Monthly Archives: September 2023

LPCA History Committee Awarded County Grant Funding

Posted on by

By Elizabeth Sheehy

The LPCA History Committee is excited to share that Lyon Park has been awarded a $25,000 Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grant through Arlington County’s Historic Preservation Program.  The funds will support the “Lyon Park History Preservation and Education Centennial Project.” 

This project has three primary goals:

  1. digitizing Lyon Park historical documents and installing a display case at the Community House
  2. designing and fabricating exterior historical markers in Lyon Park
  3. supporting educational research and QR code signage in Zitkála-Šá Park

We are pleased to be partnering with the Arlington Historical Society and Arlington Library’s Center for Local History. They will provide guidance with best practices to safeguard Lyon Park’s artifacts and documents once they are scanned.  We will also benefit from the expertise of the Historic Preservation Fund team, which will provide advice as we move forward. The HPF supports the Lyon Park project as it “will help strengthen the community’s understanding of historic preservation, Arlington’s history, built environment and/or cultural heritage….it will contribute to a stronger community by providing a link to the past, present, and future.”  

The project is intended to be completed within 12 months, just in time for the launch of the Centennial Celebration of the Lyon Park Community House, which opened in 1925. From the start, the vision for the Community House was to create “A social, civic, and recreative center; so democratic as to attract the humblest; so wholesome as to appeal to the exclusive; so broad in scope as to bring youth, maturity and old age into closer companionship to the benefit of all.” That’s an inspiring mission to guide Lyon Park for the next hundred years.

And a big THANK YOU to Thora Colot and Toby McIntosh who have been instrumental in moving this project forward. This project provides wonderful opportunities for community participation. Some tasks require just a few hours to complete, while others are more detailed. If you are interested in volunteering to help, please contact me at elizabeth.r.sheehy@gmail.com. There is something for everyone!

 

Categories

Business Spotlight: Vélocity Bike Co-op

Posted on by

On June 10, 2023, Alexandria-based non-profit Vélocity Bike Co-op cut the ribbon on their new Lyon Park location at 2647 N. Pershing Drive. They replaced the Old Bike Shop, which had operated out of that space for at least 10 years before closing their doors earlier this year. 

The co-founder of Vélocity, Christian Meyers, thanked the Old Bike Shop owner, Larry Behery, for “…providing a home for quality used bike service and sales. Vélocity will build on this legacy and make safe, reliable bicycles more affordable to everyone.”

“Opening our second location provides a unique opportunity to realize our mission to grow and empower an inclusive biking community through education and affordability,” noted Joe Davison, the organization’s Board Chair. “We are honored to carry on and serve the biking community at this location while seeking continued synergy among the area’s cycling organizations, including Arlington-based non-profit Phoenix Bikes.”

While the two volunteer-driven organizations have similarities, volunteer John McClanahan differentiated the services between his non-profit and the work of Phoenix Bikes and emphasized they are not trying to compete but rather complement the work that Phoenix Bikes does in the community. Both organizations give away bikes to kids and adults, accept bike donations, and recycle and resell donated bikes and bike parts. The main difference is that while Phoenix works primarily with youth to build skills while earning a bike, Vélocity focuses chiefly on bike education and repair. They host public do-it-yourself repair workshops, offer bike repair services, and run a bicycle scholarship program to provide a safe and reliable means of transportation to low-income individuals.

Mike Pattisall, shop manager, will introduce himself at our September 13th LPCA meeting. Vélocity is always looking for volunteers. Visit their website for store hours and volunteer opportunities at https://velocitycoop.org. 

Categories