2025 was a year for progress along the Indian River Road corridor. The rehabilitation of the Oaklette Bridge was completed. The City Council approved the Indian River Design Guidelines, laying out design criteria for new development or redevelopment along Indian River Road, Providence Road, and the eastern portion of Military Highway. The owners of the Indian River Shopping Center continued revitalization efforts with new facades, tree plantings, and expectations for the opening of a grocery store in early 2026. Expansions or rehabilitation work continued at several other establishments along Indian River Road. And designs for safety improvements by Public Works along Indian River Roads are reported to be 90% complete, although we're still waiting to hear about implementation dates.
Please join us at our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition on Thursday, January 15, 7 pm at Oaklette United Methodist Church, 520 Oaklette Drive. As an organization, we are very proud of all that we have accomplished last year – and over the previous 14 years. But we can’t rest on our laurels. In 2026, we are looking to reinvigorate the organization and build our membership and active supporters. We will use the meeting to brainstorm ideas on how to get more people actively involved in our efforts to improve the quality of life for all the residents of our community. We will also recognize our existing volunteers and the great work they do. There will be refreshments and desserts. Whether you've been supporting us for years or are just curious to learn more about who we are, all are welcome to attend the meeting.
The Friends of Indian River is an all-volunteer, local 501(c)(3) non-profit. You can support our efforts by becoming a member, renewing your membership, or just making a contribution online http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/membership.html
Year in Review
Revitalization Progress
The core mission of the Friends of Indian River is to improve the quality of life for all the residents of the Indian River neighborhoods of Chesapeake, Virginia, by promoting and preserving a healthy and clean river, shorelines, parks, and green spaces connected to the surrounding community.
Once the Guidelines were approved, the City also activated funding for the Indian River Façade Improvement Grant to help businesses along the Indian River Road corridor with matching grants to make improvements to façades, landscaping, hardscaping, signage, outdoor eating areas, as well as pedestrian enhancements.
The owners of the Indian River Shopping Center have continued revitalization efforts, renovating the central section of the complex, installing new facades, and planting trees along the store side of the parking lot. While we are still waiting to see a formal announcement, there are expectations for the opening of a grocery store in early 2026. Meanwhile, the Indian River Professional Building complex, across the road from the shopping center, is also expanding its footprint, and farther down the street in Virginia Beach, the Indian River Shoppes shopping strip is also undergoing renovations.
At the annual Elizabeth River Project River Star Business Recognition Luncheon early in 2025, Wickers Crab Pot received top honors for their educational support of the ERP Learning Barge and their solid environmental practices at their restaurant on Indian River Road, the Rivercrest Condominium Association was recognized for Sustained Distinguished Performance, and Blue Heron Landing Park was highlighted when Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) was recognized for its work.
Incremental improvements continue at Indian River Park. New trail signage is being installed to help visitors navigate the park and old bridges are being replaced. The City is also starting design work on a major redesign of the intersection at Military Highway and Rokeby Avenue to reduce the likelihood of vehicle crashes. Thanks to persistent input from the Friends of Indian River, the plans now also include a pedestrian crossing across the intersection to make it safer to reach the park on foot or by bicycle.
Volunteer Events
We continued to care for the native plant garden at Indian River Park and the plantings at Oaklette Bridge on Indian River Road, both through group events in the fall and spring and individual volunteer activities throughout the year.
We also received assistance from multiple groups who came out for volunteer events, including Burns and McDonnell, Inc., sailors from the USS George H.W. Bush, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Additional volunteers came out for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation sponsored Clean the Bay Day. Volunteer Hampton Roads also continued to be a valuable source of volunteers.
Our dedicated volunteers also continued regular maintenance at the various gardens maintained by the Friends of Indian River, including at Indian River Oaklette Bridge, Indian River Park, Plymouth Park, and several planters along Indian River Road.
Overall, more than 125 Volunteers performed 850+ Hours of Volunteer Service in 2025.
Connecting with Nature
We held our hike for the Great Backyard Bird Count around the civic campus and lake located between the Indian River Community Center and the High School in mid-February. We spotted 21 bird species. Some of the less common sightings on the lake included Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, and Ruddy Ducks.
In the fall, we had a member field trip to visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach.
Civic Engagement
In 2025, speakers at our meetings included:
- January: Hampton Roads Transit on the Connecting Chesapeake study
- March: Vince Bowhers of LRNOW on Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
- May: Lisa Renée Jennings, Hampton Roads Grassroots Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
- September: Christina Trapani, Executive Director for Clean Virginia Waterways
- November: Rogard Ross on the History and Value of Trees in Chesapeake
In June, we held our annual picnic.
Indian River High School Scholarship
Applications are now open for students graduating in 2026. Learn more about the scholarship at http://www.friendsofindianriver.org/p/friends-of-indian-river-scholarship.html
Planning
The Friends of Indian River have been partnering with other local environmental groups to provide input on City planning documents through the newly formed Chesapeake Sustainability Network.
In 2025, the City approved the Greenbrier Area Plan, looking to transform Greenbrier into the new urban core for the City, promoting walkability and connectivity. While the plan does an excellent job of defining human-scaled neighborhoods and commercial districts, we supported comments that the plan needs to do more on tree preservation and healthy lighting standards.
In October, the City Council also approved changes to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) Ordinance. The CBPA Ordinance is our primary tool for protecting the land along our waterways, at least in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The changes reinforced the protection of mature trees in these buffer zones and factored in the impact of sea level rise in planning. The Friends of Indian River commented in support of these changes.
We thank the Burns and McDonnell Foundation Fund for making a generous grant to the Friends of Indian River to support our efforts. Employees from their local office also joined us for our Earth Day Volunteer Event at the Oaklette Bridge and Blue Heron Landing Park in April.
Friends of Indian River Board of Directors
Rogard Ross Carol Warren Jayne Whitney Helene Haluska
Amy Weber Jennifer Raymond Vickie Easley Anna Cook David Miller
Active Supporting Members and Volunteers 2025
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority V Gary Ball MV* Susan Ball M Homer Babbit and family V Catherine Bernard M Yonna Billingsley V Rhawyn Bradshaw V Mark Bunker V Diane Burke MV* Don Burke V Joe Burke M Justin Burns V Burns and McDonnell, Inc. V USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) V David Carter V Ha Chau M John Cheshire M Cindy and Ken Church M Anna Cook MV Phillip Cox V Benjamin Custis V Art Davenport M Chauneci Davis and family V Alexis Dekrone V Rene Deleon V Robin Dolce V Robert Dorman V Brian Easley MV Vickie Easley MV Eliza Farrell V | Jeff Ferlanto and family V Keven Gambold and family V David and Lynn Greenfield M Becky Greenwald V Annie Guertin M Helene Haluska MV* Jim Haluska M Jim Hartle MV* Jorge Henao V Kerri Hoffius V Robert Ike, Jr. M Kelsey Jamison MV Harpreet Kaur Jassal V Kaiyac Jenkins V Blessing Jones and family V Lisa Kennedy M Tom Kennedy M Janet Kerns V Sharon Komenda MV* Jim Lang M Susan Lang MV Greg Layton MV Paige Lewis M Scott Lotan M Charles Lowe M Amya Lynch V Arriene Maloney V Barbara McCane M* Kemi McRae M David Miller MV Jonathan Miller V | Damida Mills-Henao V Noah Milun V Maerine Mitchell V Victoria Mitchell V Keith and Debbie Moore M Debbie Newman V Vic Nichols M Sean Patrick V Amy Petersen M Jennifer Raymond MV* Bidhan Regmi V Rogard Ross MV* Zion Saint Ange V Brooke Schaab M Ethan Shum V Jill SkipperMV Trena Smith V Jim Spiegeler M Ted Swearingen M Douglas Throp V Ashley W. V Carol Warren MV* Gabriella Washington V Amy Weber MV* Chris Whitney M* Jayne Whitney MV* Drew Wiggans V Jacqueline Wilson V James Wilson V Janet Wilson V Marc Winans M |
* - Completed more than 100 lifetime volunteer hours with FIR
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