How each Richmond mayoral candidate would reimagine Monument Avenue

RICHMOND, Va. -- All five mayoral candidates took the stage at the Citizens' Debate Tuesday.

The debate, held at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (VMHC), was co-sponsored by Richmond First, the VMHC’s John Marshall Center, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and WTVR CBS 6.

Moderator Greg McQuade and panelists Bob Holsworth, Chris Coates and Reba Hollingsworth asked 11 questions to the candidates — Andreas Addison, Danny Avula, Michelle Mosby, Maurice Neblett, and Harrison Roday.

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Citizens' Debate Recap: Where Richmond's mayoral candidates stand on key issues

WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff

The tenth question of the debate was: What is your plan for reimagining Monument Avenue if you are elected?

Michelle Mosby

When the statute was taken down, there was a committee. There were civic associations, a committee that came together so that we could begin to reimagine what this would look like.

And so I believe that we need to go back to that moment in time. It is not okay for us to just pull them down and then have no plan. But in doing so, we need to do it so that it is community oriented, that it is community focused, that we sit down together as government, as people, and we make a determination on what we're going to do with Monument Avenue.

What would that look like for our future going forward, and what will we do with the statues that were taken down? Because, again, something needs to happen, productive for them as well.

Andreas Addison

Well, I sat in this room about this before we took down the monuments, being told what we should do for imagining Monument Avenue.

Here we are now with a blank canvas. What are we going to do?

And I think the question before our next administration, and as me as mayor, will be one about community organizing around that conversation what this needs to be?

It is a national park, and it needs to be treated and maintained as a national park. There should not be any dirt, there should have any rocks. It should be a place that's maintained to a high level of accessibility.

Why? Because I believe there should be a place where we bring people together.

We should look at opportunities to think about new statues and public artwork.

We could think about ways to bring Richmond together around one of our strongest assets. We have so many creative people all across the city that are making public art every day, making sculptures and wall murals.

Let's make Monument Avenue a place where people can celebrate the work we have as a community. And more importantly, want to stay and hang out. Bring a little bit of a picnic lunch, hang out with your friends and family, and make it a place you want to sit and relax and enjoy.

Danny Avula

This is one of the things that I am most excited about in potentially stepping into this role, which is helping our community come together, to create the forward narrative for our city.

I think that the work that's being done in Shockoe Bottom, with the Shockoe Project, connecting that to the story that could be told on Monument Avenue, this has huge opportunity for community healing, to retell a narrative and make sure that all of the voices of our city get an opportunity to weigh in on what that narrative is and how it's going to be told.

I think this can be transformational for Richmond moving forward.

Maurice Neblett

We need to implement a cultural context in the area. We need to make sure we connect with that population and that group in regards to what they see the reimagining position is for the area.

We need greenery, though. We need to make sure we have safety barriers in that spot where the statue was.

But just as every part of the city of Richmond, what makes Richmond Richmond, we need to embrace it. You know, we wouldn't be at this standpoint if we hadn't gone through those historical facts that we went through during that time. So I want to also bring up the same thing in regards to the Richmond Community Hospital. You know, that's still another historical landmark that needs to be preserved, like all other history in the city.

Harrison Roday

I agree with Maurice's comments about the Community Hospital, number one.

Number two, as someone who has rented on Monument Avenue for years, this is not a simple issue, and things that intersect our city and our neighborhoods really have to have a conversation that starts with people who live in the neighborhoods every single day and hearing those people's voices.

And while Dr. Avula and I don't always agree on everything, I strongly agree that the most important history project that we can work together to make a success in the next 10 years is the Shockoe Project and the National Slavery Museum.

We have an opportunity to put Richmond on a trajectory where we tell the real history of the Commonwealth, and everyone's stories are included.

Learn more about the candidates

We recapped every debate question here:

• Question 1: Why you want to be mayor
• Question 2: Finance department
• Question 3: Government transparency
• Question 4: School system
• Question 5: Real estate tax rate
• Question 6: Government efficiency
• Question 7: Pedestrian safety
• Question 8: Police
• Question 9: VCU
• Question 10: Monument Avenue
• Question 11: City Charter Review Commission

Watch the full debate here or on our YouTube channel.

CBS 6 interviewed each candidate ahead of the debate, which you can find here:

• Harrison Roday (Sept. 9)
• Michelle Mosby (Sept. 10)
• Maurice Neblett (Sept. 11)
• Danny Avula (Sept. 18)
• Andreas Addison (Sept. 23)

For more information on this year’s election — and how to cast your ballot in the City of Richmond or the surrounding areas — visit WTVR’s Virginia Voter’s Guide.

You can check your voter registration here. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 15.

What hopes do you have for Richmond's next mayor? Email the CBS 6 Newsroom and let us know.

Note: WTVR used AI software to transcribe the debate and newsroom staff to edit for clarity.