The city continues to solicit input from city voters on what the election in 2024 will look like in Virginia Beach: 10 districts with the mayor elected city wide or 7 districts and 3 at large seats with the mayor elected citywide. Everyone can give their input in the online survey until May 26th or leave a voicemail at any time: Election System Community Engagement:public input.

At the May Ocean Park Civic League meeting at the rescue squad, President Danny Murphy drew the winner for our Sea Life Trivia Contest from our Spring Fling event at Taste in April. The winner is Bryan Spillane from Three Ships! Secretary Christy Allen delivered the prize and his wife Elisa was home to receive it. Congratulations! Thanks to all for participating and to Anita Cooney for creating the trivia questions!

Huge thanks to all the many volunteers for our two recent very successful events! Thanks to these folks for our new Pop Up Easter Egg Hunt was a huge success: Natalie McIntyre, Jennifer Bland, Joanne Parker, Jennifer Snyder, Rose Hester and family, Sandra Dawe, Julie Vance, Rachael Beutler, Andrea Lindemann, Danny Murphy and of course our talented Easter Bunny Shane Abell. Spring Fling followed and in spite of the weather we had a great event thanks to: Joanne Parker, Natalie McIntyre, Michael Grossman, Sherri Walton, Debbie Zaydel, Anita Cooney, Jenny Snyder, Christy Allen, Shane Abell, Alice Leggett, Jay and Anita Montgomery, Tim and Andrea Lindemann, Danny Murphy, Blake Norris and probably more!! Thank you all!

President Danny Murphy had updates. Treasurer Blake Norris gave a budget update. Scholarship Chair, Betty Dierstein gave a scholarship update. The scholarship deadline was extended to April 30 so now the committee will review applications and announce a decision shortly!

Our hearts go out to our neighbors in the Great Neck area. We are here for you and will do everything we can to help you rebuild. Please know that you are not alone and that we will stand with you every step of the way. Also, thank you to all the city first responders and volunteers that have assisted the community in beginning the long process of recovery. Please follow VB Gov and Councilman Chris Taylor to learn about supporting those affected.

UPDATE: President Danny Murphy received this update on Friday, May 5th: “We just confirmed to allow Salmons to work an abbreviated schedule for tomorrow, Saturday, May 6, 2023. The allowable work hours will be from 8:00am to 2:00pm. The contractor has been reminded to continue to adhere to all traffic control procedures at the sand stockpile site and the project site. All appropriate safety precautions will continue to be implemented to insure the public’s safety.”

Mr. Jim White, COVB Department of Public Works,  provided  answers to questions put by the Civic League which outline the potential impact on the Ocean Park neighborhood of the sand stockpile truck haul project from  the Lynnhaven Sand stockpile. Latest update from Mr. White: “Salmons stated that they anticipate averaging approximately 10 trucks per hour to come and go from the stockpile site to Cape Henry Beach.  The contract performance period is for 180 consecutive calendar days from the notice to proceed date of April 17^th, 2023.  There are no time of year restrictions imposed for this project.  Salmons project schedule has them completing all sand hauling efforts by late July 2023.  This completion date could change due to weather, equipment or other logistical issues.

Regarding work hours and days per week, the contractor is allowed to work between 7:30am and 4:30pm as per the City contract.  Salmons will be working these hours and will be allowed, if necessary, to extend the work hours to 7:00am to 5:00pm.  Should Salmons request to work on a Saturday, our office will take serious consideration as to how this request will affect the use of the Lynnhaven Municipal Boat Ramp and expected traffic along the Lesner Bridge corridor.  For example, Salmons will not be allowed to work the full Memorial Day weekend (i.e., Saturday through Monday) or on the July 4^th holiday.  However, if the weather forecast for a given Saturday is for a non-boating/non-beach day (i.e., due to rainy weather or rough seas), then we will consider allowing Salmons to work.”

Nothing can get Ocean Park folks down when they want to have a good time! In the face of very iffy weather- the neighborhood came out ( it was a good thing we moved it forward an hour though)! Great food – huge thanks to Taste Inc. and their wonderful manager Jordan and her team! Great music- kudos to Jakob Vanko! Huge thank you to all the volunteers who made it happen!

Since we got cut off by the rain at the end of our event, the drawing for the Trivia Contest prize will take place at the May 4th General Meeting at the Brock Center at 7:00 pm.

The Ocean Park Civic League is not associated with signs seen around Shore Dr. (Shore Drive Sucks) but has long advocated for the City to honor commitments it made in the 2007 CIP for Shore Drive Improvements and to honor those commitments NOW not in another 15 years. OPCL will continue to work toward this goal. What are these defunded improvements? Go to OPCL.org/Phase IV Long Promised West Shore Dr. Improvements

President Danny Murphy spoke to WTRK Channel 3 on Monday about the signs and defunding of Phase IV. “I think the defunding of the project gives us serious concerns with the leadership within the city and city council that they’re just going to pass aside all the promises and commitments that have been made over the years, to delay this project even further,” stated Danny Murphy, President of Ocean Park Civic League. “We would like continuous sidewalks, lighting, anything a modern roadway would bring,” Murphy explained. “We see it in the rest of the city, and they seem to be able to find dollars for various places, but it’s been 18 years and we still don’t have a shovel in the ground yet.” District 9 Councilman Joash Schulman was also interviewed and also Tim Solanic.

Coastal Transplants has installed sand fences and planted American Beach Grass on the dunes. Sea Oats have now also been planted on the crest of the dunes. “Please Stay Off the Dunes “ signs will be placed on the front slope of the dunes along the beach by May 5th. Let’s give the grass a chance to get established!