FOUR MILE RUN WORKSHOP REMARKS

FOUR MILE RUN WORKSHOP REMARKS
GLENN EUGSTER 5/5/01

GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME TO THE BRICHMERE.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE ARE HOLDING THIS FORUM ON FOUR MILE RUN HERE.

HOW MANY OF YOU FREQUENT THIS PLACE?
I WAS EXCITED WHEN THE BIRCHMERE RELOCATED HERE AND IMPROVED ITS FACILITY AND MUSICAL MENU.

FOR MANY PEOPLE THIS PLACE RECONNECTS PEOPLE WITH MUSIC--A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LISTEN TO GREAT MUSIC WIHTIN A HUMAN-SCALE QUALITY ENVIRONMENT.

I ALSO WAS EXCITED TO SEE THE BRICHMERE OWNERS USE THIS BUILDING FOR THIS USE. THEY COULD HAVE GONE TO THE SUBURBS BUT THEY STAYED HERE AND ARE HELPING WITH AN EXCITING REGENERATION THAT IS TAKING PLACE ALONG MT. VERNON AVE. THEIR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING THE COMMUNITY WITH MUSIC--AND FOOD, IS EVIDENT.
LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THE BIRCHMERE, ESPECIALLY RICHARD NEWTON, THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR THEIR GOOD WORK AND SUPPORT FOR FOUR MILE RUN.

OUR MEETING TODAY IS ALSO ABOUT RECONNECTING. THIS WORKSHOP IS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES RECONNECTING WITH FOUR MILE RUN--THE STREAM, ITS LIVING RESOURCES IT'S WATERSHED, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK OR RECREATE IN THE WATERSHED.

IT'S ABOUT CONNECTING WITH NATURE, CULTURE AND THE ECONOMY.

THE FOUR MILE RUN WORKSHOP IS VIEWED BY MANY AS ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN HELP THIS PORTION OF NORTHERN VA REGENERATE ECOLOGICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY.

THIS IS A FORUM TO DISCUSS WHERE WE, AND THIS WATERSHED, HAVE BEEN, ARE NOW AND WANT TO BE IN THE FUTURE.

WE DESIGNED THIS DISCUSSION TODAY TO EMPHASIZE AND RESPECT A NUMBER OF PERSPECTIVES:
FIRST, THIS DISCUSSION IS INTENDED TO FIND WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE, HELP THEMSELVES TO REGENERATE THE ECOLOGY AND ECONOMY OF THE WATERSHED. GOVERNMENT IS HERE, BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT A FEDERAL OR COMMONWEALTH INITIATIVE--IT'S INTENDED TO BE COMMUNITY-LEAD AND LOCAL, LOCAL, LOCAL.

SECOND, WE DESIGNED THE FORUM TO HAVE A DIALOGUE ABOUT THE RUN, ITS VALUES, PROBLEMS AND OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE. WE RECOGNIZE THAT ALL OF YOU ARE EXPERTS AND THAT WE HAVE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. EVERYONE IS PART OF THE DIALOGUE!

THIRD, FOUR MILE RUN HAS ITS PROBLEMS AND THE IDEAS WE WILL DISCUSS TODAY WILL ENCOUNTER MANY OBSTACLES IN THE FUTURE. HOWEVER, AS YOU RE-VISION THE FOUR MILE RUN-WORLD REMEMBER WHAT SHAUN MCNIFF WRITES IN HIS WONDERFUL BOOK--TRUST THE PROCESS. HE SAYS THAT "WHAT DISTURBS YOU THE MOST MAY HAVE THE MOST

TO OFFER IN YOUR CREATIVE EXPRESSION".
WEV'E DONE OUR BEST TO DESIGN THIS FORUM CREATIVELY. WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES:
b A MOVIE,
bTIM COLLINS FROM THE STUDIO FOR CREATIVE INQUIRY AT CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY IN PITTSBURGH,
bDON WAYE OF THE NORTHERN VA REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION,
bMUSIC AND A SONG ABOUT FOUR MILE RUN,
b THE FOUR MILE RUN EXPERIENCE,
AND ALL OF YOU TO SHARE YOUR VALUES, CONCERNS AND VISION FOR FOUR MILE RUN.

THANKS FOR COMING OUT THIS MORNING. MAY WE LEAVE THIS WATERSHED HEALTHIER THAN WE FOUND IT!





“I COUNT IT ONE OF THE LUCKIEST THINGS IN LIFE TO HAVE BEEN BORN WITHIN REACH OF A RIVER VALLEY; NOT IN IT, NOR ABOVE IT, BUT JUST SO FAR REMOVED FROM IT THAT IT NEVER BECAME TOO FAMILIAR A SIGHT AND NEVER QUITE CEASED TO BE A WONDER”.
“DOWN BY THE RIVER” BY H.E. BATES