City Releases Final Plan for Refurbishment of Groveland Park
Groveland Park is the city playground park near the intersection of Kings Grant Rd and N. Lynnhaven Rd. It is the nearest children’s playground for many King’s Grant homes. The final plan for site refurbishment and new playground equipment is now available. The equipment has been ordered and construction will be scheduled after the 4th of July holiday. In addition to lots of cool play stuff for kids, there will be several new benches and some aesthetic improvements.
Kings Grant Lake Carp Project Update
The project to reintroduce the state-approved species of grass carp into King’s Grant lakes is ready for the next big step. The delivery of the sterile, grass munching carp is expected on Thursday, June 12th! The fish are being transported a considerable distance by truck to our neighborhood, so the day could potentially change. Updates will be provided on this site as the day and times are confirmed. The neighborhood organizers of this project have a permit from the Virginia Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) to place carp in four of the five KG lakes. These are Lake Forest (the large lake roughly bounded by Watergate Ln and Edinburgh Dr), Kings Lake, Queens Lake, and the unnamed pond between Queen Elizabeth Dr and Prince Charles Dr. The group is still working with the state on the permitting process for Timber Lake, the other large lake that is roughly bounded by Quimby Rd, Winchester Ln, Kensington St, and the Lynnhaven baseball fields, so this lake will not be part of this delivery. The project organizers understand that many donors to this project want to see the delivery, so stay tuned. The fish can be delivered directly from the truck into some lakes, but others will be stocked by carrying the fish to the water. More details will be provided as soon as we get them.
Carp Project Update
This is an update on the water quality project that reintroduces grass carp to the lakes of King’s Grant. This is an initiative to control the growing problem with aquatic weeds in the lakes. The background on this project, the species of fish, and the fund raising to accomplish this has been the subject of earlier postings. Details may be found in earlier postings on this KGCL website.
Fund raising exceeded our $5,500 goal. We received approximately $6,500 in donations that is being maintained in a separately managed bank account. To all the neighbors who donated to this project – living on or away from the water – thank you. The additional funds in the account will be retained for periodic replenishment of the carp that is necessary because of normal, expected mortality.
Members of the community leading the project met with a representative from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) two weeks ago to examine the condition of the lakes. They have also been engaged with the Richmond office. On May 22nd, the organizer received a permit for four of the five lakes in the community. The permit authorizes introduction of the sterile grass carp into Lake Forest (which includes the small portions connected to it by culverts running under the roads), Kings Lake, Queens Lake and the small unnamed lake between Queen Elizabeth Dr and Prince Charles Dr. Lake Forest is the body of water encircled by Edinburgh Dr, Kings Grant Rd, and Watergate Ln. Unfortunately, approval for Timber Lake, the other large lake that is roughly bounded by Quimby Rd, Winchester Ln, Kensington St, and the Lynnhaven baseball fields was withheld. The organizers are working on that since it is the lake that is most congested by weeds. More details will be provided as soon as we get them.
The fish will be coming from a state-approved supplier in Deltaville VA (ByBrook Hatchery). A copy of the permit was also sent to the hatchery to validate our purchase requirement. We are in the process of ordering the carp and will provide the community a delivery date as soon as we have that information. The DGIF representative advised the community representatives that the carp will consume the vegetation below the water, but stems and leaves above the water may persist unless removed by raking or other collection methods. We will have to wait to see how things proceed. Signs, with a picture of the fish, will be posted at common fishing spots on the lakes to discourage removal by fisherman.
More info to follow as we get it.
Buy a Carp, Clean a Lake
Clean Lakes and Carp Donation Project Seeks Support
Update: Click Here to Donate with PayPal
King’s Grant Community League is coordinating community efforts to improve the
quality of our fresh water lakes by collecting money to purchase Carp to be placed in
our five (5) neighborhood lakes. We plan to buy an approved species of grass eating
sterile Carp to be put into the lakes this spring. A mature Carp will eat about 5 pounds
of aquatic greens a day. Their life span is typically between 5-11 years, but it can get
much older. We have about 35 acres of lakes, and we need 6-8 fish per acre. We
have researched various methods of controlling the aquatic weeds in our lakes and
returning Carp to the lakes seems to be the most cost effective and environmentally
friendly avenue by far. Details of this project have been published in our recent KGCL
newsletters.
One Carp cost about $14. Our fund-raising goal is $5,500. This will fund reintroduction
of Carp into the lakes and provide the initial funds for replenishment on a regular basis
(about 20% every two years). We are setting up a special bank account just for this
project that the KGCL will administer.
If each resident who lives around the lakes donates at least $25, we will have raised
enough funds for this project. However, we are looking for the community as a whole
to donate since many of us enjoy the lakes, and also it enhances our neighborhood to
have nice clean lakes. Please consider donating even if you do not live on the lakes.
Our deadline to order the Carp is April 12, 2018.
Donate through PayPal
You can mail or hand-deliver checks/cash to KGCL.
Make your checks payable to KGCL and add Carp to the memo line on your check
Mail to:
KGCL, P. O. Box 9481, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23450
Hand deliver to:
- Ray Payne, Vice President of King’s Grant Community League
561 Canterbury Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23452 (ph No 373-4768) - Mona Denton, Treasurer of King’s Grant Community League
3020 Watergate Lane, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452 (Ph No 377-2370) - Susan Ontko, Grounds Keeper for King’s Grant Community League
3201 Blue Ridge Court, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452 (ph No 463-2534) - Susie and Jack Moughan, Volunteers for King’s Grant Community League
3104 Watergate Lane, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452 (ph no 631-1331)
General Meeting Thursday: Project Updates + Pitches!
Where can KGCL contribute to our neighborhood?
That’s the topic of our meeting of General Members, this Thursday, February 15, 7:00 PM at King’s Grant Elementary School.
Please note the new start time!!
- We’ll get an update on the carp restoration project.
- We’ll learn about installing tide and storm water sensors at Watergate Lane.
- WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU? What improvement projects would you like to see?
Join us Thursday night.
President’s News
King’s Grant Community League President, Steve Nimitz, recently shared the following updates with the board of directors. The next meeting of the board is December 11th.
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A flag pole was installed at Witt Park in November 2017
Stumps at Witt Park were removed yesterday. The flagpole installation, starting with the foundation, is supposed to begin today. We might have a flagpole within days. After that, the scouts will return to work on new benches and site restoration (with new topsoil in some areas).
- I stopped at Witt Park this morning to check out the work. I found the electric meter destroyed again. This is the 2ndtime in as many years. There is glass all around. I did not have time to pick it up. I will file the police report and contact the electric company. Very disappointing. My guess is that the vandalism happened Wednesday night.
- Kevin joined me this morning at8:15 to walk the median that separates KG Road as you enter from the intersection with N. Lynnhaven (at the traffic light). A rep from the city’s Highway maintenance was there at my request to assess the curb around the median where it is damaged or sunk below the roadbed. I am optimistic that we’ll see some corrective maintenance done on that. If you don’t know, KG Road and N. Lynnhaven will both be repaved this year which is why I asked the city to come take a look.
- A KGCL member volunteered to decorate the KG walls with large lighted wreathes for the holidays. I plan to retrieve our Christmas lights from the shed this week, take them home, and test them. The plan is to decorate Witt Park on 2-3 Dec (we obviously need the power meter fixed before then).
New Landscaping at The Triangle
As you are driving by The Triangle you will notice that we replaced the landscaping at the intersection of King’s Grant Road and N. Lynnhaven Road.
May Farm Garden Club donated the landscaping as a community project. Elaine Hillers was the point person for the garden club and did all the coordination with the nursery for design and plant selection. Plants were selected as low maintenance and drought resistant.
KGCL will maintain the landscaping, as we have always done. Basically, we will mulch it (Elaine suggested pine straw for the future), spray it, weed it.
Wolfsnare Creek Park
King’s Grant Community League’s mission is to maintain open space in the neighborhood for residents and visitors. This park is a tranquil spot on Watergate Lane looking north over Wolfsnare Creek. There’s a sturdy bench where you can sit to look, listen, and think. There’s an access to the water suitable for canoes and kayaks at high tide. Boat trailers and motor boats are not allowed.
http://www.tides4fishing.com/us/virginia/buchanan-creek-entrance
May Farm Garden Club Pine Straw Sale
May Farm Garden Club has pine straw!
Each year the May Farm Garden Club of Kingston hosts an annual pine straw sale. Proceeds from this sale are used for beautification in several locations of our community. This year’s sale, on March 19th, landed on a cold, wet day that severely curtailed the neighborhood turnout. As a result, 221 bales of pine straw remain for sale. The Garden Club needs your support. Please give them a call. Your garden and the Garden Club will both appreciate it! The cost is $7.00 per bale, plus $10.00 delivery fee if you would like them to deliver.
Please call 486-7680 or 306-8597.