cleanup. Join us for a few hours to clean up the mile of Indian River Road from the city limits at Wingfield Avenue all the way to MacDonald Road and at Blue Heron Landing Park.
We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort. And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/cVryTjexKN6noRsu8 (suggested but not required)

News

Local Election Results

Congratulations to the winners of the City Council and School Board Elections:

Mayor Rick W. West

City Council Member S.Z. "Debbie" Ritter

City Council Member-elect Les Smith, Jr.

City Council Member-elect Patricia Y. "Pat" King

School Board Member Angie B. Swygert

School Board Member Norman G. Pool

School Board Member-elect Malia L. Huddle

School Board Member-elect Elijah Colon

We look forward to continuing to work with our City Council to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods of Chesapeake!

Blue Heron Landing Park Grand Opening

On Wednesday, Oct 23, Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism help the Grand Opening event for Blue Heron Landing Park. Along with Mayor West and members of the City Council, the Friends of Indian River participated in the unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremonies. The new park features a broad boardwalk, a floating kayak launch, and a restored living shoreline complete with oyster castles to form a new oyster reef, marsh areas, and what will grow into a new upland forested area. The site has always been a popular fishing spot and in the two weeks since the opening, the new park is resuming its role as such.

The park site is relatively small, only 0.5 acres, and when the designs were drawn up it was clear that the park could never support a large parking area, not without sacrificing all the natural aspects that make it a living, natural space. So, it was designed to be primarily a walk-in park with limited parking spaces. Concurrent with the design of the park were plans to re-design Indian River Road to make it safer, the City Council approved funds in 2022 but implementation is still pending. The Oaklette Bridge Rehabilitation work that started in September certainly complicates the situation in the near term. We continue to push the City to implement safety improvements on Indian River Road, including reducing speeding and installing a safe crosswalk to enable people to cross the road to reach the park.

Indian River Design Guidelines

The same evening as the park Grand Opening, the Planning Department hosted an Open House to share the latest for the Indian River Design Guidelines. The Design Guidelines "focus on the creation of a vision and unique sense of place for the development or redevelopment of the three key commercial corridors of Indian River Road, Providence Road, and the eastern portion of Military Highway. " We expect to see an updated draft document released in the coming weeks. Learn more at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3217/Indian-River-Design-Guidelines

October Recap

Earlier in the month, we held an Adopt-A-Park event at Indian River Park to help put our native plant garden to bed for the winter, weeding and mulching the garden. A big thank you to the 11 volunteers who came out to help. We also had a great chance to interact with a lot of park visitors!

On the Saturday after the park opening, we partnered with Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism to do a History Walk. Started at Norfolk Highlands Primary School, we went over to the new Blue Heron Landing Park on the Indian River, then over to the Oaklette Historic District including the Colonna's Boathouse. We had a great turnout with over 30 attendees who learned a ton about the history of the area from the original native Chesapian people to European settlement to the turn of the 20th century suburbanization to today.

We also got reports of dolphins visiting the river! Thank you Lynn!

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

October Newsletter and Events

2024-10-02T10:59:00.009-04:00

Upcoming Events

10/7/2024 - Early Voting Starts at Indian River Library
10/19/2024 - Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden
10/23/2024 - Grand Opening of Blue Heron Landing Park
10/23/2024 - Indian River Design Guidelines Open House
10/26/2024 - History Walk from Norfolk Highands Primary to Oaklette Historic District

News

Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes
Comp Plan Open Houses
September Recap

Upcoming Events

Monday, October 7: Early Voting Starts at Indian River Library and other Satellite Locations

Early Voting is underway. Satellite voting sites start to open on October 7. See the full list of Chesapeake voting locations at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=357
"Any registered voter can vote early in person without needing to apply to do so. If you decide to vote early, you can vote at any of the locations below (you don’t have to stay in your precinct).
Voter Registrar’s Office (411 Cedar Rd.)
September 20 – November 2, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 26 and Saturday, November 2, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 6, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Satellite Locations - Central Library, Indian River Library, Major Hillard Library, Cuffee Community Center
October 7 - November 2,
Monday – Thursday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 26 and Saturday, November 2, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
*All satellite locations will be closed on Monday, October 14.
Western Branch Community Center
October 21 – November 2
Monday – Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 26 and Saturday, November 2 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration is October 15, 2024. (Voters may register after this date, through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot). Election Day - the last day to vote - will be Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Need to register to vote, check your status, or update your voter registration? Visit https://vote.virginia.gov/ today.

Saturday, October 19 - Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden

9 am to Noon
Location: Indian River Park 2003 Rokeby Ave.
It is time for our fall gardening at Indian River Park. We'll be tending to the native plant garden at the park entrance, including weeding and preparing the garden for the winter. We may also do some trail work, pruning, weeding, and cleanup.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves. Long pants are recommended. If you can, bring shovels, rakes, pruners, saws and other gardening tools. We'll have water and snacks available. We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles and cans.
Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/ir4JZSacttP7xmFs5 (suggested but not required)

Wednesday, October 23 - Blue Heron Landing Grand Opening

3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Location: Blue Heron Landing Park.
Please join the City of Chesapeake and the Friends of Indian River to celebrate the opening of our newest park. Blue Heron Landing Park features an elevated boardwalk, oyster castle sill, living shoreline, accessible ramps with railings, and an ADA-accessible floating kayak launch. Parks, Recreation and Tourism will be there to demonstrate all the ways to enjoy the new park. There will be kayak demonstrations, kids' craft activities, bird-watching equipment, and a fishing display. Event is free and open to the public.
Parking is not available on-site. Please park at Norfolk Highlands Primary School (1115 Myrtle Avenue). Shuttle service will be available.

Wednesday, October 23 - Indian River Road Design Guidelines Open House

5:00 pm - 7 pm
Location: Indian River High School, 1969 Braves Trail
Hosted by the Planning Department. The Indian River Design Guidelines focus on the creation of a vision and unique sense of place for future development or redevelopment of the three key commercial corridors of Indian River Road, Providence Road, and the eastern portion of Military Highway. They would establish site standards for commercial development including circulation (vehicular and pedestrian), parking, streetscape design, public spaces, sidewalks and pathways, and street furnishings, lighting and signage, and landscaping. They also look at architectural standards for building setbacks, heights, lot coverage, spacing, and orientation, building massing and scale, façade treatment, and materials.
Learn more at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3217/Indian-River-Design-Guidelines

Saturday, October 26 - History Walk

Time: 10 am to Noon
Location: Meet on Lilac Avenue by Norfolk Highlands Primary School, 1116 Lilac Avenue
Take a stroll into the history of our community on this walk around Norfolk Highlands and Oaklette. We'll start at Norfolk Highlands Primary School, the core of which was built in 1913, stop by the new Blue Heron Landing Park to talk about the history of settlement along the Indian River, and then cross the bridge to walk around the Oaklette Historic District including a look at the outside of the famous Colonna's Houseboat.
We'll be walking for about 1.25 miles over 2 hours and it will all be standing.
Recommended age at least 12 and up.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/whP7vMAxLtPLwdHcA

News

Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes

At our September meeting, Amy Weber, Chair of the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council (CEIC), briefed us on the new "Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes" program is being developed by the CEIC to recognize even healthy and beautiful yards across the City. The program will ask participants to commit to Seven Principles for maintaining a landscape that supports wildlife and promotes a healthier environment including:

Protect Your Trees.
Right Plant! Right Place!
Consider Wildlife Needs.
Reduce Lawn Maintenance.
Reduce Runoff.
Avoid or Remove Invasive Plants.
Limit Chemical Usage for Clean Waterways.

This is the successor to the CEIC long-running Notable Yards program, although instead of being a contest, everyone is encouraged to join. Participants who demonstrate a commitment to following these principles will receive a Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes garden flag and a kit with more information and tips. The Friends of Indian River are excited to promote and support this program once it kicks off!

Comp Plan Open House

5 pm to 6:30 pm
Location: South Norfolk Community Center, 1217 Godwin Avenue, Monday Oct 7
Get the latest updates on the revisions to the City's Comprehensive Plan and provide feedback.
Also at Western Branch Community Center, Thursday, October 3, Great Bridge Primary School, Wednesday, October 16, 5 pm to 6:30 pm and Fire Station #7 in Southern Chesapeake on Thursday, October 24, 2024

September Recap

A big thank you to the 10 volunteers who came out for the International Coastal Cleanup event. We had a beautiful day to work around the bridge and removed well over 200 lbs. of litter and debris. This included a surprising number of aluminum cans that we took over to the can recycling drop-off at the Chesapeake Animal Services building (proceeds go to help the animals at the shelter).

The tickseeds were in full bloom along the power line corridor in Indian River Park in September, giving us quite a treat during our Second Saturday Hike. Later in the month, after all the rain, there were quite a variety of mushrooms in the park.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

September Newsletter and Events

2024-09-02T08:43:00.004-04:00

Upcoming Events

9/14/2024 - Saturday - Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
9/19/2024 - Thursday - Bi-Monthly Meeting - Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes
9/21/2024 - Saturday - International Coastal Cleanup
10/3/2024 - Thursday - Field Trip - Tour of Ryan Resilience Lab in Norfolk
More fall dates

News

Blue Heron Landing Park Update
Indian River Road Safety
Eco-District
Get Ready to Vote!
Summer Recap

Cuffee Pool Information Meeting
Connecting Chesapeake
Surveys and More

Upcoming Events

Saturday, September 14: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

Time: 8:30 am-10:30 am
Location: Indian River Park trailhead at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.)
Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. We'll look for ripe paw paw fruit. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/KcBvosBQu32JvXbm7 (suggested but not required)

Thursday, September 19: Bi-Monthly Meeting - Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Our guest speaker will be Amy Weber, Chair of the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council. She will tell us about the new Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes program that will recognize healthy and beautiful yards that support wildlife and promote a healthier environment in Chesapeake.
All are welcome. We'll also have the latest community news and updates! There will be light refreshments after the meeting.

Saturday, September 21, 2024: International Coastal Cleanup

9 am to Noon
Location: Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School. It is a No Parking zone along Oleander Avenue (parallel to Indian River Road).
As part of the International Coastal Cleanup, we will be cleaning up around and underneath the Indian River - Oaklette Bridge and along Indian River Road.
The city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. We encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/wXXPxj96D2bArEsn6 (suggested but not required)
If have access to the Indian River and are interested in "paddling up" to this cleanup with your own canoe or kayak, please reach out to us in advance at info@friendsofindianriver.org

Thursday, October 3, 2024: Field Trip - Tour of Ryan Resilience Lab in Norfolk

4 pm
Location: Ryan Resilience Lab, 4610 Colley Ave, Norfolk, VA 23508
Our field trip this year will be to the Elizabeth River Project's Ryan Resilience Lab. This is a great opportunity to tour this remarkable new facility and have an eye-opening exploration of how sea level rise will affect us all. We'll learn about their cutting-edge green building practices and systems – floating docks, green roofs, solar arrays, rainwater capture, and much more. We'll also learn about their living shoreline and native plant garden. Learn about sustainability best practices in action and hear about the “planned retreat” that will allow the river to retake the site as sea levels continue to rise. Tour takes about 1 hour.
Afterward we will have an optional outing to a local restaurant for dinner. (dutch treat - each participant pays for their own bill)
Space is limited. Registration required at https://forms.gle/CqEzZhfzhT2ML8nf7

Save these dates for the fall

Saturday, October 19, 2024: Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden
Saturday, October 26, 2024: History Walk
Thursday, November 21, 2024: Bi-Monthly Meeting with State Delegate Bonita Anthony
Saturday, November 23, 2024: Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Remove Invasives

News

Blue Heron Landing Park Update

Construction at the new Blue Heron Landing Park is moving along smartly. The boardwalk is mostly in place and work is underway at preparing the entrance area along the street. Following this will be landscape planting. We are eagerly anticipating a grand opening early in the fall!

Indian River Road Safety

The opening of Blue Heron Landing Park in the next few months brings a new urgency to implementing road safety improvements along Indian River Road. Blue Heron Landing Park will primarily be a walk-in park with only six parking spaces on the property. Most park users will need to cross Indian River Park to reach the park. Redesigning Indian River Road to improve safety, reduce speeding, and add bike lanes was approved as part of the Indian River Small Area Plan and funding was approved by the City Council in 2022, but no significant action has yet been taken.

Indian River Road was widened to six lanes in around 1996 to support the now-closed Ford Plant. The roadway west of the bridge resembles a highway and people drive like it was a highway, too many accelerating to over 55 mph as they race through the residential area of Oaklette. VDOT's Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan (PBSAP) identifies Indian River Road in Chesapeake as one of the Top 1% statewide roadway Segments in priority to review for safety projects and other planning needs. Since 2018, there have been 5 vehicle to pedestrian/bicycle crashes with visible injuries. Going back as far as 2010, we've had fatal vehicle to pedestrian crashes in 2014 and 2016. We've seen many other crashes causing property damage along the entire length of the street including vehicles crash into the NAE Credit Union on more than one occasion. The day after our last meeting with City staff on this subject in July, the bus stop at Lilac Avenue was demolished by an out-of-control car. Safety improvements are needed along the roadway before another deadly crash occurs.

Rehabilitation work on the Indian River Road Oaklette Bridge is expected to start in the coming months and will result in the temporary closure of two lanes on the bridge to enable the construction work on the bridge. We are urging the City to use this as an opportunity to put the planned Indian River Road safety improvements in place immediately after the end of the bridge work.

Indian River "Eco-District"

Inspired by the Elizabeth River Project efforts to establish an "Eco-District" around their new headquarters at the Ryan Resilience Lab on Knitting Mill Creek in Norfolk, we will be ramping up a campaign this fall to encourage more local residents and property owners to become River Stars here in the Indian River area. Today in our watershed, we have over 200 River Star Homes, two River Star Schools, and several River Star Business and Organizations. But our goals include significantly increasing participation in these programs. At our monthly meeting on September 19th, we will learn about the new Chesapeake Health Landscapes Program and we'll look have we can leverage that effort to recruit more River Stars. And we are preparing to revamp our business outreach to get more local businesses involved in our efforts to improve the quality of life in our community. Want to take a first step to help now? Take our tree pledge at https://forms.gle/xNCG9XMuBWPExmWt6

Get Ready to Vote!

It's another big election year. On the ballot will be

President and Vice President of the United States
U.S. Senator
U.S. Representative
Mayor of Chesapeake
Chesapeake City Council (3 members at large)
Chesapeake School Board (4 members at large)
Referendum on Curbside Recycling in Chesapeake

The first day of in-person early voting will be Friday, September 20, 2024. The deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration is October 15, 2024. (Voters may register after this date, through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot). Election day - the last day to vote - will be Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

Make your plan on how you will vote now. Need to register to vote, check your status, or update your voter registration? Visit https://vote.virginia.gov/ today.

Summer Recap

It's been a rather busy summer. As mentioned above, we met with City staff regarding Indian River Road safety and also submitted comments on the City's draft Trails and Connectivity Plan urging action on improving bicycle and pedestrian safety in the City now. We were involved in a planning meeting Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) and other stakeholders regarding Indian River Park, addressing topics such as trail signage and other amenities. PRT is also doing a survey for work on their new park's Master Plan that you can take at https://chesapeakeparksurvey.org/

PRT held an Information Meeting about the new Cuffee Center Pool in Campostella. The facility will house a 25m competition pool, a separate leisure pool, and a retractable roof that can be opened to allow in fresh air when the weather allows. We provided some feedback regarding protection of existing trees during construction and the need for bird-safe glass since the design has glass walls along 3 sides of the structure. The project should go out for bid next year and could be complete by late 2026 or 2027.

Hampton Roads Transit has been looking at options to bring high-capacity transit in Chesapeake. Two of the four routes on their short list go down Indian River Road. Check out the potential routes, learn more about the study, and take a survey about
these options at https://www.connectingchesapeake.com/

And we want to give a big thank you to the volunteers who have toiled through the summer to keep our Adopt-A-gardens looking good at the Indian River Oaklette Bridge and at Indian River Park. It can be hot work at times, but the reward is a landscape that provides important habitat for birds and pollinators and adds beauty to our community.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

Summer Newsletter and Events

2024-07-06T16:54:00.005-04:00

Upcoming Events

Dates for the September

Planting starting at Blue Heron Landing Park
News

Many Hands Make Light Work! - More Volunteers Needed
June Recap
Tree Pledge

Upcoming Events

Save these dates for September

Saturday, 9/14, 8:30 am-10:30 am - Second Saturday Hike
Thursday, 9/19, 7 pm - Monthly Meeting - Chesapeake Healthy Landscapes Program
Saturday, 9/21 - International Coastal Cleanup

News

Many Hands Make Light Work! - More Volunteers Needed

Thank you to the volunteers who have been weeding, mulching, and maintaining the gardens at the Indian River Road Oaklette Bridge and at Indian River Park, and at planters along Indian River Road. We are looking for more volunteers to help.

At the Indian River Park native plant garden this year, we are going to try a "Divide and Conquer" approach. We have a few people that have already expressed interest in helping with the garden and the plan is to assign a small section to each of the volunteers that signs up. If you also want to help, our Native Plant Garden Captain, Amy Weber, will meet with you to point out your section and discuss the native plant selections and which plants that we consider to be weeds. You will visit the garden on your own time, every week or two, to keep your area in good shape. She will reach out to everyone periodically to see if there are any special concerns. She will be available to help as needed if you are unavailable on vacations or other times away! Please feel free to contact her directly at a.webercmg@gmail.com to sign up to help or if you have any questions!

At the Bridge Garden, we generally meet on Tuesday mornings to weed and do other tasks. If you are interested in helping out there, e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

June Recap

On our Adopt-A-Road cleanup, we collected litter around and under the bridge and up along Indian River Road. We wrapped up early because of the high heat that morning, but we still collected nearly 100 lbs. of litter and debris. Of course, I keep hoping for the day we have a cleanup and I have to report that we found no litter.

Indian River Park made the local news in June - Take a walk through one of Chesapeake's hidden gems, Indian River Park (wtkr.com)

We were also excited to see progress on the Indian River Shopping Center renovations. They've even added some landscaping in front of the new storefronts!

And they are starting to do the planting of wetlands grasses at Blue Heron Landing Park! See photo at top of newsletter.

Tree Pledge

Will you take our Tree Pledge to protect trees in our community?

Click here to help protect trees: https://forms.gle/xNCG9XMuBWPExmWt6

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

June Newsletter and Events

2024-06-02T12:41:00.004-04:00

Summer is almost here! Join us this Saturday, June 8th, for an evening hike at Indian River Park. And on the Summer Solstice, Thursday, June 20th, we are holding our annual Potluck Picnic in the pavilion behind Oaklette UMC. We hope you will join us for these fun social events!

Upcoming Events

6/8/2024 - Saturday - Evening Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
6/20/2024 - Thursday - Summer Evening Potluck Picnic
6/22/2024 - Saturday - Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road

News

Comprehensive Plan Open Houses
Many Hands Make Light Work! - More Volunteers Needed
Tree and River Star Outreach
Protect Your Trees from Storm Damage
May and Clean the Bay Day Recap

Upcoming Events

Saturday, June 8: Evening Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

Time: 6 pm - 8 pm
Location: Indian River Park trailhead at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.)
Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/wVUje9X3xE1jzLjg8 (suggested but not required)

Thursday, June 20: Summer Solstice Potluck Picnic

Time 6 pm - 8 pm
Picnic do Bruno | Michell Zappa | Flickr
Location: Picnic Pavilion behind Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive; park in the side lot along St. Lawrence Dr.
Rather than our usual monthly meeting, in June we'll have a potluck picnic out behind the church. Bring a dish to share and join us for some camaraderie as we roll into summer. The Friends will set out tables and chairs, provide a main protein dish (likely chicken). We suggest bringing a comfy lawn chair. In the event of rain, we will move the event inside the church's fellowship hall.
To help coordinate who is bringing what, we set up a Sign Up Genius form at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094DADA92FA2FA7-49923076-friends

Saturday, June 22 - Adopt-A-Road Cleanup along Indian River Road

Time: 9 AM to 11:30 AM
Location: Meet at Lilac Avenue and Indian River Road. Park along Lilac Avenue by the Norfolk Highlands Primary School.
We need your help for our quarterly cleanup. Join us for a few hours to clean up the mile of Indian River Road from the city limits at Wingfield Avenue all the way to MacDonald Road. We are also asking all business owners along Indian River Road - and everywhere really - to make sure they sweep up in front of their storefronts as part of the effort. And if you can't make it out for our organized cleanup please take 15 minutes and cleanup the street and ditches in front of your home; pass the word to your neighbors!
For our main cleanup on Indian River Road, the city will provide garbage bags and orange safety vests. Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/WEEsgH6JVp9rwBeHA (suggested but not required)

News

Comprehensive Plan Open Houses

The Planning Department is continuing its Comp Planning efforts. They finished focus group stakeholder meetings and a round of geographic area stakeholder meetings over the last couple of months. Now another round of public Community Open Houses have been scheduled. The closest one to Indian River will be on June 10 at the Conference Center.

June 4 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., Great Bridge Town Meeting (Information Table) @ Great Bridge Intermediate School

June 10 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m., Chesapeake Conference Center

June 13 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m., Fire Station #7, 3329 South Battlefield Blvd.

June 17 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m., Chesapeake Lifestyle Center

Visit https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3275/Comprehensive-Plan-Update for more info.

The Trails and Connectivity Plan is planning its final open house for Monday, June 3, from 5:30 pm to 7 pm at the Portlock Galleries, 3815 Bainbridge Blvd. Learn more at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/tconn

The Greenbrier Area Plan held its final open house on May 22. You can see some of the charts from the meeting at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3100/Greenbrier-Area-Plan

Many Hands Make Light Work! - More Volunteers Needed

At the Bridge Garden, we generally meet on Tuesday mornings to weed and do other tasks. If you are interested in helping out there, e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

Tree and River Star Outreach

We are starting a new sub-committee to identify opportunities to increase tree canopy in Indian River area by encouraging preservation of existing trees and encouraging new plantings on both residential, commercial, and municipal properties. Along with this, we'll encourage residents and commercial property owners to become River Star Homes and River Star Businesses with the Elizabeth River Project. If you are interested in helping with this committee, please let us know at info@friendsofindianriver.org

Protect Your Trees from Storm Damage

The hurricane forecast is in the news this weekend. Trees are an enormous investment for your home and for the health of the environment. Trees provide critical ecosystem services by protecting from damaging winds, reducing flooding, holding soil in place, and reducing summer air conditioning costs by up to 35%. And there is safety in numbers, neighborhoods with more tree canopy cover generally have less tree damage from storms. You can take steps to ensure that your trees are healthy and properly maintained so you can enjoy their benefits for decades to come. Learn how to keep your trees storm resilient at at https://dof.virginia.gov/urban-community-forestry/storm-planning-and-recovery/storm-preparation-and-tree-resiliency/

Also, take our Tree Pledge to protect trees on your property and in the community.

Click here to help protect trees: https://forms.gle/xNCG9XMuBWPExmWt6

May and Clean the Bay Day Recap

Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) came to our May meeting and gave us an in-depth view of the high-capacity transit options for Chesapeake like establishing "bus rapid transit" routes. Attendees were able to provide detailed feedback to the HRT team. Learn more about the study at https://www.connectingchesapeake.com/

We congratulated Mai Saldivar, winner of the Friends of Indian River 2024 Indian River High School Education Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes a senior who excels in leadership, citizenship, extracurricular activities and academics. Mai excels in all these areas and has done outstanding volunteer work including Clean Up projects thru the Elizabeth River Project and other groups. She is looking forward to majoring in biology and environmental sciences. Thank you for your efforts and best wishes for college and beyond! Learn more about the scholarship at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/friends-of-indian-river-scholarship.html

We had a fantastic turn out for Clean the Bay Day on Saturday, June 1st at Indian River Park. 47 volunteers collected over 400 lbs. of litter and debris from the wetlands and roadsides in and around the park. Very little of this trash comes from park users. It is mostly trash washed in from the surrounding commercial and residential streets. We found a lot of beverage containers, food-to-go packaging, and plastic bags. A big thank you to the groups that came out to help today at the park including Navy Logistics Support, Coalition of Sailors, and of course our dedicated Friends of Indian River volunteers. See more photos on our Friends of Indian River | Facebook Page

We wish to thank the Carl W. Mangum Jr. and Marguerite S. Mangum Fund #3 of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for making a generous grant to the Friends of Indian River. This is very appreciated and helps our organization fulfill its mission to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods of Chesapeake

Meanwhile, at the future Blue Heron Landing Park, there was noticeable progress. They started to regrade the site for what will ultimately be a restored living shoreline.

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

May Newsletter and Events

2024-05-01T17:00:00.008-04:00

Upcoming Events

5/16/2024 - Thursday - Bi-Monthly Meeting: Hampton Roads Transit
~~5/18/2024 - Saturday - Gardening/Mulching Native Plant Landscaping at Bridge~~
6/1/2024 - Saturday - Clean the Bay Day @ Indian River Park
No Second Saturday Hike in May

News

Volunteers needed for gardening
Wildlife in the Community
Bird Safe/Lights Out Hampton Roads
Oyster Gardening
April Recap
Tree Pledge

Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 16: Bi-Monthly Meeting: Hampton Roads Transit

Time: 7 pm
Location: Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive
Our guest speaker will be Sherri Dawson from Hampton Roads Transit to give us an update on their Connecting Chesapeake Study. All are welcome. There will be door prizes and light refreshments.

~~Saturday, May 18: Gardening/Mulching Native Plant Landscaping at Bridge~~

CANCELLED due to the predicted weather and other circumstances.
Our main task will be mulching and weeding around the native tree and shrub plantings along the side of Indian River Road at the Oaklette Bridge. If we have enough folks, we'll do some cleanup under the bridge. We'll have water and snacks available. We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles and cans.
Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.

Saturday, June1: Clean the Bay Day

Time: 9 AM to Noon
Location: Indian River Park trailhead at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) which is located just south of Military Highway, i.e. across Military Highway from the Fire Station.
The Friends of Indian River's will be hosting Clean the Bay Day at the Indian River Park
The city will provide garbage bags. We'll have water and snacks available.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves and other items that may be useful. Long pants are recommended. We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles. Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/ua3ytZdx2FuHukig9 (suggested but not required)

News

Volunteers need for gardening

We have a regular need for volunteers to help maintain our gardens and plantings both along Indian River Road at the Oaklette Bridge and at the native plant garden at Indian River Park. This is in addition to our monthly volunteer days. The tasks include regular weeding and other garden work; some work is small group events during the week; once having completed orientation, some work might be on an individual schedule. If you are interested in helping out, e-mail us at info@friendsofindianriver.org for more information.

Wildlife in the Community

It's baby season for wildlife and you're likely to see more wildlife activity in the neighborhood. Foxes, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, river otters, and many other mammals are busy raising their young. You are more likely to see them out and about both day and night as they forage to feed their young and seeing them during the day is not any indicator or illness. Likewise, box turtles are on the move and even snakes. It's the peak of the spring migration and all variety of birds are setting up the nest and laying eggs.

The city and suburbs are home to a wide variety of wildlife. If you think about it, the wildlife was actually here first before we built on their land, and it's up to us to co-exist with them. Seeing a fox hustle across your backyard can be a thrill. There are important steps to avoid conflict with wildlife in your backyard including making sure not to leave food outside, keeping trash in animal proof containers, sealing openings under and into your buildings so animals won't select your home as a place to build a den, and clearing low overhanging tree limbs which may be providing wildlife access to structures.

Learn more about approaches you can take to solve any wild animal problems you encounter in your home, yard or garden at https://www.humanesociety.org/wildlife-management-solutions

Bird Safe/Lights Out Hampton Roads

The Friends of Indian River have teamed up with the Cape Henry Audubon Society and other regional partners including the Virginia Zoo and Elizabeth River Project to launch the Bird Safe/Lights Out Hampton Roads program. Hampton Roads lies directly along the Atlantic Flyway and the Chesapeake Bay is a major stopover point for the birds on their marathon migration. Migration is the most dangerous time in the life of a bird. About 80% of migrating birds make their journey at night. Lured into urban areas by bright lights, birds often become disoriented, flying in circles and becoming exhausted. In areas with tall buildings, the risk of building collisions increases. The Lights Out program is asking commercial and institutional building owners and tenants to minimize unnecessary lights from 11 pm to 6am during the spring migration from March 15 to May 31 and the fall migration from August 15 to November 15.

While collisions with tall buildings are a major concern, hundreds of millions of birds also die every year from crashing into windows of one and two-story residential homes. During the day, birds mistake reflections of plants and sky on the windows as a clear flight path that they try to fly through. At night, illuminated interiors again look like a clear path that can be flown through. Window strikes can happen at any time of year but also tend to increase during spring and fall migration and during breeding season when young birds start flying. There are several steps you can take to make your windows and yard safer for birds. To learn more visit http://www.birdsafehr.org/

Another important step to keep wildlife safe is keeping cats indoors. Domestic cats kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds in the US every year, even greater than building or structure collisions, and second only to habitat loss/climate change. Learn more at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/faq-outdoor-cats-and-their-effects-on-birds/#

Oyster Gardening

Switching from the skies to the river, if you would like another way to help wildlife flourish and clean up the Indian River, you may want to learn about Oyster Gardening. If you live along the shore and have a pier or similar structure, then you can help raise baby oysters for use by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for restoration efforts around the Bay including on the Indian River. To learn more, sign up for one of the New Gardener Seminars at https://www.cbf.org/how-we-save-the-bay/programs-initiatives/virginia/oyster-restoration/oyster-gardening/hampton-roads-oyster-gardening-seminars-new-gardeners.html

T-Shirts and Hoodies

We're considering ordering additional T-Shirts and Hoodies for members. T-shirts material is 90/10 cotton/polyester; hoodies are 80/20 cotton/polyester blend. To cover the cost, short-sleeve T-shirts would be for a donation of $12-$15, long sleeve T-shirts for $15-$18, and Hoodies for $30-$33. If you are interested in pre-ordering one or more of these, please fill out the online form at https://forms.gle/evK2RvKVoVAn2djt7. We will follow up with you about payment methods and timing.

April Recap

April was a very busy month for the Friends. We had a great time and met with old and new friends tabling at the Earth Day Festival at Campostella Square Park. Organized by the Climate Action Network and bringing together various environmental groups from around Chesapeake, we hope this will become an annual event in our watershed.

It is also budget season for the City. The Friends of Indian River submitted feedback to the City Council on funding priorities both in writing and at a public hearing during the City Council meeting. There are two new funding items in next year's proposed budget that directly affect our area. One is a Facade Improvement Grant program for the Indian River Area; this would create a competitive, matching grant program for commercial property owners to apply for funding for façade improvements, landscaping and hardscape improvements, signage, outdoor eating areas, and pedestrian enhancements. The other project is the redesign of the intersection at Military Highway and Rokeby Avenue; this will prohibit left turns from Rokeby Avenue (north or south) onto Military Highway; although designated as a Safety Improvement Project, we have previously raised concerns that the preliminary designs did not include a pedestrian crossing of Military Highway at Rokeby. Since this is the primary path to reach Indian River Park, this is a major design oversight that we want to see corrected.

We are also concerned about several projects that have been previously funded that have not moved forward including Indian River Road bike lanes, the Philmont Avenue Septic System Disconnection and Replacement, Norfolk Highlands Stormwater Management Improvements, and the Oaklette Bridge Repair. We urged the City Council to get these projects start soon.

We were also very troubled when we saw a proposal from the Planning Department to remove Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) protection from over 1000 acres of land in Chesapeake, including 10 acres of woods at the head of the tide of the Indian River at the Indian River High School/Middle School campus. The CBPA is one of our most effective tools for protecting the water quality of the many waterways that cross our City and a very important tool for protecting our vanishing tree canopy. We objected that the parcel along the Indian River clearly met the CBPA criteria and asked the City Council to Continue (defer) any decision until these changes could be more thoroughly reviewed. The Planning Department did ultimately ask for a 60-day Continuance to do better outreach and did respond that the removal of the 10 acres of woods in our area was done in error and will not be removed. But we still believe more review is needed of other areas to make sure they are being properly protected, including a large tract of forested wetlands in the Fernwood Farms/Riverwalk area.

As part of our hands-on efforts, late in the month, sailors from the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) came out to Indian River Park today to work on removing invasive English Ivy smothering trees in the park and helping at the native plant garden. This was part of the ship's Thousand Points of Light program, inspired by the late President Bush’s legacy and life of service, to help make our community a better place one act at a time! We were very grateful for the help from sailors, also thank our dedicated Friends of Indian River volunteers who came out to help guide the efforts, and thank Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism for providing tools and supplies for the work day!

Tree Pledge

Will you take our Tree Pledge to protect trees in our community?

Click here to help protect trees: https://forms.gle/xNCG9XMuBWPExmWt6

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.

Earth Day 2024

2024-04-21T14:01:00.005-04:00

Here is a list of 50 Ways to Help Our Planet for Earth Day - and everyday!

Garden

1. Eliminate or minimize use of herbicides and pesticides

Pesticides, including insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, are designed to kill weeds, insects, rodents, and mold. By definition, these toxic chemicals can be poisonous to wildlife, pets, people, and especially children. So use best practices in your garden to reduce or eliminate the need for these chemicals. https://cfpub.epa.gov/npstbx/files/reducewastepesticides.pdf

2. Reduce use of fertilizers

Plants need fertilizer to grow, but most homeowners use much more than necessary. When too much fertilizer is used or when it is applied at the wrong time, rainfall will wash excess fertilizer out of yards and into our streams and rivers. This fertilizer overload causes severe issues like algae blooms and dead zones that kills aquatic life. https://www.lynnhavenrivernow.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Pages-from-water-friendly-lawn-care-updated-publication.pdf

3. Reduce storm water runoff

Stormwater runoff – excess rain draining from properties - is a leading cause of water quality problems. Rainfall or snowmelt from suburban lawns, golf courses, and paved surfaces picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, washing them into our waterways and into ground waters. Capturing and keeping more rainwater in your garden allows it to soak in or evaporate, thus reducing both pollution and flooding. Learn about projects you can do to reduce runoff at https://vaswcd.org/vcap.

4. Reduce size of your lawn

There are about 40 million acres of lawns in the U.S., making it the largest irrigated “crop” in the country. Americans spend about $30 billion –and countless hours – every year tending to their lawns. And lawns are ultimately biological deserts of minimal ecological value. Replacing areas of your lawn with more plants can yield significant environmental benefits. https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/canr/cooperative-extension/fact-sheets/turf-grass-madness-reasons-to-reduce-the-lawn-in-your-landscape/

5. Grow a vegetable garden

Creating a vegetable garden rather than mowing a lawn has many health benefits, provides you with the freshest fruits and vegetables, and let’s you manage what fertilizers and pesticides touch your food. Such gardens can come in many sizes from balcony container gardens to mini-farms. https://ext.vt.edu/lawn-garden/home-vegetables.html

6. Protect existing trees

There is nearly an endless list of benefits from trees including providing shade, cutting electric bills for cooling, improving air quality, reducing stormwater runoff, enhancing beauty, providing homes for wildlife, increasing property values, and even improving mental health and happiness. Read the “owner’s manual” on how to keep your trees strong and healthy. https://www.treesaregood.org/treeowner/treeownersmanual

7. Plant more trees

We need to protect the existing trees and we need to plant more trees. As the proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” It is also important to pick the right tree for the right place. Learn more about selecting trees and proper planting techniques at https://www.arborday.org/trees/tips/

8. Plant native plants/plant pollinator garden

Your choice of plants is a big factor in how much environmental benefit they provide. Plants are at the base of the food web for wildlife and research clearly shows that plants that are native to an area – plants that co-evolved with local insects – provide dramatically more wildlife benefit than ornamental plants from distant lands. So go native as much as you can! https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2020/02/07/yard-sustainability-native-plants/

9. Live in harmony with wildlife

As human populations grow and our cities and towns expand across the landscape, so have our interactions with wildlife. Many species have adapted to living alongside people in our suburban and even urban areas. Hundreds of species of birds, countless insects from beetles to bees to butterflies, snakes and lizards, and larger creatures such as foxes and raccoons make their homes and live their lives in our communities. With proper care and respect, observing these creatures can enrich all our lives. https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/habitat/

Home

10. Become a River Star or Bay Star Home

Make a commitment to be a better steward of the environment, get more tips on how to use better practices, and in some cases be eligible for financial support on projects.
https://elizabethriver.org/river-star-homes, http://askhrgreen.org/programs/bay-star-homes/

11. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But Most of All – Reduce.

The average American throws away 4.5 lbs of stuff every single day, 365 days per year. Only a small fraction of all this stuff ever gets recycled and much of it is not easily recyclable. We’ve all heard of the 3 R’s of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. But perhaps the most important step is to Reduce first – avoid getting single use products and packages that you’ll toss almost immediately. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/reduce-reuse-recycle-most-all-reduce

12. Donate old items in good condition to thrift stores

Before you throw away that item, consider whether it has a second life. Is it in good condition? Would it be something you would give to a friend? If so, consider donating it to a local thrift store. It can then benefit the charity, provide a low cost item to someone else in your community, keep it out of the landfill, and make you feel good! https://www.today.com/style/what-thrift-stores-want-you-know-you-make-donation-t162979

13. Share tools and equipment with neighbors rather than buying your own

Ever need that one tool that one time? Should you really hop on your favorite e-commerce site and order it? How about hopping on your local community group on social media and asking if you can borrow the tool. Odds are someone has it and may be willing to let you borrow it for the afternoon. https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/how-to-start-a-neighborhood-tool-share/

14. Opt out of junk mail

Americans receive millions of tons of junk mail every year. That’s cumulatively, but many may feel they get that much just themselves. And much of it goes straight into the recycling bin. Here are some options for cutting down on how much you get in your mailbox. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-stop-junk-mail_n_5b27beb7e4b056b2263c5b54

15. Turn off unused lights and switch to LED light bulbs

Starting with the oldest tip – turn off unused lights – to the newest – replace light bulbs as they fail with LED bulbs. The price of LED’s has dropped dramatically over the years, they use 90% less electricity than incandescents, they have no toxic chemicals, and they practically last forever. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-you-money/led-lighting

16. Adjust your thermostat

You can save 10% of your heating and cooling bill by adjusting your thermostat for at least 8 hours per day. And heating and cooling costs can easily be more than half of the average home’s electric bill – usually much more during our hot and humid summers. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/programmable-thermostats

17. Wash full loads of laundry in colder water

Most of the cost – and energy usage – in doing laundry goes to heating water. Washing in cold water uses 90% less electricity. Also washing in cold water gets the clothes just as clean in typical situations and is more gentle on the clothing. https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Simple-Dollar/2012/0119/Here-s-exactly-how-much-you-ll-save-doing-laundry-in-cold-water

18. Look for the Energy Star label when buying new appliances

When you're shopping for appliances or electronics, you have to think both short term and long term. There is the cost of buying the appliance but also the cost of operating it year after year, which is usually much more than the cost to buy it. Looking at the Energy Star label, you can see how much it will cost to run the product so you can buy the more efficient products. You’ll save money year after year and save the planet. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/appliances-and-electronics/shopping-appliances

19. Winterize your home for winter and summer savings

“Winterizing” your home actually saves you money both in the winter and the summer. Taking steps to insulate your home and seal cracks keeps warm air inside in the winter, but it also keeps cool air inside in the summer. Both can result in major cost and energy savings! https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/g52/winterize-home-tips-energy-461008/

20. Get a home or workplace energy audit to identify where you can make the most energy-saving gains

You can work with Dominion Energy to have a professional do a Home Energy Assessment of your home and identify more ways to save energy and money. https://www.domsavings.com/my-home

Shopping/Eating out

21. Say no to single use plastic bottling – bring your own reusable bottle or mug

In a nation where almost all Americans (but sadly not all) have access to clean, safe drinking water, we consume water in single use plastic bottles at the rate of 100,000 PER MINUTE; 50 billion bottles per year. And 77% of these bottles never ever reach the recycling center. Be healthier, save money, save the planet - bring your own water from home! https://gogreentravelgreen.com/bring-water-bottle/

22. Avoid single use plastic packaging

Our society is drowning in single use plastic items – from plastic bags to impossible to open “blister” packs, from plastic water bottles to fruit clamshells. These items will last nearly forever but are trash after the initial use. Most are not readily recyclable. Plastic production from new petroleum resources is projected to increase by 40% over the next 10 years, and the oil and gas industry is expecting this to be a major revenue source. Take action to reverse this trend. https://myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide/

23. Shop local

By shopping local you support your local community and reduce transportation costs. And when buying locally produced food, such as from farmer markets, you support local agriculture. https://www.metrofamilymagazine.com/15-reasons-to-shop-locally/

24. Combine online deliveries into a single delivery

Online shopping is convenient. But having a steady stream of delivery vehicles cruising city streets to drop off more and more cardboard boxes and bags at your door is certainly not ideal for reducing waste or pollution. Reduce your impact by combining your orders and deliveries into as few shipments as possible, such as by setting an “Amazon Day” https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/online-shopping-carbon-footprint-1.4914942

25. Go Meatless at least once a week

Livestock operations have significant negative environmental impacts, from the amount of land and water consumed to the amount of animal waste produced. Skipping meat once a week can have a major benefit for the ecosystem. https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/vegetarian-and-special-diets/going-meatless-once-a-week

26. Buy organic and local whenever possible

The USDA Organic certification gives you confidence that it was grown pesticide-free. Locally grown food helps local farmers and reduces transportation costs. Locally grown organic is the best of both worlds. Learn about your food choices and make the best choices! https://www.food.ee/blog/is-it-better-to-buy-local-or-organic/

27. Bring your own reusable container for leftovers at restaurant

Want a do-it-yourself solution to avoid getting those Styrofoam containers for leftovers when you go to a restaurant? (Remember back when we ate out). Come prepared, bring your own reusable food storage containers in a small bag and fill them yourself with your leftovers. https://www.kitchenstewardship.com/monday-mission-pack-reusable-containers-for-restaurant-leftovers/

28. Buy second hand from thrift stores or friends

Why buy new when there are perfectly good items looking for a new home at your local thrift store? You avoid the need to manufacture a new product using raw materials, keep an item out of the landfill, save money, and likely help a local good cause. http://www.greenandprosperous.com/blog/2017/10/11/how-does-thrift-shopping-help-you-save-the-environment

29. Buy Less, Live More

Focusing on life’s simple pleasures- like spending time in nature, being with loved ones, making a difference to others – can provide more purpose, belonging and happiness than buying and consuming. https://www.tbd.community/en/a/consumerism-benefits-buying-less

Transport

30. Bike instead of driving for some of your trips

Choosing your bike over your car has multiple benefits – reducing fuel use and carbon emissions, saving wear and tear on your vehicle, reducing traffic congestion, and providing you with exercise. https://biofriendlyplanet.com/environmental-reasons-to-start-riding-your-bicycle-more/

31. Walk instead of driving for short errands

Ever drive from one side of a parking lot to the other? Take the car to go to the post office down the street? By walking instead of driving you again reduce pollution from your car and get great exercise. So park that car and get moving! https://blog.lionel.edu/car-vs.-feet

32. Combine trips to reduce driving

When you do drive, combine several errands in one trip. And plan your route in advance to line up destinations efficiently and avoid having to backtrack. And a tip from UPS – when planning your trip, minimize making left turns because they result in more wasted time and fuel. https://afdc.energy.gov/conserve/behavior_techniques.html

33. Improve your gas mileage by taking care of your car

There are many easy ways to improve your gas mileage, starting with making sure your tires are properly inflated and your air filters are clean. Also go easy on the gas pedal, avoiding “jack rabbit” starts and driving too fast. https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/06/29/053777.html

34. Make sure your next car has better gas mileage - or go electric

Hybrids and EV cars now so a clear lifecycle reduction in CO2 emissions. The trick may be finding one as demand ramps up. https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/are-electric-vehicles-definitely-better-climate-gas-powered-cars

Business

35. Telecommute

A lot of businesses have been required to practice telecommuting for the first time this year. If they decide to retain this option for employees long term, at least some of the time, they can provide significant environmental benefits to the world. Thousands of cars could be removed from the road and traffic congestion relieved. Employers could also save costs on heating and cooling buildings. And employees could save hundreds of hours of time commuting each year. https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/telecommuting-sustainability-how-telecommuting-is-a-green-job/

36. Reduce energy consumption

Businesses can also save money by adopting a variety of energy saving practices, some as simple as making sure unused lights and equipment are powered down. https://www.dominionenergy.com/our-stories/energy-saving-tips-at-the-office

37. Switch to renewal energy providers

Renewable solar and wind energy continue to decline dramatically in cost, making them competitive with gas powered and cheaper than coal powered generation. Business can either install solar and wind directly or buy via renewal energy contracts. https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/9-ways-businesses-can-benefit-renewable-energy.php https://www.utilitydive.com/news/renewables-cheaper-energy-than-99-percent-of-us-coal-plants-just-energy-transition/642393/

38. Establish a workplace recycling program

Businesses often generate large amounts of recyclable materials. To be a good corporate citizen, the first step for a successful program is a waste audit, including reviewing how to reduce waste before it happens. For items you can’t reduce/eliminate or reuse, the next step is setting up a recycling program. Learn how at https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/start-office-recycling-program.html

39. Reduce waste and improve your company’s environmental footprint

Reducing waste saves money while conserving both natural resources and energy – “waste not, want not”. Reducing your waste is also a practice that provides positive customer public relations for businesses. More than just recycling, waste reduction looks for various ways to reduce a company’s environmental footprint. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/how-your-business-can-cut-costs-by-reducing-wastes

40. Reduce business travel

Traveling long distances for business meetings has a major environmental impact, not to mention being expensive and time consuming. Sometimes there is nothing that can replace the impact of a face to face meeting, but with today’s technology a tele- or video conference will often be sufficient. https://www.trondent.com/sustainable-business-travel/

Advocacy

41. Never litter – and lend a hand by picking up litter when you are out and about

Litter happens … whether from carelessness, neglect, irresponsibility, or mistakes. Make a pledge to never litter. And when you see litter, pick it up if you can. Research shows that people are less likely to litter if an area is already litter free. And discourage the use of single use, disposable packaging when possible. https://kab.org/goals/end-littering/

42. Join community cleanups

Many locales have regular cleanups through programs like Adopt-A-Highway, Adopt-A-Park, The Great American Cleanup, Clean the Bay Day, and the International Coastal Cleanup. Go out and lend a hand! https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1272/Beautification-Cleanups

43. Follow the Friends of Indian River on Facebook

Get the latest environmental tips and updates from the Friends of Indian River. Follow us on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofIndianRiver/

44. Volunteer with the Friends of Indian River and other local environmental organizations

We are always looking for volunteers to help on a broad array of activities. From cleanups to advocacy, the efforts of volunteers are what makes non-profits effective. Check with our volunteer calendar at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/calendar.html or browse https://www.volunteerhr.org/

45. Participate in the activities of city boards and commissions

There are several city boards and commissions, in addition to the CEIC, that deal with environmentally related issues. These include the Chesapeake Agricultural Advisory Commission, Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CPBA) Board , Chesapeake Bicycles/Trails Advisory Committee (BTAC) , and the Stormwater Committee. https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1204/Boards-Commissions

46. Make your voice heard at the Planning Commission and City Council

The Planning Commission and City Council deal with many land use issues and overall city policies. The Planning Commission has public hearings on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. The City Council has public hearings on most Tuesday evenings.
https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1345/Planning-Commission
https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1158/City-Council

47. Become an environmental and conservation advocate

As a citizen and a constituent, you have the power to contact your elected officials at the city, state, and federal level about issues that are important to you. Tools include e-mails, letters, in person meetings, comments at public hearings, and even letters to the editor of local newspapers. https://maineaudubon.org/advocacy/tips-for-effective-citizen-advocacy/

48. Share the Knowledge/Be a Good Example

Share what you know and be a good example for others. Model good behavior and others are more likely to trust you and change their own behaviors https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_ways_to_help_people_change.

49. Vote

Elections matter. Research the candidates running for office and support candidates who best support your goals. And make sure you register and vote. If you can’t get to the polls, make sure you apply for an absentee ballot. https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

50. Go outside, enjoy nature, and bring a friend – building a love of nature will encourage everyone to protect our Earth

Study after study shows that getting out in nature improves health and happiness. And people won’t protect the natural world around us unless they learn to appreciate it. One lesson we hopefully take from the recent crisis is that we need more natural areas in our cities. (Please follow physical distancing rules as required).
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_happens_when_we_reconnect_with_nature

Originally published for Earth Day 2020 - the 50th Anniversary. Now with updated links.