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Inside This Issue
Meeting Schedule
Friday, January 1
City Offices CLOSED
Monday, January 4
7:00 pm
North End Citizen's Assoc.*
Douglas Learning Center, 598 North Kent Street
Thursday, January 27
4:00 pm
Board of Architectural Review
City Hall, Council Chambers
7:00 pm
South End Citizen's Assoc.*
Montague Avenue Methodist Church, 102 Montague Avenue
Monday, January 11
6:00 pm
Parks & Recreation Board
Work Session
Jim Barnett Park, War Memorial Building
Tuesday, January 12
3:00 pm
Planning Commission Work Session
City Hall, 4th Floor Exhibit Hall
7:00 pm
City Council Meeting
City Hall, Council Chambers
Wednesday, January 13
4:00 pm
Board of Zoning Appeals
City Hall, Council Chambers
*North End and South End Citizens Associations are private organizations whose meetings are open to the public and are listed as a convenience to the public. Their listings are in no way an endorsement by the City of Winchester of the specific activities of the organizations.
First Night Winchester 2010
Thursday, December 31
6:00 pm-Midnight
A community celebration of New Year's Eve providing a safe, non-alcoholic, cultural event for families. An eclectic mix of performing artists for all ages beginning at 6 pm and ending with a party under the stars at midnight for a countdown to the 2010 ball drop and watch fireworks. The entertainment line-up keeps getting bigger, better, more fun and more engaging. Don't forget the exceptional dining Old Town Winchester has to offer as part of your New Year's celebrations. Contact: 540-533-5561. www.firstnightwinchester.com
Northeast Infrastructure Improvement Project (NEIP) Update
Links
Next CitE-News Issue
Wednesday, January 13
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Christmas and New Year’s Holiday Schedules
Due to the New Year’s holidays the City offices and Transit schedule will be closed on:
New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2010
The City’s Refuse & Recycling schedule for the holiday is as follows:
New Year’s Day – Friday, January 1, 2010
- Friday’s Refuse collection is rescheduled for Wednesday,
December 30, 2009
- Yard Waste is cancelled this week
Live Christmas trees will be collected Curbside Wednesday, January 6 and 13, 2010. Please remove all ornaments and lights from the tree when placing it curbside for composting collection.
Downtown Utility Infrastructure Improvement Project (DUII) Phase II Begins January 6, 2010
The Downtown Utility Infrastructure Improvements Project will replace the City’s underground utility infrastructure in the downtown area. The project started in May 2009 and the majority of the work has been completed on Braddock and Cameron Streets. The final phase of the project includes work on Piccadilly Street between Washington and Kent and on N. Loudoun Street between Piccadilly and Fairfax. Work on this final phase is expected to begin on January 6 and be completed by April 24 (before the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival).
Winchester is blessed with a long and unique history. A part of this history includes operating the third oldest water distribution system in the United States behind only Philadelphia and Allentown, Pennsylvania. Some of the existing water mains still in service in the core downtown area are 150+ years old. While these old pipes have served the City well, it is imperative that the City replace this old infrastructure to ensure that a reliable and safe water and sewer service is provided for Winchester’s future.
In addition to replacing the water and sewer mains, other important infrastructure will also be replaced as a part of this project. The following summarizes all of the project components on Piccadilly Street:
• Replacement of all existing water, sewer and storm infrastructure
(mains and service lines)
• Sidewalk & Curb/Gutter Replacement. All the new sidewalks on
Piccadilly Street between Braddock and Kent Street will be all brick.
• New Decorative Streetlights
• Traffic Signs/Posts Replaced
• Parking Meter Posts Replaced
• Numerous New Street Trees
• Streets Repaved and Striped
• Decorative Crosswalks
The City’s Utility Fund is paying for all the costs of this project by issuing water and sewer revenue bonds that will be repaid solely by water and sewer rates. The total cost of all the much needed improvements associated with the Downtown Project will be approximately $12 million.
DUII Phase II - Talk with City Officials
The City of Winchester will hold weekly update meetings throughout the duration of the final phase of construction on Piccadilly Street.
Meetings will be held at 9:00 am in the Exhibit Hall (4th floor of City Hall) every Friday morning and are open to the public.
City staff will be available at the meetings to answer questions about the project and address concerns about the construction.
DUII Phase II - Traffic Control
For the majority of construction on Piccadilly Street between Kent and Washington, motorists will be limited to one lane of westbound traffic only. There may be brief periods when maintaining one lane of traffic will not be safe and closing a one-block section of Piccadilly will be necessary.
The City understands the importance of traffic flow on Piccadilly for the businesses in downtown Winchester and will do everything possible to maintain one lane of westbound traffic and complete the project as quickly as possible. The City will also work closely with the businesses during construction to maintain access into the businesses during construction.
Since the work on Braddock and Cameron Streets has already been completed, there will be minimal impact to northbound and southbound traffic on these two streets during this final phase of the project.
VDH Recommends All Virginians Get H1N1 Vaccination
Source: December 18, 2009 Press Release from Dr. Karen Remley, Virginia State Health Commissioner
Over the past several months, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), in partnership with clinicians around the state, has focused its H1N1 vaccination efforts on individuals in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s high risk groups. I am pleased to inform you that VDH is now recommending that all Virginians get the H1N1 vaccination.
If you have not yet gotten vaccinated, now is the time. There is enough vaccine for each of us, our family members, friends and neighbors to get this very important protection from the H1N1 influenza. H1N1 vaccine is available at a variety of locations in Virginia including physician offices, pharmacies, and local health departments.
A useful tool to find vaccine locations is the flu vaccine locator tool on VDH’s website (www.vdh.virginia.gov), or you can call the VDH Inquiry Center at 1-877-ASK-VDH3, in order to find specific locations, dates, and times when the vaccine will be available in your area. The vaccine is available at no cost at all local health departments. There may be up to a $19.96 administration fee charged at some other vaccination sites.
Vaccination remains the single most effective way of preventing H1N1 influenza. I encourage you, your constituents, family, and friends to get vaccinated in the near future. Thank you for your continued strong support of VDH’s efforts to protect the health of all Virginians.
Announcements
1. Winchester Department of Social Services is now officially open to the public at its new location: 24 Baker Street.
2. Coordinators of the City of Winchester's International Children's Festival are currently looking for: international food vendors, country representatives, volunteers and much more for the 2010 Festival to be held on October 2! Please visit www.winchesterva.gov/icf for more details and contact information.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! |
