Henrico supervisors rename Highland Springs recreation center

Henrico County is changing the name of a recreation center that bears a Confederate name.

In the wake of nearly two weeks of national and local protests and just days after thousands marched through Eastern Henrico to protest the killing of George Floyd, a black man, by Minneapolis Police, the county’s Board of Supervisors Tuesday night unanimously consented to renaming the Confederate Hills Recreation Center as The Springs Recreation Center.

As the Citizen previously reported, Varina District Supervisor Tyrone Nelson sent an email to his counterparts last week highlighting four changes he is seeking moving forward; one was to rename the facility.

Addressing the board Tuesday, Nelson said he had received messages both in support and opposition to renaming the center.

“Removing the names from buildings does not erase history, but it does acknowledge that it was a heinous part of the past that should not serve as a daily reminder of the pain and tragedy that still impacts the lives of black people today,” he said. “The very existence of the Confederacy, the economy, was founded on the enslavement of black people. If we want to move forward, we cannot continue to erect and display monuments of hate.”

Prior to Tuesday night’s meeting, The board’s three Republican members – Chairman Tommy Branin (Three Chopt), Dan Schmitt (Brookland), and Pat O’Bannon (Tuckahoe) – told the Citizen that they would defer to Nelson’s wishes about the center since it is in his district. The other Democrat on the board, Frank Thornton (Fairfield) also indicated he supported the move to change the name.

The new name, Nelson said, came after discussions with residents of the district and other board members.

Board Chairman Tommy Branin of the Three Chopt District said that supervisors support Nelson’s decision and made it official by instructing County Manager John Vithoulkas to make the appropriate changes to the building. Vithoulkas told the board it will take less than a week to have the signs replaced.

Supervisors did not discuss one of Nelson’s other primary objectives, the possible creation of a citizen review board that could consider alleged misconduct cases involving police officers and other public safety officials, though board members told the Citizen last week that they likely will do so soon.

Members of the board also spent time addressing the social issues that have been sweeping the country. Tuckahoe Supervisor Pat O’Bannon said that she had received several calls prior to a planned Short Pump march earlier this month from residents who feared property damage.

O’Bannon said she called Vithoulkas’s office several times to keep tabs on the march and preparations. Henrico Police displayed a heavy presence in the Short Pump area as a few dozen protesters stood with signs, then got into cars and drove down West Broad Street to Willow Lawn, where the crowd grew in numbers as it marched peacefully into Richmond along Monument Avenue.

O’Bannon acknowledged that everyone has been reacting to the “horrible actions” that were taken by the Minneapolis police, but also said that after the march was complete, she received close to 30 calls from people thankful for the support of Henrico Police, noting that callers said they feel vulnerable in their neighborhoods near Short Pump.

Nelson directly addressed these comments later, saying he was sorry that Short Pump residents were scared, while noting that black people feel afraid every day. It “breaks my heart” to hear that people care more about property damage than human life, he said.

Nelson emphasized to Henrico Police that he had no personal animosity toward county officers.

“This is not a personal attack again you,” he said, addressing officers. “It is hard continuously seeing people being murdered."

Nelson emphasized that he appreciates the officers – “but there is a mistrust that you cannot explain away going on across our country."

Brookland Supervisor Dan Schmitt gave a lengthy speech, noting that change is needed.

“These are the issues of civility, the issues of equity,” he said, adding that black lives matter and that protestors engaging in violence and destruction are diluting the movement. Those people will be held accountable, Schmitt said.

“Words will not fix the issues at hand,” he said. “Only actions and honest conversations.”

Fairfield Supervisor Frank Thornton said he believes the new movement is promising. He also shared humbling words of advice.

“Let us always be careful of being too silent,” he said. “You can have what is called the appalling silence of good people. When we see something wrong, we should say that’s not right.”

COVID-19 update
In other matters, supervisors learned that the percentage of positive COVID-19 cases has plateaued in Henrico during the past five weeks. The percentage of positive cases in Henrico is lower than it is in Chesterfield and Richmond.

Henrico provided 1,450 test kids to the state of Virginia, after having tested more than 2,000 local front-line workers, including county and state employees.

“I would say Henrico County is one heck of a partner for the state of Virginia,” said Branin.

Officials also have distributed 26,000 COVID-19 care kits throughout Henrico County. The Center for Disease Control and the Virginia Department of Health provided criteria of higher-risk citizens who should receive those kits first. The three top factors in assessing risk were age, race and ethnicity, and access to insurance.

Care kits are now available at both the Western Government Center and Eastern Government Center; citizens can walk into either building and request one for free.

Supervisors also learned that four county refuse employees tested positive for COVID-19. Those four came into contact with five other employees, leaving nine employees in quarantine. This has affected trash service, setting service back a day. Officials said that if your trash is not picked up on the correct day, leave it out to be collected the next day.

In land use matters, the board unanimously denied a rezoning request for the land parcel where K-Mart once sat on Nine Mile Road. DealPoint Merrill, LLC had requested a rezoning for mixed-use that would encompass a self-storage facility.

Supervisors approved using $9.3 million in federal funds toward technology and special education funding in schools.

And during a closed session during its work session Tuesday, the board discussed an out-of-state business that is looking at potentially moving its headquarters into Henrico County and potential expansion plans in the county of another business that’s already located in Henrico.

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