Monroe Park renovations begin, service providers concerned for homeless

An enclosure was erected around the perimeter of Monroe Park as its 12-to-18 month renovation project commenced last Monday, Nov. 14.

The City of Richmond paid for half of the $6 million project; the other half came from donations to the Monroe Park Conservancy, the nonprofit group that facilitated the renovation.  

“This park has a long history and has always served as an important hub in our city,” stated Mayor Dwight Jones. “Working in partnership with the Monroe Park Conservancy group and VCU to restore the park’s luster is an opportunity that we’ve embraced with great enthusiasm. We thank all of those contributing to help us reach our goal for the park’s restoration, building on our efforts to provide beautiful open and sustainable spaces that improve Richmond communities.”

According to Alice Massie, president of the MPC, the renovation will update the 1920 infrastructure and revitalize the oldest park in Richmond as a prominent location in the center of the city.

A Society Without A Name, a homeless advocacy group, feared the closure would offset the homeless community and limit the services provided to them in the park.

ASWAN advocate Mickey Moore has been providing services to the Richmond’s homeless community for 14 years. He’s worked with over 15 churches in the area to feed the homeless in Monroe Park.

Moore said they plan to move their services to Abner Clay Park this coming weekend. However, Moore fears the city will make them leave due to a lack of bathrooms at the park.

“We’re making a big assumption that the City of Richmond is going to allow us to do that. We don’t know that at this moment,” Moore said. “We just know it’s the next closest park and so that’s the reason we chose that one.”

Homeless advocate and former mayoral candidate Bobby Junes said Red Door Ministry and Grace Holy Trinity, located across the street from Monroe Park, will continue to provide food, religious service, and consultant to all clients.

Junes said Saturday and Sunday are the primary target dates that an array of different local food, service, and clothing groups provide resources to the homeless. He said these groups need to plan how to continue until the renovations are complete.

“It has largely been a decentralized system. With a little planning all services could continue until park renovations are complete,” Junes said. “The local community should make sure that changes and upgrades to the park are nice – but the park should remain open or be developed in phases whereby the main purpose of the park – public recreation to the community at large – remain an active ingredient.”

Moore said places for the homeless to get a warm meal have disappeared in the last couple years. The Salvation Army stopped serving breakfast and lunch about a year ago to rehab their building.

“When that happened it meant there was no consistent place for the homeless to get a warm meal Monday through Friday. They were still able to get that Saturday and Sunday at Monroe. Now that Monroe is closed, there is nothing,” Moore said. “It was a sad day when that fence went up.”

The city’s Department of Social Services is providing at 2-1-1 phone number community members can call to give or find services such as food and shelter while the park is closed.

Moore is disappointed Richmond and the Conservancy failed to provide another location where churches can continue to provide for the homeless.

“They just decided to close it down with no alternative plan put in place,” Moore said. “Basically this is homeless people standing at your door and you just shut the door in their face.”

SaraRose Martin, Contributing Writer