RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – One neighborhood association in Richmond is furious after it says a historic wall possibly dating back to the days of George Washington was destroyed.
The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association is raising the issue after meeting with city leaders and Venture Richmond, to discuss plans to build an amphitheater near the historic James River and Kanawha Canal Bank.
The association says the bricks are part of a canal built by slaves all the way back when George Washington was the president of the Canal Society.
Some neighbors in Oregon Hill say they have been trying to restore the canal as an important part of Richmond's history. However, they say they were concerned when Venture Richmond came to them about putting an amphitheater near the historic site.
"We've been talking to the city and Venture Richmond about preserving the canal now for several months,” Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association’s Jennifer Hancock said. “And to come down here and see this wall destroyed and the canal bank with construction equipment. It makes me wonder has no one been listening to us the last couple of months while we talked about why we wanted to see the canal preserved."
Venture Richmond released this statement to CBS 6 News Friday:
They group says they had no knowledge of the demolition of the wall, that they did not authorize the work -- and were completely unaware that a contractor planned to come on the city's property, or the property that was donated to Venture Richmond a couple weeks ago.
Jack Berry also says The Oregon Hill Association's press release circulated by Charles Poole is completely bogus, slanderous and untrue.
In addition, Virginia's Department of Historic Resources is weighing in on what happened.
The director, Kathleen Kilpatrick, sent CBS 6 a statement saying it is a “significant loss and particularly tragic because it appears the removal was done thoughtlessly and willy-nilly.”
The director, Kathleen Kilpatrick, sent CBS 6 a statement saying it is a “significant loss and particularly tragic because it appears the removal was done thoughtlessly and willy-nilly.”
