Community invited to participate in Route 36 clean-up project

On October 18, 2008, Task Force 36 and the Phoenix Project will bring together volunteers from around the Commonwealth for the betterment of Petersburg, Virginia. Focusing on a new initiative to revitalize the Route 36 corridor, students from several universities, including the College of William & Mary, Virginia State University, and Richard Bland College, […]

October 14, 2008; 7:27 PM • by brenda p

On October 18, 2008, Task Force 36 and the Phoenix Project will bring together volunteers from around the Commonwealth for the betterment of Petersburg, Virginia. Focusing on a new initiative to revitalize the Route 36 corridor, students from several universities, including the College of William & Mary, Virginia State University, and Richard Bland College, and soldiers from Fort Lee will be cleaning up the area between the Fort and downtown Petersburg and landscaping around the “Petersburg Welcomes You” signage at the entrance to the City. More than one hundred volunteers are expected to participate.

Seeking to invigorate Petersburg’s economy by revitalizing this key entranceway to the downtown, Task Force 36 believes that the short-term improvements to the area will make the Route 36 corridor more inviting for everyone in the tri-cities region. The service project on October 18th will be undertaken in partnership with the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce; Phoenix Project; the City of Petersburg; Downtown Petersburg, Inc.; the Office of Student Volunteer Services, and members of Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity at the College of William & Mary; the Student Liaison Outreach Team at Virginia State University; and various other community partners.

“The revitalization of Route 36 will create an environment that is inviting to local residents, visitors, and military heroes alike,” said David Carter, Director of Programs for the Phoenix Project.

Community members are invited to join the students and soldiers. Registration for volunteers will be held at 10:00 AM on the morning of October 18th in the parking lot of 2400 E. Washington Street.

Welcoming remarks will occur at 10:30 AM where, among others, the Hon. Rosalyn Dance, Virginia House of Delegates, will kick off the clean up day and the ongoing efforts of Task Force 36 to strengthen the Petersburg community through improvements along this vital corridor. Following these remarks, volunteers will pick up trash and debris, identify future improvements that should be made, and landscape the entrance to the City. The service day will conclude at 12:45 PM. All volunteers will be invited to historic Old Towne to patronize local restaurants, many of whom have agreed to provide a discount for volunteers.

Long-term improvements along the Route 36 Corridor will be led Task Force 36, a committee of the Chamber of Commerce consisting of concerned business and community leaders. “We have recognized that Route 36’s revitalization is central to the community’s shared economic recovery, especially with an impending threefold expansion of Fort Lee on the horizon,” said Joe Battiston, Task Force 36 Chair. Task Force 36 has implemented a four-phase plan to address the revitalization of the corridor. This service day will help make significant progress to phase one (clean-up) and phase two (landscaping). Community members who would like to join Task Force 36 should contact Joe Battiston by e-mail at joe_tfi AT yahoo.com.

The beautification of Route 36 will be instrumental in moving business to downtown Petersburg and stimulating the local economy.

October 14, 2008 7:27 PM 0