MANASSAS — This past weekend’s canceled Civil War Weekend was a missed opportunity for business owners, residents and history buffs.
The annual event draws re-enactors and tourists for a series of events including a parade, and social dance. The city canceled the event in light of a protest in Charlottesville where one woman was killed by a white nationalist who is accused of driving his car into a crowd of counter protesters on the street.
“It was an opportunity for the city to step up and show the nation, and make a statement on how things could work differently than they did in Charlottesville,” said Mark Hempen, owner of the Manassas Junction Bed and Breakfast.
The city was the site of the Civil War Peace Jubilee in 1911, nearly 50 years after the end of the war. The event served as a reunion for former Union and Confederate soldiers could reunite, and a celebration of reunification.
On Tuesday night, residents discussed promoting the city not just as a place where the civil war was fought, but peace celebrated. It was one of the multiple ideas floated around a table at Jirani Coffeehouse at the first of six community conversation events.
City leaders want to take data collected in resident surveys in 2014 and 2016, and then drill deeper into the topics residents said were most important to them as the city grows. Topping the list were traffic, education, economic development, parks, and recreation, and public safety.
Residents said school performance has improved over the years following an influx of mostly Spanish-speaking students.
“The city has done a lot of work to bring things back on track,” said Bill Thompson, who lives in the Oakenshaw neighborhood. To date, seven of the city’s nine schools are fully accredited.
Residents hope two-way Virginia Railway Express trains that run between the city and Alexandria during the midday hours on weekdays — something that VRE has explored but has yet to fund — becomes a reality,
“If we can get more people out here on VRE for jobs, we are going to see more economic development,” said Charlie Grimes.
He urged residents pressure city leaders like Councilwoman Pam Sebesky who serves full-time on the VRE Board of Commissioners, and Councilman Mark Wolfe who is an alternate on the board to push to fund the reverse service.
There were also calls to improve areas outside the city’s downtown, to completing sidewalks along major thoroughfares and redesigning public parks.
“I see that we have them in old town, but if you go outside of downtown, along Route 28, you see sidewalks where people need to walk, but they can’t because they aren’t connected,” said one resident.
There’s also a sense the city focuses too much on downtown, and that it should expand its horizons and work to connect its more suburban areas.
“Manassas is a one-trick pony, and that is old town,” said Bill Sebesky.
Others recognized that the city’s walkable downtown, with its small shops and restaurants, is a unique selling point.
“We’re growing; our population is diversifying. But if we don’t hold on to our history, we’re just another suburb,” said Russell Harrison.
Jenny Koch, from the Alexandria consulting firm Rhodeside and Harrell, has been hired to facilitate a series of six “community conversations,” with five more in the series. A report and list of recommendations will be made produced and given to city leaders after the final community meeting.
