News from the Elizabeth River Trail

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News From The Elizabeth River Trail Foundation
November 25, 2022

An Abundance of Gratitude

Greetings, Trail lovers,

Last month marked my one year serving as Executive Director of the ERT Foundation. Never has a year of my life gone by so quickly or been so rewarding. I have been buoyed even through the challenges of this year by the stories I hear from trail users who tell me how much a part of their lives the ERT is.

It feels appropriate in this season of gratitude to share my abundance of thanks for this trail and for the community that rallies around it. You'll see that love and support in every facet of this month's newsletter. From volunteers to donors to community partners, this trail is the backbone of our city because of you.

Share the ERT with those you love this holiday week. I hope to see you on the trail.

Be well,

Kindra Greene
Executive Director
Elizabeth River Trail Foundation

From a "friends of the trail" group with a vision, to an official non-profit foundation, we've come a long way in our short six years. The best way you can celebrate with us is to share the trail with someone. Maybe they will volunteer, join a committee or become a member. Every trail visitor helps us build our trail future.

Santa Bike Party

Join the foundation, Local Bike Shop and Freshtopia for the 6th annual Santa Bike Party, a casual, "party pace" group ride to spice up the holidays. Get out that Santa suit, an elf costume, blinking bike lights, reindeer ears or whatever screams festive to you and hop on your bike for a ride through Park Place, Ghent, Colonial Place, downtown and Chelsea. Prime holiday light viewing will be on deck!

Riders should meet at 5:45pm at Freshtopia on 35th Street for a 6pm take off. The casual ride will take about an hour and end at Smartmouth Brewing Co. for Krampusnacht festivities.

Glowline Ribbon Cutting

We are glowing with pride over this unique trail feature. The Glowline is the first of its kind on the East Coast and has been delighting trail users in Jeff Robertson Park since its completion in late September.

Last month, the foundation invited the community to celebrate this luminous feature with a Glow Party and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. More than 150 people joined the glow up with games, snacks and more fun. We were honored to cut the ribbon with Norfolk City Manager Dr. Chip Filer, Councilwoman Andria McClellan, Councilwoman Courtney Doyle, representatives from PRA Group and Elizabeth River Crossings, and even our youngest fundraiser, trailblazer Nathan Cooper.

You can read all about The Glowline construction process on our blog and in a new feature article in Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Thank you to Glowline sponsors Elizabeth River Crossings and PRA Group!

Throughout the month of November we shared many things we are grateful for. No event, project, or amenity on the trail is accomplished without the support of the community. Volunteers, committee and board members, donors and sponsors and wonderful partners are all part of building this trail. The past, present, and future of your Elizabeth River Trail is all thanks to the hard work, time, and dedication of people like you.

There are many trails throughout the country, but the ERT is a unique urban trail. Our challenges and successes are different than those of our friends. Our trail is commuter infrastructure, a way to exercise, to relax, to have fun, and to connect with nature and each other. It travels through 28 different neighborhoods, downtown, and parks. It impacts and influences people, businesses and our community. The trail must be resilient in the face of rising sea levels, flooding and the diverse needs of the people and places it touches.

We may celebrate a month of gratitude in November, but our thanks and appreciation grow every day and your impact is felt year round. Thank you!

Olmsted Garden at Jeff Robertson Park

If you've visited Jeff Robertson Park recently you've probably noticed a few changes, and we're not just talking about The Glowline. In between the bird sanctuary and the ball fields, a once blighted area of the park is now an ecological greenway and rain garden thanks to the hard work and vision of the Garden Club of Norfolk.

In partnership with the ERT and Norfolk Master Gardeners, more than forty volunteers transformed a barren section into a beautiful garden and bioswale dedicated to Frederick Olmsted. Considered the father of American landscape, Olmsted is best known for designing Central Park. He believed that nature is the great healer and that a city is only as great as its parks. The Olmsted Rain Garden will help water drain from the park during flood events, provide habitat for animals and pollinators, as well as adding to the overall beauty of a well loved park. The project was funded in part by a Retain Your Rain grant from the City of Norfolk to help the ERT and Garden Club purchase perennials for the garden.

Fitness Course Planting

On November 20, volunteers braved the chilly morning to care for the trees at the Fitness Course near Plum Point Park. Thanks to a partnership with Elizabeth River Crossings, volunteers were able to weed, mulch and install new fencing around the longleaf pines, helping their roots stay warm this winter and retain plenty of water. Did you know the longleaf pine has been called the "tree that built Tidewater"?

In Colonial Virginia, the longleaf pine was the most common tree species in the state. It became critical to commerce and transportation for both building construction, naval vessels and pitch and tar extraction. Centuries of industry led to near deforestation of the longleaf pines and these natural forests are essentially gone. It's believed there are fewer than 200 mature, native longleaf pines left in the state.

Longleaf pines are highly resistant to insect pests and diseases, tolerant of salt spray, wildfire, wind and ice and provide habitat for a great variety of wildlife species. The ERT is proud to be home to these native species, joining the statewide effort to bring this tree back from the brink.

Donor Spotlight: CHKD

This month, we are excited to highlight CHKD, a corporate partner committed to the mission of the Elizabeth River Trail. We shine our Donor Spotlight on Ridgely Ingersoll, CHKD's Director of Public Relations and Marketing. Read our interview here.

Donate on Giving Tuesday

As we reflect on a month of gratitude and a season of giving, we ask that you keep the ERT in mind for Giving Tuesday on November 29. Our mission is to create an inclusive and resilient urban riverfront trail that connects and inspires people and businesses in the region. We strive to build a trail as diverse and vibrant as the land it sits on, the river it follows, and the community it serves. But we cannot do this without the support of sponsors, donors, and volunteers. Become a sponsor or member today and give to a trail that is here when you need it.

Donate

We are lucky to have a Red Cross headquarters right on the Elizabeth River Trail in Fort Norfolk. Please consider giving the gift of life this holiday season by registering for a blood drive on February 2, 2023.