THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 10, 1995 TAG: 9501100336
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Lenious G. Bond, former Park Place Civic League president, community leader and a lifelong Norfolk resident, died in his home Sunday after a long illness.
Bond, 75, spent more than a decade of his retirement unifying and leading the residents of his community, Park Place, and more than 25 years working to better Norfolk.
After Bond moved to Park Place in 1979, he and others fought to revive the economy of the low-income neighborhood and to rid the area of criminals who threatened its future.
His efforts proved to the city that Park Place should be saved, residents said.
``Because of his leadership, the city decided to revitalize Park Place,'' said Thelma Harrison, who succeeded Bond as civic league president. ``Nothing was happening until we got him to become our leader.''
Bond was born Jan. 29, 1919, and was raised in Huntersville. He lived in Brambleton and Colonial Place before moving to Park Place.
Bond retired as a stockman for the Naval Supply Center in 1963 because of sight problems that eventually left him nearly blind.
As a Brambleton resident, Bond led several urban revitalization projects, including the Southeastern Tidewater Opportunity Project and Norfolk's Model Cities Commission.
David Rice, executive director of the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, first met Bond in 1968 on the Model Cities Commission.
``He was a very orderly and sensitive man who understood how to run meetings,'' Rice said. ``I think he was a very positive influence on the model city effort.''
Much later, Rice worked with Bond when Park Place had fallen into jeopardy.
``I think he certainly had an influence in re-enthusing the city into knowing it had to do something about Park Place,'' Rice said. ``He was always a gentleman, and I think he had a lot of respect from the people in the neighborhood and in the city.''
A funeral service is scheduled for noon Thursday at St. John A.M.E., 545 E. Bute St.
``He was a very good civic leader,'' Harrison said. ``The community will miss him.'' by CNB