RVANews Covers City Council on Nearby Controversies

RVANews.com features an article on recent City Council meeting. In the meeting, there was much discussion on two issues that resonate near Oregon Hill, the Monroe Park renovations and a film scheduled for the Civil War Center (Tredegar). Excerpts: Speaking with 5th District Councilman Marty Jewell (pictured above) after the meeting presented a different view […]

January 11, 2011; 1:24 PM • by Oregon Hill

Excerpts:

Speaking with 5th District Councilman Marty Jewell (pictured above) after the meeting presented a different view point from the council. “Monroe park is and has always been a public park, and it should remain a public park,” said Jewell, who has been seen attending some of the charity events held every Sunday in Monroe park. He said he sympathized with those involved in helping the homeless who come to Monroe Park for food and shelter.

“If you look at the master plan wordage from [the year] 2000, the language was there that we need to ‘reduce the visibility of homeless people,’” he said. “That’s always been the intent of certain corporate types who simply don’t want to see poor people.”

No part of the plan was to be voted on that night, so no issues concerning the park or the master plan were directly addressed in the meeting.

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“If they want to show it there as historical fact, then that’s one thing, but to show this in a sponsored event and in a movie theater and get everyone to come out for it,” said Hilbert, “We need to move forward with our city.”

However, 1st District Councilman Bruce Tyler (pictured in the main image of this story) brought up the fact that it was not City Council’s job to be a censor.

“There is nothing in this film that I wanna see or have shown,” said Tyler, “But I have to sit here and say that freedom of speech is what makes our country great, and i don’t think its our right to censor freedom of speech.”

The Monroe Park issues have been previously covered on this site quite a bit.