RCA Newsletter: January 2026

Jol Silversmith
4 days ago
3 min read

The Rosemont Citizens Association is 100% volunteer-driven, but it is readers, members, and donors like you who power it—thank you! Would you consider a gift to the RCA to keep it moving forward?

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A New Option to Connect

The RCA has established an email list to provide an additional means to provide information and updates about neighborhood and city developments, which also can be used for community discussion. To sign up, please visit https://groups.io/g/RCA .

January 22 RCA Meeting

Thanks to all who attended the January 22 RCA meeting. The first agenda item was an opportunity for Q&A with Mayor Gaskins, who addressed topics including the upcoming special elections to fill vacancies in the state Senate and House of Delegates. Additionally, the membership voted to adopt a further resolution regarding the potential removal of parking along Braddock Road as part of a proposed City project; specifically, by a vote of 61-12 (with 3 abstentions), the adopted position is that the RCA opposes the removal of spaces between Mount Vernon Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, in addition to the previously-adopted opposition to their removal between Commonwealth Avenue and Russell Road. For more information about the project - which is tentatively to be considered by the Traffic and Parking Board on February 23 - please see https://www.alexandriava.gov/transportation-planning/project/braddock-road-trail-access-and-corridor-improvements. We expect to provide additional updates as the meeting date is finalized and more information made public.

Special Election

Alexandria will hold a special election on February 10 to fill vacancies in state senate district 39 and state house district 5. For Senate, the candidates are Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D) and Julie Lineberry (R). For House, the candidates are Kirk McPike (D) and Marvin Butler (R). Early voting is available from January 31 through February 7. For more information, please visit https://www.alexandriava.gov/Elections.

As McPike’s resignation from the City Council effective February 9 leaves a vacancy on City Council, the effort to fill that seat could potentially be coordinated with a statewide referendum on congressional redistricting which is likely to occur on April 21.

Neighborhood Businesses

The RCA website includes a list of physical businesses in the neighborhood (https://tinyurl.com/437mu8mx) but we would like to expand it to include home-based businesses, as well as businesses owned by Rosemonters even if located outside of the neighborhood. If you would like to be added, please email us at mailto: jol@thirdamendment.com.

Rosemont Cellar Menu

The Rosemont Cellar (formerly Grape + Bean) wants to hear from YOU on what they can add to their grocery collection! Maybe something they used to sell but disappeared, or else something entirely new. Their contact form is available at https://www.rosemontcellar.com/contact-us .

PELT Committee

First year of RCA’s Adopt-a-Park was a success!

Back in April 2025, Rosemont joined Alexandria’s Adopt-A-Park program. Adopt-A-Park is a grant program of the State of Virginia to encourage municipal governments to partner with residents to maintain public parks. The Rosemont Citizens Association promised the City that we would keep the tennis court at Oak and Marsteller Street and the playground at Hooff’s Run Park clean and litter-free.

Two teams of Rosemont volunteers, led by Chuck Kalbacher and Beth Hickey did just that—and did it very well. Every week since April, the volunteers picked up litter and reported any problems to the City.

Since this is a government program, of course there is a reporting requirement and an evaluation process. Each month Chuck and Beth reported the time spent by the volunteers in maintaining the parks. Also, each month, a city inspector visited the parks and graded them in terms of cleanliness.

We just got the report card for our first year: a solid A grade! Here’s best part: the City just awarded the RCA $828 for the work done by the volunteers to keep the park clean and litter free. Those funds can now be used to by the RCA to enhance some of Rosemont’s public spaces or finance other activities that benefit the Rosemont community.

The RCA Board will discuss the possibilities, but one thing is for sure: we will continue to participate in the Adopt-A-Park program. In the coming year, we hope to adopt the basketball court at the southern end of Hooff’s Run Park. If you are interested in volunteering for the Adopt-A-Park program, send an email to rosemont-board@googlegroups.com.

Thanks to all the Rosemont volunteers who made Adopt-A-Park a success!

Resources from Alexandria Sheriff’s Office

The Alexandria Sheriff’s office offers a house-watching service (https://www.alexandriava.gov/sheriff/away-from-home-check). Additionally, the Sheriff continue to offer “Project Lifesaver” to help track adults and children with special needs (https://www.alexandriava.gov/sheriff/project-lifesaver).