Saturday night happenings at the Metal Museum

I just got the following from Carissa Hussong, and it sounds like a great way to get out and enjoy a beautiful, interesting eveing by the river:

Join us this Saturday, March 27 for sunset on the bluff and a night of fun as the Riverbluff Forge Council and the Metal Museum present Forging on the River.

Drop in the blacksmith shop between 5:00 and 6:30 for a demo and discussion by Holly Fisher, our current Artist-in-Residence. Or head over to the foundry to make a scratch block tile or bowl, then watch as your design is poured in aluminum. Our galleries and gift shop will also be open so you can get one last look at our current exhibition, Different Tempers, before it closes.

Dinner and the art auction begin at 6:30. Members of the River Bluff Forge Council have donated their work, and all proceeds benefit the Museum. We have one-of-a-kind jewelry, vessels, and other metalwork, including this silver and pearl necklace, donated by Stephanie Polk.

The auction and blacksmithing demo are free, dinner is available for a small suggested donation, and metalworking activities require a small fee to cover materials costs.

For more information, contact Carissa at (901) 774-6380.

Cargill stepping up again

I keep seeing Cargill in the news lately doing wonderful, civic-minded sorts of things. The latest is that they're sponsoring a clean-up, along with Living Lands and Waters, of the Wolf River Harbor downtown this Saturday, Dec. 5th, 8am to noon. Bundle up and be ready to get in a john boat and clean up from the water. Since they're providing boats (and lunch!), they need to have a head count ahead of time, so call Matt McLeane at 634-3234 to volunteer. More information at Friends for our Riverfront's website.

Our waterfront definitely needs more tlc, esp. since the city and the the RDC have dragged their heels for years on putting up screens on the storm drains into the harbor. Every time it rains, all the litter on the streets is washed right into the river. We need to be more responsible about what we dump into the Mississippi. If Elmore and I weren't giving our open house this weekend, we'd be right down there in our kayaks to help out.

Cobblestone Meeting Tonight!

Please come out and support one of our city's historic treasures this evening. Our boat landing downtown made Memphis the city it is now, and it would be a shame to lose this asset. We need more access to the river, not less. Don't let the RDC close off the river access and cover up the cobblestones with junky rip rap.

The meeting tonight is at 5:30 at the Balinese Ballroom, 33o S. Main. Visit the Friends for our Riverfront for more information.

Important Cobblestones Meeting

I got the following from Pan Awsumb, one of our board members. The Cobblestones aren't technically a public park, but like Overton, they are an important and historic public space that is about to become unusable as a boat landing, its traditional purpose in life. Memphis has a history of letting its historic places get changed irrevocably for the worse. Just up from the Cobblestones is Cossitt Library, one of the worst examples. Please consider going to this meeting or writing an email to preserve our river landing, the reason Memphis came to be.

"Last Chance Cobblestones Meeting

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

5:30-7:30 pm

330 North Main (the Balinese Ballroom)

Location: north of the Convention Center and the 1-40 bridge, on the east side of the street, at Jackson Avenue.

We are about to lose the ability to land kayaks and canoes on the Cobblestones. The "restoration" project, as presented by the RDC, is to "stabilize and restore the Memphis Cobblestone Landing and provide limited usability, connectivity and accessibility improvements." Rip rap (big chunks of rock) would separate a newly constructed sidewalk from the river.

BUT that is NOT what the RDC promised the Memphis City Council it would do in order to obtain project approval. They said they would, "Restore the Cobblestones to their historic uniqueness, and establish them as a great commercial boat landing and civic square at the foot of Union Avenue." The Cobblestones are supposed to be restored as a riverboat landing for all but the largest boats.

The meeting is being held by the TN Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is most likely our last opportunity to make this area really usable by the people, and not just a viewpoint from a sidewalk.

Whether your interest is history, recreation, public use or revitalization, come and spread the word.

For more information, check the Friends for our Riverfront website: friendsforourriverfront.org, and memphiscobblestones.com "

Regional River Park

It's not in our regular Memphis area, which this blog usually focuses on, but I can't resist posting this article in the CA about the Tunica River Park. I was just down there on Saturday and can't say enough good things about this park -- beautiful modern art building with rockers on the porch for river viewing, a lovely promenade, nature walks through a more forested area, a fabulous museum, and riverboat rides. My nieces and nephews are in town, and we went down to have a picnic and pick up several Memphis kayakers who did the 37 mile paddle down from the Memphis harbor to Tunica on a lovely morning. The park and museum are well worth a visit on a day when you're looking for a field trip.

Parks in the news

The CA has had two articles over the last two days talking about park news. The first deals with altered hours for golf on park courses. Recently the mayor's office closed most city courses three days a week and made the other weekday hours 12-8 at most courses. The afternoon heat is a tough time to play, esp. for the seniors who are a strong percentage of the customers, at least at Overton Park. Parks Director Cindy Buchanan appealed to city officials and got some mornings added back into the schedule.

The second article featured River Workout Fitness Program, a workout at the Greenbelt park that offered a free trial Saturday morning. Beats a concrete box gym building any day!

Free Workout in the Greenbelt Park

River Workout Fitness Program is hosting a Citywide Fitness Session. It's this Saturday, July 18 in the Greenbelt Park, Harbor Town, at 8 am. Free open-to-the-public workout on the Mississippi River. Bring a yoga mat, light weights, and water. It's a gorgeous setting -- forget the concrete box of a gym and get out and enjoy one of Memphis's finest parks. Click here for more information about River Workout.

Children's reading hour on Mud Island

Mud Island and the Memphis public library system are presenting "Read Out on the Mississippi," a free monthly event designed to foster the love of reading in our youth. There will be story time the second Saturday of each month (July through October) from 3-4 pm. It's aimed at children aged 3-6, and different library employees will share their passion for reading and read from their favorite books. Bring a blanket and come join in the fun.

I've always thought that anything is better down by the river, and this sounds like a great afternoon out for families. You can splash around in the riverwalk afterwards, take a picnic, hang out for the sunset, whatever suits your fancy. I realized a few years ago that I wasn't spending nearly enough time at the river, which is our greatest asset in Memphis, and I've enjoyed making the river more a part of my life ever since.