Dear Friends-
I love it when I can catch the product of our work in action. Last week I got to watch the Trail Crew’s new Mini-Excavator at work to support the reinforcing of the trail near the 22nd Street Parking Lot. This piece of equipment was acquired as part of a joint purchase between Friends of the James River Park, RVA More, and The City of Richmond.
The Mini-Ex purchase is the result of our work to figure out what Park staff need to do their jobs. We are in constant communication with the Trails, Ops, Education, Invasive Species Management, and the Park Superintendent so that we can provide the best support that our resources allow. When the Trail Crew said that this was the missing piece of equipment that would help unlock their full potential, I was more than happy to help figure out a way to make it happen.
The Mini-Ex has a ton of uses around the trail system. From clearing debris to moving boulders, to helping lay the foundation for new trail improvements, this thing is going to see a lot of action. The project being completed near the 22nd St Parking Lot will re-route a trail around an area where the existing trail has eroded to expose the roots of a large tree. The retention wall shown being built in these pictures will support the new trail around the exposed roots.
The Mini-Ex was also used to clear debris off of the lower trail near the Dry Rocks after the recent floods. That section always fills with logs that float downriver when the water gets high, and it usually takes a few days for the trail team to get out there and manually clear everything out. Using the Mini-Ex enabled them to get the job done in just a few hours, allowing them to get more done throughout the Park.
Our share of the cost was $10,000. That $10,000 came from individuals who love the JRPS, and chose to help us make it better by donating to Friends of the James River Park over the past year. We are so grateful for that support, and we are proud to have been able to put this funding to good use.
We still need lots of help to keep providing the level of support we currently provide to the James River Park System. Please consider a donation this year if this is the sort of thing that you would like to see us do more of!
See you in the Park.
-Josh
