A memorandum of understanding was signed by the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Friends of Fairfax Archaeology (FOFA) on Tuesday, March 15, 2011. The agreement formalizes FOFA's ongoing support of archaeological and cultural resource protection and education activities within Fairfax County in cooperation with the Park Authority.

Founded in 2009, FOFA works to publicize and expand volunteer opportunities for residents to participate in and contribute to archaeology and historical conservation in Fairfax County communities. Among other projects, FOFA currently supports the archaeological dig taking place at Old Colchester in Lorton, VA.

Pictured in the photo are Fairfax County Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr. and FOFA President Sallie Lyons. Behind them are Resource Management Division Director Cindy Walsh; FOFA Vice-President Paula Elsey; Cultural Resource Protection Branch Manager Dr. Elizabeth Crowell; and Jerry Lyons of Lysonshare Studios.

Young men from Boy Scout Troop 856 were present at the March 9, 2011 meeting of the Park Authority Board at the Herrity Building in Fairfax, VA, as Board members were sworn in. Clerk of the Court John Frey administered the oath of office.

Troop 856, sponsored by Springfield United Methodist Church, was represented by Russell Cestone, Daniel Carballo, Eric Schmidtlein, Pourash Bhandari, John Waters, Eric Weiler, Sasha Thurman, Ned Cooley, Michael Dunning, Clayton Mottley, Jonathan Cooke, and Tony Quispe. Accompanying the troop was Merit Badge Counselor Paul Helt, Scout Master Mike Cooley, Assistant Scout Masters Paul Cestone and Renee Carballo, and Treasurer Cindy Schmidtlein.

Five members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board were sworn in last Wednesday night by Fairfax County Clerk of the Court John Frey. Members of the Park Board are appointed by the Board of Supervisors to four-year terms.

Taking the oath of office was: Anthony Vellucci, Braddock District park representative; Kala Quintana, At-large member of the Board; Linwood Gorham, representing Mount Vernon District; Frank Vajda, Board secretary and Mason District representative; and Harold Pyon, representing the Springfield District.

There are 12 members of the Board. These 12 appointees are comprised of one representative from each of the nine magisterial districts, plus three at-large members. The board sets policy and establishes priorities for the park agency. For more information contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

Local officials, historians, and members of the community joined Fairfax County Park Authority staff on Saturday, November 13, 2010, for a ribbon cutting ceremony on a new four-panel interpretive display at Mason Neck West Park in Lorton, Va. The display commemorates the Washington Rochambeau armies' passage through Fairfax County and encampment at Colchester.

The commemorative display provides information on the combined Continental and French armies as they passed through Colchester in September 1781, during a 450-mile march southward from White Plains, NY to the decisive battle of the Revolutionary War at Yorktown, Va. The display was conceived by the Lorton Heritage Society; designed pro bono by Jerry Lyons of Lyonshare Studios, LLC, with advisement by Dr. Robert Selig, national historian for the W3R National Historic Trail; and funded by the Fairfax County Park Authority.

Mason Neck West Park is part of the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3) National Historic Trail designated by Congress in 2009. The park is located at 10418 Old Colchester Road in Lorton, Va.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: William Price, Fairfax Resolves Chapter, Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR); Jack Sweeney, president, Fairfax Resolves Chapter, Virginia Society, SAR; Joe Chudzik; Fairfax County Park Authority Resource Management Division Director Cindy Walsh; Park Authority Cultural Resource and Protection Branch Manager Dr. Elizabeth Crowell; Lorton Heritage Society President Irma Clifton; Jerry Lyons, Lyonshare Studios, LLC; Christine Morin, representative from Mount Vernon Supervisor Gerry Hyland's office; and Park Authority John Dargle, Jr.

For more information, please contact the Fairfax County Park Authority Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

Local officials gathered with members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board, youth sports representatives, and others on Saturday, November 13, 2010, to mark the official opening of Arrowbrook Park. Numerous speakers reflected on how cooperation, persistence, and partnerships can accomplish great things for the community.

The 23-acre park, part of the planned Arrowbrook Centre mixed-use development, was proffered to the Park Authority in 2005. The centerpiece of Arrowbrook Park is a state-of-the art, lighted, synthetic-turf athletic field. But the park also includes a creative playground, two lighted tennis courts, a basketball court, a field-sized picnic pavilion, along with the Park Authority's first bocce court.

The property on which Arrowbrook Park was built originally belonged to Hal and Ruth Launders who purchased the land shortly after WWII and established Arrowhead Farm. The couple was active in the community for over a half century. Their community spirit continues to impact the area through the efforts of The Hal and Ruth Launders Charitable Trust. The Launders Pavilion in Arrowbrook Park is named in their honor.

Arrowbrook Park is located at 2351 Field Point Road in Herndon, Va.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Fairfax County Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Hunter Mill District Planning Commissioner Frank de la Fe; Town of Herndon Councilmember Grace Han Wolf; Town of Herndon Councilmember Sheila Olem; Launders Trustee Jerome Lonnes; Launders Trustee Rebecca Fehrs; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Winnie Shapiro, Braddock; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Jeffrey Fairfield, co-manager, Arrowbrook Centre, LLC; Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins; Town of Herndon Councilmember Jasbinder Singh; Rich Uhrig, president, Reston Soccer, Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; Steven Geyer, board member, Herndon Youth Soccer; and Town of Herndon Mayor Steven DeBenedittus.

For more information, please contact the Fairfax County Park Authority Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

On Saturday, November 5, 2010, county and state officials gathered with members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board, youth sports enthusiasts, and neighbors to mark the completion of a synthetic turf field conversion project at Linway Terrace Park in McLean, VA. A ceremonial ribbon was cut and speakers reflected on the importance of partnerships and finding creative ways to meet the recreational needs of an active community.

The rectangular field, which had suffered from overuse before being converted to synthetic turf, now provides a safe, level, weather resistant playing surface that requires less maintenance. The $840,000 capital improvement project was funded by the McLean Youth Soccer Association and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors' Mini Grant program, which is administered by the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services. The project also included installation of bleacher and bench pads, installation of goal posts, the addition of a fully-accessible asphalt trail, improved field drainage, and landscaping.

The field at Linway Terrace Park marks the 23rd field to be converted to synthetic turf in the past few years. Through innovative partnerships throughout the community, the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Fairfax County Athletic Council continue to address the existing shortage of rectangular fields in the county.

Linway Terrace Park is located at 6246 Linway Terrace in McLean, VA.

Pictured in the back row behind McLean Youth Soccer players, from left to right, are Fairfax County Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; Fairfax County Athletic Council Chairman Harold Leff; Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust; Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay, Dranesville; Delegate Barbara J. Comstock, VA-34th District; and McLean Youth Soccer Board Member John von Seggern.

Two pigs raised at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon won blue ribbons at the Virginia State Fair livestock competition in Doswell, Virginia held last month. Splash placed first in the Mature Division, and Rhino claimed the blue ribbon in the Market Division at the fair. Both pigs are Yorkshire cross breeds. Frying Pan Farm Park placed fourth overall in the Market Division.

Judges evaluate each animal on their soundness in structure, muscling, body fat, width, frame size and general appearance. Spectators noted Frying Pan's animals were well-treated and well-behaved in the show ring.

"I was very pleased with our pigs, but especially happy with the farm staff. They were true professionals and really made Frying Pan and the Park Authority proud," said Tawny Hammond, Frying Pan Farm Park Manager. "They put Frying Pan on the map. It was pretty neat. No one knew who I was, and I heard people commenting all day about our display and animals," said Hammond.

Pictured in the photo from left to right are Frying Pan Farm Park staffers Nicole Falceto and Jake Bruton.

The new synthetic turf field at Pine Ridge Park in Annandale officially opened this past weekend, as officials, community leaders and players gathered to celebrate and to use the new field as well as the new lighting systems. The $2.2 million project provided the new playing surface as well as athletic field lighting for six diamond and rectangular fields in the park.

Pictured from left to right are players from the Braddock Road Youth Club on either side, Project Manager Eric Brunner from the Fairfax County Park Authority, Mason District Park Authority Board Member Frank Vajda, Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Sharon Bulova, former Head Commissioner of the Fairfax Women's Soccer Association Ruth Walton, and Rose Purple, Chairman of the Pine Ridge Park Association. Members of the community were acknowledged for this hard work to preserve this property many years ago when it was threatened by development.

The Fairfax County Park Foundation recently received a grant for $5,000 from the McLean Community Foundation (MCF) to fund the replacement of a deteriorated and unsafe playground at Bryn Mawr Park located at 6700 Tennyson Drive in McLean, VA. Area 1 crew members completed the installation of the new equipment including a small plaque recognizing the generous contribution.

The McLean Community Foundation has a rich tradition of giving including a $1,000 gift for the Liberty Swing at Clemyjontri Park, a very special playground where children with disabilities can play side-by-side with other children. More significantly, MCF funded the Fitness ‘n' Fun quadrant of Clemyjontri Park. That $50,000 grant ranked among the largest single grants in the McLean Community Foundation's 28-year history.

Pictured from left to right: John Vogt, MCF Treasurer; Demetra Matthews, MCF Secretary; Ed Busenlehner, Park Authority, Area 1 Manager; MCF President, Pamela Danner; Gary Filerman, MCF Trustee; Bobbi Longworth, Fairfax County Park Foundation Executive Director; and MCF Trustee Toni MacAulay.

For more information on how you can support our local parks, contact the Park Foundation at 703-324-8581 or visit the web site.

The Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved a resolution honoring the Boy Scouts of America in celebration of its 100th anniversary. Fairfax Scout Troop 187 accepted the resolution at the board's September 22, 2010 meeting. Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie thanked the scouts for the hundreds and hundreds of volunteer hours they have contributed over the years.

Troop 187, sponsored by the Fairfax United Methodist Church in the City of Fairfax, is one of the oldest troops in Northern Virginia and was established prior to World War II. The troop has produced over 100 Eagle Scouts, and all the boys in attendance are scheduled to reach that rank before they turn 18. Troop 187 participates in high adventure programs such as hiking in the Rockies, sailing in the Bahamas, or canoeing in the boundary waters between Canada and United States. They also perform a number of service projects in the parks each year.

Pictured from left to right in the photo are Troop Leader David Meyer, Timothy Farr, John Andrew Carter, Elliot Meyer, Ryan Brennan, Joe Talbert, Kevin Carney, and Assistant Scout Master Julia Farr.

The Fourth of July presented a grand opportunity for community celebrations including a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new playground at Kings Park Park in Springfield, VA. Many neighborhood children and families gathered on the new playground apparatus to mark the occasion joining (pictured from left to right) State Senator Dick Saslaw, 35th District, Virginia, Tessie Wilson, Vice Chair, Fairfax County School Board, Winnie Shapiro, Braddock District Representative, Park Authority Board, Braddock District Supervisor John Cook, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and Kayleen Fitzgerald, President of the Kings Park Civic Association.

The multi-faceted project included construction of a new school age playground and relocation of two existing swing sets and an existing piece of tot playground equipment to the area adjacent the new playground. The Park Authority also constructed an ADA-compliant trail, with accessible parking, connected existing trails in the park and installed a tennis practice backboard at the existing tennis court. Total project costs were approximately $200,000 and were funded through Park Bonds and VDOT Hot Lanes mitigation funding.

Fairfax County Park Foundation Board Vice-Chair Kathryn Ward presented a check for $125,109 to Fairfax County Park Authority Board Vice-Chair Harrison Glasgow and Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr. at the Park Authority Board meeting on June 23, 2010. The funds are dedicated to 21 different park projects including:

• $51,553 for the Liberty Swing at Clemyjontri Park (The Foundation has raised a total of $78,805 for this specially-designed swing for children in wheelchairs.)
• $14,530 to support Arts in the Parks children's concert series
• $10,820 for the Open Space Land Preservation Fund
• $10,637 for the Class Scholarship Fund
• $10,557 for PACT summer camp scholarships for children in homeless shelters
• $9,679 for Rec-PAC summer camp scholarships for children eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches (The Foundation funded 674 scholarship weeks in FY2010)
• $5,483 for annual Park Authority volunteer recognition and awards
• $3,315 in commemorative tree and bench donations

The Park Foundation, a 501C3 nonprofit charitable organization, supports the Park Authority by raising private funds, obtaining grants and creating partnerships that supplement tax dollars to meet the community's needs for parkland, facilities and services. The Foundation transferred a total of $370,829 to the Park Authority in fiscal year 2010.

Pictured in the photo from left to right are Management Analyst II Gerald Zavala, Fairfax County Park Foundation; Executive Director Paul Baldino, Park Foundation; Vice-Chair Harrison Glasgow, Fairfax County Park Authority Board; Vice-Chair Kathryn Ward, Park Foundation Board; and Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.

It's all about connectivity and helping the public to get from point A to point B without using a car. Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Park Authority Board and staff from the Park Authority and the Department of Transportation as well as residents and bicyclists dedicated the Wolf Trap Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge last Saturday. The County Transportation Bond, approved in November 2007, included funding for this bridge and a 120 linear foot section of eight feet wide asphalt trail.

The $85.500 project was part of the County's Comprehensive Bicycle Initiative and enhances connectivity in the Vienna/Tysons area. The bridge is located near Peace Baptist Church at 8221 Wolf Trap Road in Vienna between the existing Park Authority trail and the cul de sac of Wolf Trap Road.

Pictured from left to right are Kerie Hitt, Bruce Wright, members of Fairfax Advocated for Better Bicycling, Jenifer Madden, Hunter Mill District representative on the Transportation Advisory Committee, Jeff Hermann, transportation planner, Fairfax County Department of Transportation, David Bowden, director, Park Planning and Development, Park Authority Board Member Ken Quincy, Providence District rep, Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Special Project Manager Kirk Holley, Fairfax County Park Authority, two unnamed attendees and Project Manager John Kormos, Fairfax County Park Authority.

Friends and family gathered at Spring Hill Park in McLean earlier this week to remember Coach Phil Chisholm and to name a field in his honor. Chisholm, a longtime coach, manager and board member of McLean Little League and McLean Great Falls Babe Ruth League, passed away last October. On April 14, 2010, at the request of the McLean Little League Board of Directors, the Park Authority Board unanimously approved the naming of Field #1 in his honor.

A tabletop facsimile of the larger field sign was unveiled. Pictured from right to left are Paul Shiffman, former president of McLean Little League, Inc., Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, Sandy, John and Michael Chisholm and Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay, Dranesville District representative.

Representatives from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Fairfax County Park Authority staff, members of the Friends of Green Spring and guests gathered under the shade of a willow oak tree outside the historic manor house at Green Spring Gardens on Saturday, June 12, 2010 to commemorate a new historic highway marker that celebrates the collaboration of two American masters of design, Walter Macomber and Beatrix Farrand. Their work, conducted in 1942, is showcased in the site's 1784 brick house and surrounding gardens.

Green Spring is the only known place where both Macomber's and Farrand's work is extant. Macomber, a restoration architect for Colonial Williamsburg and Mount Vernon, completed a Colonial Revival rehabilitation of the buildings. Farrand designed the gardens which feature her trademark clarity of outline and transition from formal to informal landscapes.

Over 2,200 markers now dot the highways and byways of Virginia. Started in 1927, it is designed to promote tourism and foster an appreciation for Virginia's rich history.

Pictured in the photo from left to right are Historic House Committee Chairman Dorothea Stahl; Historic House Coordinator Debbie Waugh; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Historic House Program volunteer, Lynne Glasser; Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross; Green Spring Gardens Manager Mary Olien; and Architectural Historian Joanna Evans, Northern Regional Preservation Office of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

On Saturday, June 5, 2010, the Fairfax County Park Authority, members of the Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts (MORE), local officials and scores of volunteers gathered to mark the 18th annual National Trails Day and to break ground and begin work on new sustainable trails at Lake Fairfax Park. This workday and celebration was one of 1,500 events held nationwide.

Pictured from left to right are: trail volunteers and members of MORE, Doug Pew, Trails and Sidewalks Committee member (Hunter Mill District), Park Authority Board Member Frank Vajda (Mason District), Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie, local scouts, Advocacy Chairman Frank Raiti, MORE and Park Authority Trail Manager Liz Cronauer.

Trail enthusiasts got to work on Phase 1 development of the Lake Fairfax Sustainable Natural Surface Trail System. This project will eventually add two miles of sustainable natural trail, two bridges and includes the reclamation of 1,200 linear feet of non-sustainable trail in Lake Fairfax Park.

Since 1993, National Trails Day, sponsored by the American Hiking Society, has inspired thousands of individuals and community groups to take part in activities that promote healthy living, protect green space and instill an appreciation for trails. The Park Authority has more than 300 miles of trail in its care. For more information about local trails contact the Park Authority at 703-324-8702 or visit us online.

Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board and the Founders, Benefactors, Supervisors and Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park joined park staff, equestrian enthusiasts and community members for a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the official opening of new equestrian facilities at Frying Pan Farm Park on Saturday, May 22, 2010.

After many years of planning, local equestrians now have new state-of-the-art facilities at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon. The 2004 Park Bond program included funding for construction of new horse stables. The Park Authority Board approved the project scope for the improvements in the fall of 2007 which included a 90-stall horse stable, a 60-stall horse stable, manure shed, gravel parking area for horse trailers, a warm-up riding ring and the demolition of four existing stables. The work was completed in November 2009, by general contractor Hammerhead Construction Company of Sterling, VA. The total project cost was $3.4 million.

Frying Pan Park is home to Kidwell Farm, a working model farm typical of farms found in Fairfax County in the early 20th-century. Also at Frying Pan are a Visitor Center, museum, rental facilities, picnic pavilion, country store, school house, nature trails, 18th century Baptist Meeting House, indoor and outdoor riding arenas, and an equestrian trail.

Pictured in the photo from left to right and flanked by riders from the SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program are Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Frank Vajda, Mason District; Sully District Supervisor Michael Frye; Fairfax4Horses President Beverly Dickerson; Park Advocate Robin Rentsch; President of the Founders, Benefactors, Supervisors (FBSF) and Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park Jack Pitzer; At-large Park Authority Board Member Harry Glasow; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins; Anne Pearson, FBSF; Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie, Hunter Mill; Park Authority Board Member Ken Quincy, Providence; At-large Park Authority Board Member George Lovelace; Cathy Blewett, FBSF; Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.; Ben Peck, FBSF; and Frying Pan Farm Park Manager Tawny Hammond.

On Monday, May 24, 2010, representatives from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Park Authority Board gathered with park staff and youth and adult sports enthusiasts for a brief ceremony marking the installation of new state-of-the-art field lighting at Rolling Valley West Park in Burke.

The former lighting system was installed in 1981, and last January a single pole toppled over during high winds. In response, the Park Authority decided to replace the entire 22-pole lighting system. Total construction costs were just over $500,000, and work was completed by Lighting Maintenance, Inc. of Linthicum, MD.

Rolling Valley West, a 21-acre park located at 6512 Sydenstricker Road in Burke, features two rectangular fields and one 65-foot diamond field, a basketball court, tennis courts, a playground and picnic areas.

Pictured in the photo from left to right are members of the Christian Fellowship Softball league; Springfield Supervisor Pat Herrity; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Fairfax County Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Harold Pyon, Springfield; Michael Thompson, Jr., Burke Athletic Club and Springfield Representative to the Fairfax County Athletic Council; and Project Manager Eric Brunner.

Sully Historic Site and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Washington Field Office, held their second Children's Citizenship ceremony at this historic venue in Chantilly, VA. USCIS Washington District Director Sarah Taylor administered a special Oath of Allegiance and presented the 25 children from 14 nations with certificates of citizenship.

Sully District Supervisor Michael Frey and Park Authority Board Chairman William Bouie offered congratulatory remarks. Sully is a Virginia Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, built in 1794 by Richard Bland Lee, Northern Virginia's first representative to Congress. Staff at the Fairfax County Park Authority's site also conducted cooking demonstrations as well as providing tours of the house and period games to play.

Pictured in the photo are some of the children taking the special Oath of Allegiance before receiving their certificates of citizenship.

There are newly completed picnic shelters along the shore of Lake Fairfax Park that were officially opened last weekend. Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Park Authority Board and other dignitaries gathered to cut the ribbon and officially open these new, highly sought-after pavilions.

The half-million dollar project, funded by the 2008 Park Bond, provides two large picnic shelters, each with an 88-person capacity and two large grills; one catering station for the large picnic shelters; two small picnic shelters, each with a 60-person capacity, one grill and catering station, as well as concrete access ways and walks.

Pictured from left to right are: Fairfax County Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.; Planning and Development Division Director Dave Bowden; Fairfax County Park Authority Board member George Lovelace, At-large; Project Manager Heather Lynch; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins; Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie, Hunter Mill; Lee District RECenter Manager Marcellous Cooper; Park Services Division Operations Manager Brian Laws; and Lake Fairfax Park Supervisor John McCarthy.

The Fairfax County Park Authority opened a new playground at Royal Lake Park in Fairfax on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Local officials, family members, friends and neighbors gathered near Katie's Playground's swings, slides, benches and plantings for a ribbon cutting ceremony and sign unveiling. Joe Thelin and Tara Mooney created the Katie Thelin Children's Charity in 2009 to raise funds for the playground to honor the memory of Katherine Rose Thelin, their daughter who died at birth in 2008.

The family partnered with the Park Authority and Park Foundation to construct the playground. The Thelin Charity contributed over $22,000 of the total project cost of $40,000. GameTime, a playground equipment manufacturer, also provided funding through a matching funds program.

Pictured in the ribbon cutting photo from left to right alongside neighborhood children, well-wishers and family are Fairfax County Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie, Hunter Mill; Fairfax County Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Fairfax County Park Foundation Executive Director Paul Baldino; Park Authority Board Member Winnie Shapiro, Braddock; Senator Chap Peterson, 34th Dist.; Braddock District Supervisor John Cook; Tara Mooney; Joe Thelin; and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova.

Pictured in the sign unveiling photo from left to right are Carrie Lawson, M.D., Women's Health Corp; Fairfax County Park Foundation Executive Director Paul Baldino; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Winnie Shapiro, Braddock; Braddock District Supervisor John Cook; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Joe Thelin; Tara Mooney; and Jeanine McGrath, RN, CCE, CD (DONA), Holy Cross Hospital.

Members of the community joined officials in the unveiling of a new cultural resource site marker in McLean, VA. The historic site, located on the south side of Lewinsville Road between Hardison Lane and Stony Point Court, includes the cellar and a foundation of the homestead of Alfred Odrick, a former slave and carpenter.

Odrick purchased 30 acres of land from the Gunnell family on the south side of Lewinsville Road, which he cleared and farmed. He first built a log cabin and then a two-story frame home for his family of six. He was instrumental in the construction of Odrick School, a one-room school house built on land next to his property in 1879. The school was also used for community meetings and the first services of Shiloh Baptist Church. During the development of the Bellmeade subdivision archaeological investigations uncovered the Odrick house remains.

The developer agreed to donate land to the County for park purposes and contribute $1000 for an interpretive sign. The Lewinsville Coalition contributed $500 towards the marker costs. For more information about this historic marker contact Jane Edmondson in the office of Supervisor Foust at 703-356-0551.

Pictured from left to right are Dr. Elizabeth Crowell, Cultural Resource Division, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay, Lewinsville Coalition President Irv Auerbach and Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Family Recreation Area and Our Special Harbor Spray Park were held on Saturday, April 24, at Lee District Park in Franconia. Local officials and Fairfax County Park Authority Board members gathered with Fairfax County Park Foundation representatives, the Pizzano family and park staff to mark the start of construction on this unique project. The family recreation area is an activity complex unlike anything else in Fairfax County. It will be a magical place that brings families together with old-fashioned and modern play elements that are accessible to everyone.

Phase I of the family recreation area will include an accessible tree house overlooking a forest and stream valley and a spray park providing a safe and fun place to stay cool on hot summer days. Future features of the family recreation area will include an accessible playground where children of all abilities can play, an accessible carousel and a picnic area with shelters.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Fairfax County Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Paola and Robert Pizzano and children; Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay; Fairfax Couty Park Authority Board Member Ed Batten, Sr., Lee; Former Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman and son; Planning Commissioner Rodney Lusk and daughter; Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie, Hunter Mill; Fairfax County Park Foundation Executive Director Paul Baldino; Fairfax County Park Foundation Board Chairman Craig Stevens; Mark Wilkinson, President, Paddock Pools; and Park Authority Board Member Frank Vajda, Mason;

The project is being funded by Lee District Land and Development funds, the 2008 Park Bond, and donations to the Park Foundation. The Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children with special needs, has committed to building the Spray Park. The total cost for the first phase of the project is anticipated to be $2,175,000. For more information about this project call the Park Foundation at 703-324-8581 or visit them online.

The carousel was spinning and the putts were dropping as the Fairfax County Park Authority marked Lake Accotink Park's 50th anniversary with free amusements on Saturday, April 24, 2010 in Springfield. Local officials and Park Authority Board members gathered with park staff and neighbors for cake and brief remarks. The park's vital role as a gathering place for the surrounding communities was a common theme in the speeches and comments.

Illustrating the impact the park has on people's lives was a new commemorative community quilt on display. The quilt, made from five-inch squares of decorated paper submitted by school children and other community members, expresses what Lake Accotink Park means to them through drawings, words, photos, paintings and collage.

After leasing the land around Lake Accotink from the federal government for five years, the Park Authority purchased the land in 1965 at a reduced rate under the Land to Parks program.

The park's 493 acres include a 55-acre lake, wetlands, and streams offering unique views of waterfowl and marsh life. The Cross County Trail traces the lake's eastern shore, linking to Wakefield Park to the north and to the newly opened Accotink Stream Valley Trail to the south.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Area 7 Manager John Hopkins; Fairfax County Park Authority Board (PAB) Member Frank Vajda, Mason; Chet McLaren, Friends of Lake Accotink Park; PAB Member Winnie Shapiro, Braddock; Former Lake Accotink Park Manager Tawny Hammond; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Braddock District Supervisor John Cook; Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay; PAB Member Harold Pyon, Springfield; Lake Accotink Park Supervisor Julie Tahan; and Heather Bouley.

Lake Accotink Park is located at 7500 Accotink Park Road in Springfield, VA.

The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail between Great Falls National Park and Algonkian Regional Park in Loudoun County was officially completed with the opening of a new, 90-foot steel frame bridge over Clarks Branch in Riverbend Park, a Fairfax County Park Authority property. Local officials and Park Authority representatives gathered with community members to cut the ribbon on the new bridge on Saturday, April 17.

Clarks Branch Bridge is six feet wide and will accommodate pedestrians, equestrians and mountain bikers. Designed by Bowman Consulting Group of Chantilly, VA and built by Harbor Dredge and Dock of Richmond, VA, the total project cost was $426,069. The three-year project included $30,000 in funding from the National Park Service for initial hydrology and feasibility studies and another $30,000 for archaeological studies. Funding for design and construction of the bridge was included in citizen approved park bonds in 2006 and 2008.

The bridge is located more than one mile from the nearest paved road in a forest containing globally rare plant associations and an archaeological site rich in Native American artifacts. Due to the sensitivity of the site, great care was taken to protect the area during construction.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Matt Tauscher, Bowman Consulting; Riverbend Park Manager Marty Smith; National Park Service Superintendent Donald E. Briggs; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Supervisor John Foust, Dranesville; Trail Program Manager Elizabeth Cronauer; Robin Rentsch and her dog Jesse, Great Falls Trail Blazers; Fairfax County Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay, Dranesville.

John Frey, Clerk to the Court, administered the oath of office to George Lovelace, at-large member of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board. The swearing in took place on Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Lovelace was originally appointed to the Park Authority Board by then-chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Gerald Connolly in January 2004 to fill a vacant seat. He was subsequently reappointed in 2005 to another four-year term. Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova reappointed Lovelace for an additional four-year term in December 2009.

Lovelace is a well-known local elected official, community activist and current member of the Vienna Town Council. Lovelace was elected to a term in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1996 and served with distinction. In 1976, he co-founded the Malcolm-Windover Heights Civic Association and served as president until 1980. He subsequently served in appointed positions as chairman of the Vienna Planning Commission, a member of the Fairfax County Planning Commission, a member of the Fairfax County Small Business Commission and a member of the Virginia Regional Planning Commission.

The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has 12 appointees comprised of one representative from each of the nine magisterial districts, plus three at-large members. The board sets policy and establishes priorities for the park agency. The board holds public meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the Herrity Building, adjacent to the Government Center Complex.

Lynn Tadlock, Claude Moore Charitable Foundation's Deputy Executive Director, presented a check for $10,000 to the Park Foundation in support of the Parks and Community Together (PACT) program at the Park Authority Board meeting this past Wednesday, March 10, 2010. For the past two years, the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation has contributed to ensure children residing in Fairfax County homeless shelters have a chance to attend summer camp.

The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation was established in 1987 by the late Dr. Claude Moore, a successful physician and Northern Virginia landowner. The vision of the Foundation is to instigate programs and partnerships that increase academic competence and encourage leadership abilities, with an emphasis on the underprivileged.

Since 1997, the PACT program, in partnership with the county's homeless shelters, generous private sector sponsors and local grant makers, has provided summer fun and education for 404 children between the age of 3 and 15. Last summer, PACT successfully integrated 37 children from local shelters into Fairfax County Park Authority camp programs. Program partners include Alexandria's Mondloch House, Falls Church's Shelter House, Fairfax's Bethany Home, Lutheran Social Services serving local area shelters, Northern Virginia's Nova Family Services, New Hope Housing, and Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services, both of Alexandria.

Pictured above is Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie, Lynn Tadlock, representing the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation and Park Foundation Executive Director Paul Baldino.

At the February 24, 2010 Fairfax County Park Authority Board meeting, members of the Fairfax County Park Foundation's Board of Directors presented a check to the Park Authority Board in the amount of $150,990.66. These funds are dedicated to 23 different Park Authority projects. The non-profit Fairfax County Park Foundation supports programs and projects in local parks that require additional funding, support and promotion.

The Park Foundation will provide funding and support for 23 projects in the coming year. These include:

• Over $27,000 for the Liberty Swing and its installation at Clemyjontri Park. This unique swing provides children in wheelchairs the fun and freedom of a traditional swing.
• More than $24,000 for open space preservation.
• Bright Futures funding allocated for 481 scholarship weeks in Rec-PAC summer camps.
• Approximately $18,000 to be added to the over $240,000 the Foundation has already raised for the planned Lee District Park Family Recreation Area. This new outdoor recreation area will feature an accessible tree house and a spray park.
• The Class Scholarship Fund received nearly $17,000.
• A new playground at Royal Lake received over $10,000 in matching funds as part of the Mastenbrook Grant Program.
• The Park Foundation along with corporate sponsorships will provide summer diversion through the Arts in the Parks entertainment series.
• Funds were also dedicated to the Park Authority's 60th Anniversary celebration expenses.

Pictured in the photo, from left to right, are Fairfax County Park Foundation Board Member Bruce McLeod; Park Foundation Chairman Craig Stevens; Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; Park Foundation Board Member Jen Sterling; and Park Foundation Board Secretary Steven Thormahlen.

Members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board and elected members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors joined the Friends of Riverbend Park, park staff, and Great Falls community members for the official opening of the new exhibit, Riverbend Park: A Rare and Rugged Refuge. The exhibit explores the creation of the Potomac Gorge and the lives of the native people who first inhabited the area - and still do.

This weekend's ceremony included a moving speech by Rose Powhatan, an artist, lecturer, teacher and member of both the Tauxenent and Pamunkey Indian tribes; a guided tour by manager Marty Smith; and delicious refreshments provided by the Old Irish Brogue tavern. Elected officials spoke of the special role parks play in the lives of Fairfax County residents, and restated the importance of preserving open spaces.

Riverbend Park is located at 8700 Potomac Hill Street in Great Falls, Va.

Pictured in the photo, from left to right, are Riverbend Park Manger Marty Smith; Tim Hackman, treasurer, Friends of Riverbend Park; Supervisor John Foust, Dranesville; Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay, Dranesville; Park Authority Board Member Frank Vajda; Mason; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Park Authority Board Member George Lovelace, At-large; Rose Powhatan, Tauxenent and Pamunkey Tribes member.

Staff members from the Fairfax County Park Authority's Planning & Development Division hosted a government delegation from the Chinese city of Guangzhou for a discussion on land use issues on Friday, December 18, 2009.

The delegates, mostly from the Bureau of Land Resources and Housing Management of Guangzhou Municipality and its affiliated offices, enjoyed a presentation that covered topics such as land acquisition procedures, property management and planning and developing parks. The meeting was arranged by Triway International Group, a local Falls Church, Va. organization that hosts groups visiting the U.S. from China for study purposes.

Pictured in the photo with members of the Chinese delegation are, starting in the back row, left, Special Projects Branch Manager Kirk Holley and Planning & Development Division Director Dave Bowden. Project Coordinator Julie Cline and Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr. are in the second row, center. Park Planning Branch Manager Sandy Stallman is in the first row, center.

Officials, friends and family gathered this weekend to celebrate the naming of a park in honor of Sally Ormsby, a community activist and leader for more than 30 years. Orsmby succumbed to cancer last year but is well remembered for her efforts to conserve valuable water resources and protect environmentally sensitive areas, to prevent stream degradation and to preserve and plant trees for the future. She also chaired the Park Authority's Green Team which successfully advocated for numerous park bonds and served with countless committees, task forces and organizations throughout the community. Pictured from left to right with a replica sign are: Secretary of the Commonwealth Katherine Hanley, Jean Packard, member, Northern Virginia Water and Soil Conversation.

Sally Ormsby Park runs along the Cross County Trail in the Accotink Stream Valley between Barkley Drive and Prosperity Avenue in the Providence District. For more information please contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

The Fairfax County Park Authority held its annual awards banquet at the Fair Oaks Waterford in Fairfax on Friday, November 20, 2009. The theme of the evening was Go Wild For Parks! and included presentations of the 2009 Elly Doyle Park Service Awards, the Sally Ormbsy Environmental Stewardship Award, and the inaugural Eakin Philanthropy Award. A number of peer-selected, outstanding volunteers from Park Authority sites were also recognized for their valuable contributions.

Members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, community activists and equestrian enthusiasts celebrated the opening of a new riding ring, pony pen and other improvements at The Turner Farm Park in Great Falls, VA on Saturday, November 7, 2009. Attendees to the ceremony enjoyed stories about the community's efforts to prevent the property from being developed, remarks from park and elected officials and an equine demonstration.

The project was funded by the 2004 Park Bond, as well as significant financial contributions from the Friends of Turner Farm. Improvements include an oversized, state-of-the-art, outdoor equestrian arena, a small pony pen, a new trail from the parking lot, and low-impact development storm water management facilities. Parking improvements include a redesigned lot that can accommodate horse trailers, landscaping, and improved sightlines at the entrance.

Pictured in the ribbon cutting photo from left to right are Robin Rentsch (on horseback); Park Operations Division Director Todd Johnson; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Winnie Shapiro, Braddock District Representative; Georgetown Pike & Potomac River Association President John Adams; Beverly Bradford Crawford; Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Park Authority Board Chairman and Hunter Mill District Representative Bill Bouie; Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust; Joanne "Jo Jo" Turner; Mike Kearney; Charles Olin; and other unidentified supporters of The Turner Farm Park and community members.

This peaceful and serene 52-acre park is located on the site of a former dairy farm. The land was saved from development by a public/private partnership started in 1994 to "Save-the-Farm." The Turner Farm offers a unique mix of educational and recreational facilities including a celestial telescope and educational facilities, a sundial garden, horseback riding and jumping facilities, a tot lot, picnic area, trails and nature observation.

Fairfax County officials and members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board joined local youth sports enthusiasts in the driving rain to dedicate the new synthetic turf field at Bailey's Elementary School on Saturday, October 17, 2009.

The field will provide up to 62% more capacity for soccer, lacrosse, football and field hockey players, demonstrating the continuing commitment of county officials to resolve a countywide shortage of rectangular fields.

Funded through the 2006 Park Bond program, the $800,000 project was a cooperative venture among the Park Authority, the Public Schools and the Department of Community and Recreation Services.

Pictured in the photo with members of Premier Soccer's Blue Fury and Arsenal teams and coaches are Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Frank Vajda, Mason District Representative; Sully Hamid, Premier Soccer representative; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Supervisor Penny Gross, Mason District; Kip Germain, Annandale Boys and Girls Club; and Fairfax County Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.

The weather was cold and raw on Saturday, October 17, 2009, but the atmosphere was festive and warm inside Hidden Oaks Nature Center, Fairfax County's oldest nature center. County officials and members of the Park Authority Board joined the community in celebrating the center's 40th year of providing a place for young people to interact with nature in ever urbanizing Annandale.

Visitors were treated to live animal presentations, music, history displays and, of course, cake! Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross honored community groups and scouts whose contributions to the nature center have benefited the entire community. Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova reminded attendees to maintain their passion for learning about the environment and for being stewards of natural and cultural resources. The importance of stewardship education was a common theme among the speakers' comments.

In the photo, from left to right, are: Vice-Chairman Harry Glasgow, Fairfax County Park Authority Board; Cindy Walsh, Director, Fairfax County Park Authority Resource Management Division; Marie Reinsdorf, Park Authority Board, At-large; Treasurer Frank Vajda, Park Authority Board, Mason District Representative; Senior Girl Scout Carolyn Iwicki; Chairman Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Michael McDonnell, Hidden Oaks Nature Center Manager; Supervisor Penny Gross, Mason District; Scott Birdwell, Friends of Hidden Oaks President; Eagle Scout Candidate Andrew Shue; Fairfax County Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.; Green Spring Gardens Manager, Mary Olien; and Eagle Scout Candidate Matt Byer.

Last Saturday was wet and cold and hardly the kind of weather for an outdoor field opening ceremony. However, local football players, coaches, Park Authority Board members and staff and local officials gathered briefly for a photograph and a few brief remarks. Players from the 85 lbs National Division Chantilly Chargers and American Pride Falcons joined the celebration being playing in the rain. Also in the photograph are several unidentified parents and coaches; Joe Sefwick; Ralph Wills, President CYA, Ed Miller; Hal Strickland, Park Authority Board Member, Sully District; Tom Weston, Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity (center); Jeff Mineo; Harold Pyon; Park Authority Board Member, Springfield District; John Dargle, Jr., Director, Fairfax County Park Authority; Ray Jachimowicz; Dave Hargrave; Jeff Davey; Carlos Osteguin and Lynn Davey.

The $900,000 project includes an oversized turf field funded through the 2008 Park Bond program. This multi-use field will be utilized for soccer, men's and women's lacrosse, football and field hockey. Lighted, synthetic turf fields increase field capacity by approximately 62% and allow players to enjoy the field during and after inclement weather.

Despite cold, wet and nasty weather, there were 53 volunteers who turned out last weekend to work side-by-side cleaning up the wooded area and fields behind Hutchison Elementary School. Volunteers included Supervisor John Foust and his staff members, members of the Fairfax County Police, Park Authority staff members and Community Connections program volunteers, students from Herndon High School's UNIDOS and Students Against Global Abuse, Herndon Youth Soccer players, members of the Reflections HOA, Herndon Rotary, ESOL students from Reston Interfaith-Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center and the Dulles Airport Authority.

The Crown Plaza- Houlihan's Restaurant served everyone a full buffet breakfast and Don Owens and Chris Griffin provided hot coffee and hot chocolate to help folks warm up at the end of the work. The Park Authority's Area Crew 6 supplied gloves, trash bags and tools. Volunteers gathered for a photo at the end of the day-long work effort that removed a great deal of trash and some unusual items as well including patio furniture, a portable grill and a gorilla costume.

Fairfax County officials and members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board gathered with local youth sports enthusiasts on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 to cut the ribbon on a recently converted synthetic turf field at Lee District Park in Franconia. The $1.2 million project included new turf and lighting.

The Park Authority has converted 23 multi-use rectangular fields to synthetic turf in an effort to reduce the countywide field shortage. Lighted, synthetic turf fields increase field capacity by more than 60%. The 2008 Park Bond included funding for field conversions and associated athletic field lighting.

Pictured in the back row, from left to right, are At-Large Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member George Lovelace (fifth from left); Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay; Executive Director of the Lee Mount Vernon Soccer Club, Lula Bauer; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Edward R. Batten, Sr., Lee District; Delegate Mark Sickles, 43rd District, VA; Fairfax County Park Authority John Dargle, Jr.; and the Commissioner of the Lee Franconia Football League, David Fletcher.

For more information contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

Children participating in the Fairfax County Park Authority's summer Rec-PAC program used some of their summer fun time to make a real difference in their community. Over 3,000 campers participated in the first "Rec-PAC Gives Back" theme week with 52 program locations participating in community service projects. Campers, many of whom come from low-income families themselves, wrote letters to sick children, soldiers deployed overseas, collected school supplies, recycled products, made cards for firefighters, police and nursing home residents, cleaned up schoolyards and planted trees.

Across Fairfax County, Rec-PAC kids donated more than 800 pounds of canned food that was delivered to a grateful local food bank to resupply their stock during a critically low season of donations. Rec-PAC staff and kids are already planning even bigger and better projects for next summer!

Pictured from left to right are Richard Cabellos, an employee of the Park Authority's Community Connections program and Mike Bonneville, Rec-PAC program director, bringing the donated items to the food pantry of Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM). The WFCM Food Pantry serves more than 2,500 families annually in the western Fairfax area.

For more information contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

More than 100 friends, family members, players, coaches and officials turned out last weekend to celebrate the designation of the baseball diamond at Lewinsville Park in McLean, VA as the Mark Bleiweis Memorial Sportsmanship Field. The field naming is the first step in a process that will upgrade this Fairfax County Park Authority field and provide local teams with a state-of-the-art facility.

Mark Bleiweis was a valued member of the McLean community and a beloved coach who passed away in 2004 of pancreatic cancer. He coached in McLean's Little League, Babe Ruth, soccer and basketball program since 1998. His passion for youth sports, helping kids appreciate and learn sports and good sportsmanship gave him joy.

Fund-raising will provide for future amenities including a new scoreboard, new dugouts, new stadium seating, field grading and irrigation improvements and a tree shaded berm. A tiled tribute wall for donors will be a signature feature of the field.

Pictured from left to right are friends and family, Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie, Senator Mark Warner, Barbara Bleiweis, Park Authority Director John Dargle Jr., Dranesville District Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay and players from local Red Sox and Yankee teams.

Fairfax County officials gathered with members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board, equestrian enthusiasts, cyclists and hikers to officially open 7.5 miles of new sustainable, natural surface trails in Laurel Hill Park on Saturday, September 12, 2009.

Construction was completed by Southern Asphalt Incorporated, Trail Solutions, Inc. and volunteers from Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE) at a cost of $359,000, using funding from the 2004 and 2006 Park Bond programs.

The trails were built using sustainable construction techniques such as deploying smaller, specialized construction equipment, reinforcing the trail bed with stone, and using the park's existing topography to guide trail design.

Pictured from left to right are: At-large Planning Commissioner Tim Sargeant; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; Mary Flowers, Clifton Horse Society; Park Authority Board Representative Harold Pyon, Springfield; Mt. Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Project Manager Elizabeth Cronauer; Beverly Dickerson, president, Fairfax4Horses; Jason Stoner, president, Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE); Tom Jackson, vice-president, MORE.

For more information, please contact the Fairfax County Park Authority Public Information Office at 703-324-8702.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Washington District Office held a special children's citizenship ceremony last week hosted by the Fairfax County Park Authority at Sully Historic Site in Chantilly. Approximately two dozen children representing 18 countries received Certificates of Citizenship. The ceremony included remarks by agency officials, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova and Harold Strickland, Sully District Representative, Fairfax County Park Authority Board.

Sully is a Virginia Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, built in 1794 by Richard Bland Lee, Northern Virginia's first representative to Congress.

The amazing Washington Nationals "SCREECH" visited five Fairfax County Park Authority Rec-PAC camp sites during "sports week." These sites included Brookfield Elementary School (ES), Eagle View ES, Greenbriar West ES, Lees Corner ES and Navy.

Screech was a huge hit with not only the Rec-PAC campers but with the staff as well. He gave out baseball tickets to all the children in the camp and their parents. For many of the children it was their first time meeting a professional mascot. It was a wonderful time for everyone.

Rec-PAC (Pretty Awesome Children is a six week structured recreation program with emphasis on leisure skills designed for elementary school children. Participants have an opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of activities such as fun and fitness, indoor and outdoor games, team sports, nature, crafts, storytelling, sports festivals, talent shows and supervised play sessions.

For more information please contact the Fairfax County Park Authority Rec-PAC Coordinator at 703-324-5273.

Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Park Authority Board joined members of the Georgetown Pike and Potomac River Association and Dranesville District residents in McLean on Saturday, July 11, 2009 to commemorate the preservation of Scotts Run Nature Preserve, formerly known as the Burling Tract.

Original members of the Georgetown Pike and Potomac River Association, a group formed in the summer of 1969 to prevent the development of the 336-acre Burling Tract, shared stories and memories about their victory to protect the environmentally-sensitive property.

Superintendent Don Briggs of the National Park Service, representing the office of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trails, joined in the celebration which also afforded an opportunity to unveil five new interpretive signs. One of these panels commemorates the efforts of these individuals to save this parcel from development. The National Park Service provided funding for staff, design, fabrication and materials.

Pictured from left to right are: Cynthia Fox, Henry Richardson, Susan Johnson, Richard DeSanti, Kent Weaver, Jeff Wiezer, Aggie Wolf, Marion Agnew, Don Briggs, National Park Service; Gretchen Annesse, Marty Smith, Fairfax County Park Authority; Sharon Francis, John Adams, president, Georgetown Pike and Potomac River Association; Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust; Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay, Dranesville; and Fairfax County Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.

Members of the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and Chantilly Youth Association (CYA) gathered in Chantilly, VA, on Saturday, June 20, 2009, to officially break ground on a synthetic turf conversion project at Greenbriar Park.

This conversion project will assist the Fairfax County Park Authority and local officials in addressing the continuing shortage of rectangular fields in the community.

The $1.1 million project will be completed by early fall and will include an oversized synthetic turf field to be used for soccer, men's and women's lacrosse, football and field hockey. This project is funded by the 2008 park bond program.

Pictured in the photo with youth sports participants are Virginia Delegate Chuck Caputo, 67th District; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Member Harold Pyon, Springfield Representative; CYA President Ralph Wills; Jeff Davey, CYA Football; and Park Authority Board Member Hal Strickland, Sully District.

Members of the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and the Fairfax County School Board gathered with local athletic groups and the Baileys community on Saturday, June 20, 2009, to mark the start of a much-anticipated synthetic turf conversion project at Bailey's Elementary School in Falls Church, Va.

Due to the high-volume of games played there and the poor condition of the field, the 340-foot field, which belongs to the Fairfax County Public Schools, was targeted for conversion to synthetic turf under the 2006 Park Bond program. The Park Authority will provide field maintenance, while the Department of Community and Recreation Services schedules the games.

Pictured from left to right with local residents, athletes and adult athletic supporters are Kip Germain, Annandale Boys and Girls Club; Larry Dunn, Team America; Community Organizer Maria Demerast; Principal Jay McClain, Bailey's ES; Marie Reinsdorf, At-large Park Authority Board Member (PAB); Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross; Kevin Fay, PAB, Dranesville; Mason District School Board Member Kaye Kory; Mike Slocum, Team America; and Frank Vajda, PAB treasurer, Mason.

Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Park Authority Board joined Park Authority staff in the rain at Merrifield Park on Saturday, June 20, 2009 for a brief ribbon cutting ceremony. Merrifield Park is the Park Authority's first developed public urban park.

The new 1/3-acre park was built to serve as a public gathering space and is located at 8191 Strawberry Lane in Falls Church.

A projected increase of nearly 250,000 residents to urbanizing Fairfax County over the next 20 years is creating a need for non-traditional park design and recreational space.

Pictured from left to right are: Providence District Representative to the Fairfax County Park Authority Board (PAB) Ken Quincy; Kenneth Lawrence, Planning Commission; Supervisor Linda Smyth, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Providence District; PAB Chairman Bill Bouie, Hunter Mill District; Emily and Abigail Brunner; and Park Planning Branch Manager Sandy Stallman.

Lots of people who grew up on local farms came to Frying Pan Farm Park on Saturday, June 13, 2009 to cut the ribbon on a new exhibit "Dig into the Past". Visitors had the opportunity to step into the shoes of a farm family and rediscover when Fairfax County was an agricultural area with large, prosperous farms and a close-knit farming community.

Pictured from left to right are Harry Middleton, member Friends of the Frying Pan Farm Park Board; John Dargle Jr., director of the Fairfax County Park Authority; Ben Peck, member of the Frying Pan Farm Park Board; Tawny Hammond, site manager, Chairman Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Harry Glasgow, at-large member of the Park Authority Board; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins; Yvonne Johnson, site historian and project coordinator; Mona Enquist-Johnston, Resource Management Division volunteer; Michael Rierson, Resource Management Division volunteer and Bill Bouie, chairman, Park Authority Board.

The exhibit is located in the Visitor Center at Frying Pan Farm Park located at 2739 West Ox Road in Herndon, VA. For more information about exhibit hours please call 703-437-9101.

Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gathered with Fairfax County Park Authority Board members, contractors, and park staff on Saturday, June 13, 2009 to cut the ribbon and mark the completion of Phase II improvements at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, VA.

In 1998, bond funding was provided to begin redevelopment of the core area of the park. Due to budget constraints, the project was phased. Phase I consisted of an ADA accessible marina completed in 2007. Phase II consisted of a new administration, kiosk and restroom building along with the creation of 11 rain gardens and a new paved parking lot. A brief groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of Phase III, which consists of two 88-person picnic pavilions, grills, catering station, two smaller shelters with seating capacity of 60 persons each and related walkways, followed the ribbon cutting.

Pictured in the photo (from left to right) are Fairfax County Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; Lake Fairfax Park staff members Lauren Nelson and Rachel Binsky; Park Authority Board Braddock District Representative, Winnie Shapiro; Assistant Manager Brandi Ramsey, Lake Fairfax Park; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Ed Climo, Studio 3 Architects; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins; Picnic Coordinator Dianne Gregg and Park Services Division Director Barbara Nugent.

Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Park Authority Board gathered with Park Authority staff and others on Saturday, June 13, 2009 to break ground on a new project to install two large picnic shelters on the hill overlooking Lake Fairfax in Reston. Once completed, the pavilions will provide a scenic location for families, organizations and corporations to rent for their picnic events. The pavilions will be built on the former site of the park's administrative building.

Pictured in the photo (from left to right) are Fairfax County Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; ? Tom Nicholson, V.P. of Hammerhead Construction; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins; Park Authority Board Braddock District Representative, Winnie Shapiro; Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.; Ed Climo, Studio 3 Architects; and Park Services Division Director Barbara Nugent.

Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held at Lake Accotink this past weekend as part of the National Trails Day celebration in Fairfax County. Local officials, citizens and Park Authority staff members marked the completed construction of the Accotink Stream Valley Trail from Lake Accotink to Hunter Village Drive. This project, funded through federal and state grants, consists of significant improvements to the Cross County Trail (CCT).

The project consisted of the construction of approximately 2.3 miles of asphalt trail and related structures, three steel pedestrian bridge crossings and ADA-accessible parking spaces in Byron Avenue Park and Lake Accotink Park. In addition, one pedestrian underpass under Old Keene Mill Road was constructed, eliminating an on-grade crossing of the CCT on this busy road.

Pictured from left to right: Lake Accotink Park Supervisor Julie Tahan; Park Authority Board Member Marie Reinsdorf; Trail Coordinator Jenny Pate; Springfield District Park Authority Board Member Harold Pyon, Braddock District Supervisor John Cook; Braddock District Park Authority Board Member Winnie Shapiro; Burgess and Niple Designer Dennis Thomas; Lee District Park Authority Board Member Ed Batten; Project Manager Tom McFarland and unidentified members of the community and trail users.

Local dignitaries and members of the community joined representatives from the Fairfax County Park Authority for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new farmers market in Lorton on Sunday, May 31, 2009. The Lorton Farmers Market is the Park Authority's newest market and will provide residents of the county's rapidly growing southwestern corner the opportunity to shop for farm-fresh produce and meats, flowers, ice cream, salsas, and other edible delights.

The farmers markets are supervised by the Park Authority through the Community Horticulture office based at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria. All products sold at the farmers markets are produced by vendors from within a 125-mile radius of Fairfax County.

Pictured from left to right are: Fairfax County Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr. and his daughter Suzanne, Richard Kennedy, Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland, Fairfax County Park Authority Board Vice Chairman Harry Glasgow, Ruth Settle, Sue Wollinsky, Fairfax County School Board Chairman Daniel Storck, Congressman Gerry Connolly, 11th VA, Corner Cuisine's Laura Escamilla, Christine Morin, Community Horticulture Program Manager Sandra Reichert, and Tom Rizer. Others not identified are customers and vendors.

A synthetic turf field conversion project got underway at Lee District Park this past Saturday. Players, coaches, parents and officials gathered to mark the occasion with a groundbreaking ceremony. The new synthetic turf field will feature lighting as well in an effort to maximize field capacity and play time. Total project costs are approximately $1.2 million. Project completion is expected this fall.

Pictured from left to right are: Eric Brunner, Park Authority Planning and Development Division; former Park Authority Board Member Harold Henderson; Delegate Mark Sickles; Mike Rodgers, Lee Mount Vernon Soccer Club, Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay; Lee District Park Authority Board Member Ed Batten; Daniel Fletcher, Commissioner, Lee Franconia Football League; Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; Mount Vernon Representative, Park Authority Board Gilbert McCutcheon; Mason District Representative, Park Authority Board Frank Vajda and John Dargle, Jr., Director, Park Authority.

The Oakton School House, once located at the intersection of Hunter Mill Road and Chain Bridge Road in Oakton, was officially welcomed to its new permanent home in Oakton Community Park, located just down the road at Hunter Mill Road. Residents, neighbors, historians and officials gathered for ribbon cutting ceremonies on Saturday, May 16, 2009 and took a few moments to enjoy the completion of renovation and restoration work. The school house was built in 1897 and served the community as a one-room school house until 1912. After that date it was part of a residence, an apartment building, Payne's Oakton Store and most recently part of the Appalachian Outfitters store. It was protected from demolition when community residents urged officials to save it from the wrecking ball and move it to the site of the future community park.

Chevy Chase Bank, which purchased the building at its old site in order to build a new bank at that location, has spent more than $1,000,000 to move and renovate the building and to endow its perpetual operation and maintenance. There are no plans for public use inside the structure at this time. Interpretative displays will be located outside. The Friends of Oakton School House will assist in future fundraising efforts and building management.

Pictured from left to right are Robert Beach, History Commission; Dr. Elizabeth Crowell, Cultural Resource Management, Park Authority; State Senator Chap Peterson; Eagle Scout Matt Lindemann, Park Authority Board Member Ken Quincy; Joseph B. Pearson, Jr., Vice President, Real Estate Development, Chevy Chase Bank; Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth; Bob Adams, President, Friends of Oakton School House; John Dargle, Jr., Director, Park Authority; former Park Authority Board Member Joanne Malone; Linda Byrne; Paul Baldino, Executive Director, Park Foundation and Kirk Holley, Project Manager, Park Authority.

The Cub Run Connector Trail officially opened this past Saturday, May 10, 2009, and members of the community joined local officials and Park Authority staff members in celebrating the occasion. Ribbon cutting ceremonies provided the opportunity to praise the project which features two new bridges as well as paved and natural surface trails that connect Sully District neighborhoods with the Cub Run RECenter and Westfields High School in Chantilly.

Pictured from left to right are: Harold Strickland, Sully District Rep, Park Authority Board; John Kormos and his family, Project Manager; Sully District Supervisor Michael Frey; Park Authority Board Braddock District Representative Winnie Shapiro; Delegate Chuck Caputo; Harry Glasgow, Vice President, Park Authority Board; member of the community; Marie Riensdorf, Park Authority Board At-large Member, George Lovelace, At-large Member, Park Authority Board and John Dargle Jr., Director of the Park Authority.

The crowds were out for Opening Day at Chantilly Park and the opportunity to name the field in honor of longtime Chantilly Youth Association (CYA) volunteer Preston Pierce. Pictured from left to right are John Dargle Jr., director of the Fairfax County Park Authority; Chantilly Little League President Trey Mauk; Harold Strickland, Sully District representative Park Authority Board (PAB); Preston Pierce; Ralph Wills, President CYA; William Bouie, PAB chairman; Mike Edwards, CYA Little League Player Agent and Delegate Chuck Caputo.

Pierce was honored for his 36 years of volunteer service to youth sports. He contributed his time as a coach, a manager, an umpire, chief of umpires, a member of the CYA Little League Board, Assistant Administrator for Virginia District 10 and also as Administrator for District 10 Little League.

Despite torrential rains, about two dozen intrepid souls gathered to officially open the first synthetic turf diamond field in Fairfax County. The new surface was placed on the Stephen Paul Black Field in Nottoway Park, Vienna, VA. The project was funded by a development proffer as well as bond funding.

Pictured from left to right are Providence District Park Authority Board Member Ken Quincy, Ms. Ann Black, Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr., State Senator Chap Petersen (34th District), Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth, At-large Member of the Park Authority Board Harry Glasgow, Mr. Donald Black, Area Manager John Hopkins, Deb Garris, Manager, Synthetic Turf Program, Park Authority and At-large Member George Lovelace of the Park Authority Board. Several unidentified children joined in the celebration.

Donald L. Black Comments at Stephen Paul Black Field Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

October 25, 2008
Distinguished guests and friends here today.

What a tremendous ball park! The County government, Park Authority, Little League, and the community can certainly be proud of the outstanding planning and work that went into the renovation of the field.

Twenty years ago, I participated in the ceremony celebrating the dedication of the Stephen Paul Black Field. Our family and friends were still reeling from Stephen's death; he was struck by lighting in August 1987 while running through our front yard. He had just finished playing in the Babe Ruth league earlier that summer and would have been a sophomore at Marshall High School in the fall. The support we received from friends and the community at large was incredible, and it culminated in the honor of having this new field being dedicated in his name ten months after his death.

In my comments at the dedication ceremony, I directed o lot of my words to the players who were assembled there - and I would like to do that again today to this generation of players.

I'll bet some of you have asked yourself - who was Stephen Black and why was this field named after him? Well, I think it's important that you do know something about him, so I'm going to take some of the words I used at the dedication ceremony and repeat them here today. Stephen was a caring and loving son to his parents; he took a lot of friendly teasing from his five sisters; he was a good student in school, and a good pal to his friends. And yes, he could even be called brave. I mean, it took a brave boy to be a big Dallas Cowboy fan right here in the middle of Redskins country!

Stephen was by no means a gifted athlete, although he had played in organized football and basketball and was an excellent swimmer (He didn't much care though for those early morning swim team practices.).

His real love was baseball - but playing the game didn't come easy. He had his frustrations and disappointments - especially when it came to hitting. His coaches spent many hours with him and, in his last couple of years, I half expected him to give it up. But each spring, he'd come to me and say, "Dad, I want to play baseball again this year". In other words, he wanted to keep trying.

Shortly after his death, my wife and I received a letter from our friend and neighbor and Stephen's former Little League coach, Roger Miller. In the letter, Roger wrote what I think is the best description of Stephen's personality and attitude toward the game:

"Steve was an excellent example of what Little League should be. He smiled and laughed a lot, made friends easily and had a good time. He also worked hard to improve himself, missing only one practice the entire year." So, Stephen made up for lack of natural talent with heart - he had a kind, generous heart for his family and friends that only a bolt of lightning could still.

So, all of you players, this is your special field - it's named after one of your own. Enjoy it and take care of it and, like Stephen, keep trying and have fun.

Steve boy - your field is ready - Again!

Thank you.

It was time to have some fun this past weekend as Hidden Pond Nature Center celebrated its 30th anniversary of service to the Springfield District community. The popular nature center has more than 50,000 visitors each year who explore hands-on displays, see reptiles and other animals close-up and partake of the many featured programs such as Slugfest, pond scumming adventures or Pohick Ranger exploits! Pictured with many of the teen and adult volunteers who provide more than 75,000 hours of service each year are (left to right) Springfield District Park Authority Board Member Harold Pyon; (center) Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly; Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity; President of the Friends of Hidden Pond Nature Center and Pohick Stream Valley Susan Susa, as well as former Park Authority Board Member Ken Feng.

Hundreds of players and their families attended ribbon cutting ceremonies and a gala celebration at the Spring Hill field complex in McLean. The weekend activities marked the official opening of two new synthetic turf fields completed through a public-private partnership between the Fairfax County Park Authority and McLean Youth Soccer (MYS). MYS provided $1.8 million towards the project and the Park Authority agreed to manage the construction and to provide field maintenance. The fields are owned by the Park Authority and are included in the Department of Community and Recreation Services inventory of fields available for community use.

Pictured (from left to right) are Lance Hackett, MYS, Director of Field Development; Michael Champness, McLean Athletic Council Representative; Michael Riermer, MYS, Chairman; Kevin Fay, Dranesville District Representative, Fairfax County Park Authority; Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Ed Foster-Simeon, President of the U.S. Soccer Foundation; Park Authority Director John Dargle Jr.; Eric Brunner, and Deb Garris; Fairfax County Park Authority Department of Planning and Development, other MYS representatives and hundreds of MYS youth soccer players.

The new equipment was humming and the 7,000 square-foot addition to the South Run RECenter was filled with individuals seeking a Saturday morning workout at the newly completed fitness center expansion. The project cost $3.6 million and was funded through the Park Bond program. The two-story expansion, opened last weekend provided a tremendous increase in state-of-the-art exercise equipment as well as 65 new parking spaces and improved storm water management at the site.

Cutting the ribbon (from left to right) are Toni Ogurak, Project Design Branch, DPWES; Project Manager Cecil Hardee Jr., Fairfax County Park Authority; Monica Phillips, Fitness and Wellness Manager, Park Services Division; South Run RECenter Manager Kirt Chase; Fitness Director Laurie Strickland, South Run RECenter; Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, Park Authority Board Member Harold Pyon and Park Authority Director John Dargle Jr.

Representatives from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS), the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) Board (PAB) and other staff and officials gathered with members of the Lee Mount Vernon Soccer Club on Saturday, September 20, 2008 to cut the ribbon on the newly converted synthetic turf field at Franconia Park. The $1.1 million project included the installation of lights and synthetic turf, which adds an additional 62% playing capacity at the park and helps to address the countywide shortage of rectangular fields.

Pictured from left to right among youth athletes are: Director John W. Dargle, Jr., FCPA; Lee Mount Vernon Soccer Club Travel Commissioner Jane Gallant; Delegate Mark Sickles, 43rd; Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay; Ed Batten, Sr., Lee District Representative, PAB; Bill Bouie, Hunter Mill District Representative, PAB; Eric Brunner, FCPA; Deb Garris, Synthetic Turf Branch Manager, FCPA; and Park Operation Director Todd Johnson.

Officials gathered this past weekend to officially cut the ribbon on the new synthetic turf field at Bryant Alternative High School in the Mount Vernon District. The field project was a joint effort between the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Fairfax County School Board, the Department of Community and Recreation Services and the Fairfax County Park Authority. Funding for the $800,000 project was provided by the 2006 Park Authority Bond program.

Pictured from left to right are Park Authority Deputy Director Cindy Messenger; Deb Garris, Manager, Synthetic Turf Branch; Arnold Hicks of Bucknell Football; Jay McConville, President, Fort Hunt Youth Athletic Association; Daniel Storck, Chairman of the Fairfax County Public Schools; Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland; Bryant High School Principal Jan McKee; Park Authority Director John Dargle; George Graves of Bucknell Football and Todd Johnson, Director of the Park Operations Division, Park Authority. Flanking Supervisor Hyland are James and Rosie Johnson.

Synthetic turf fields are estimated to increase playing capacity by 62% when compared to natural turf. These durable fields can handle a high volume of play without sustaining damage from overuse. Synthetic turf fields provide a superior ability to drain water, and fields can be used during or immediately after most rain events. The fields require no mowing, fertilizing or re-seeding thus lowering maintenance costs.

Representatives from Chevy Chase Bank joined Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth, and representatives from the Park Authority Board, Park Foundation and agency staff at the future site of Oakton Community Park to receive a check for $200,000 on Thursday, September 4, 2008. The funding will provide an endowment for historic Oakton Schoolhouse which was moved to its new home on Hunter Mill Road in Oakton and renovated as well as funding for future park improvements at Oakton Community Park.

Pictured from left to right are Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr., Park Authority Board Member and Providence District Representative Ken Quincy, Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth, Chevy Chase Bank's Robert Korman, Vice President of Corporate Facilities and Denise Pope, Senior Vice President, Director of Branch Banking as well as Paul Baldino, Executive Director of the Fairfax County Park Foundation. Also pictured from Chevy Chase Bank are Paige Lansdale, Senior Vice President, Director of Corporate Facilities, Phillip Naithram, Senior Corporate Office Project Manager and Larry Lorenzo, Assistant Vice President Corporate Facilities.

The schoolhouse renovations complete a four-year community plan to save an important landmark that once served the community. The schoolhouse was renovated in accordance with national standards for work on historic structures to its period of significance at the turn of the century. The Friends of Oakton Schoolhouse, a community-based volunteer support group which advocated for the saving and renovation of the structure, will assist the Park Authority with schoolhouse maintenance and interpretation. There is no public access inside the structure at this time. Interpretive displays will be placed outside.

More than 300 people came to Ox Hill Battlefield Park on Monday, September 1, 2008 to cut the ribbon, watch Civil War reenacters and hear officials speak of the 146th anniversary of the famous Civil War battle that took place at this site. Wreaths were laid on historic markers and stories were shared about the engagement that drew nearly 20,000 soldiers to this site for a fierce battle during a driving thunderstorm.

The Fairfax County Park Authority event marked the completion of a $700,000 park improvement program that provides new stone walkways, interpretive signage and kiosks as well as landscaping changes more reflective of the site in the 1860's.

Pictured from left to right are Hal Strickland, Park Authority Board Chairman, Jonathan Goertz, preservation advocate, Sully District Supervisor Michael Frey, Edward Wentzel, Trustee, Kearny and Stevens Monuments, Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova, Tim Feng and Ken Feng, former Springfield District Park Authority Board Representative.

The weather was hot and the ice cream was cold as the Fairfax County Park Authority hosted an old-fashioned ice cream social and ribbon cutting to mark the opening of a new picnic pavilion at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon. The 2400-square-foot pavilion will be the site of concerts and special events and is available for rental functions.

Pictured from left to right are Stewardship Branch Manager Michael Rierson, Fairfax County Park Authority Resource Management Division, Facilities Support Manager Ronald Pearson, Acting Deputy Director of the Resource Management Division Cindy Walsh, Braddock Representative Winifred Shapiro, Fairfax County Park Authority Board (PAB), Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr., Hunter Mill Supervisor Catherine Hudgins, Jack Dargle, Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova, Friends group members Jerry Maravetz and Ben Peck, Mason District Representative Frank Vajda, PAB, Jack Pitzer, also a Friends group member and Hunter Mill Representative William Bouie, PAB.

Friends, family, colleagues, officials and members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board gathered last weekend to dedicate the Kohler Memorial Garden in the Long Border, a tribute to Georgette Kohler, an At-large Member of the Park Authority Board who passed away earlier this year. The garden is located at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA. Ms. Kohler was a Park Board member from 2004 to 2008 and was instrumental in the establishment of open space areas, new trails and passage of the park bonds.

Pictured is Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly and Ms. Kohler's husband, Frank Ojeda as they uncover a memorial plague naming the garden. Ms. Kohler was an avid gardener.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held this past Sunday at Spring Hill Park in McLean. Officials from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Fairfax County Park Authority and McLean Youth Soccer (MYS) joined with players and coaches to celebrate the conversion of two existing athletic fields to synthetic turf.

Rectangular fields #2 and #3 will be converted from grass, a change that will increase field capacity and provide an improved playing surface. This $1.8 million project is funded by McLean Youth Soccer. Project completion is anticipated in October 2008.

Pictured from left to right are MYS players, Park Authority Director John W. Dargle, Jr.; Lance Hackett, Director of Field Development, MYS; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly; Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust; Athletic Council Member for Dranesville Michael Champness; another player, Deb Garris, Manager, Synthetic Turf Program, Park Authority and Mason District Representative Frank Vajda, Fairfax County Park Authority Board.

Providence District's Nottoway Park will be home to the first synthetic turf diamond field in Fairfax County. Players, coaches, elected officials, representatives of youth sports and the Park Authority gathered this weekend for ribbon cutting ceremonies. The Stephen Paul Black Field in Vienna will be converted to turf in a project funded by the 2006 park bond as well as development proffers from the Providence District. Project completion is anticipated this September.

Pictured (from left to right) with players in the Vienna Little League are U.S. Navy Captain Don Black (Retired); Providence District Park Authority Board Member Ken Quincy; Acting Park Authority Director Tim White; Mark Meana, Chairman, Fairfax County Athletic Council; Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly; Park Authority Board Chairman Hal Strickland; Frank Blackstone, Vienna Little League; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, Park Authority Director John Dargle Jr.; and At Large Member of the Park Authority Board George Lovelace.

Last March skies were grey and winds blew cold, but this past weekend the skies were clear and sunny as celebrants gathered to cut the ribbon on the newly converted synthetic turf field at Braddock Park in Clifton. Players, coaches, officials and Park officials were in high spirits even as temperatures climbed into the high 80's. The field will provide much needed capacity for Southwestern Youth Association (SYA) sports programs as well as general community use. Funding for the $850,000 project was provided by the Department of Community and Recreation Services, the Fairfax County Athletic Council, the Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Park Authority.

Pictured with SYA players (from left to right) are Park Authority Board Member Frank Vajda; SYA President Gary Flathers; Acting Park Authority Director Tim White; Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova; Soccer Commissioner Jeff Stein; Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity; Athletic Council Chairman Mark Meana; Pat Franckewitz, Director, Department of Community and Recreation Services; Chairman Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Ralph Wills, Athletic Council; Park Authority Board Chairman Hal Strickland; Braddock District Park Authority Board Members Winnie Shapiro; Lee District Park Authority Board Member Edward Batten; Springfield District Park Authority Board Member Harold Pyon; At Large Member of the Park Authority Board George Lovelace and Park Authority Director John Dargle, Jr.

The Fairfax County Park Authority named a portion of Lake Royal and its surrounds in honor of John McAnaw, a citizen steward who is well-known for his efforts to improve lakeside trails, protect natural resources and educate neighbors about the importance of caring for natural resources. The 46-acre lakefront park is located near Gainsborough Drive in Fairfax and offers fitness trails, hiking, picnic areas, as well as lovely views. Pictured from left to right are At-Large Representative Marie Reinsdorf, Fairfax County Park Authority Board; Braddock District Representative Winnie Shapiro, Fairfax County Park Authority Board; President Anthony Vellucci, Kings Park West Civic Association; Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova; John McAnaw; and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly.

Construction at Ox Hill Battlefield Park on West Ox Road in Fairfax will be getting underway as the Fairfax County Park Authority begins a $700,000 project to construct new trails, historic kiosks and signage as well as landscape restoration and parking improvements. The improvements will help to interpret the park, the site of a memorable Civil War era battle in Fairfax County that took place in a driving rainstorm and resulted in the lose of two Union Generals and thousands of casualties. Recent groundbreaking ceremonies, held in the rain brought out (from left to right) Chairman Hal Strickland, Fairfax County Park Authority Board; Branch Manager Michael Rierson, Fairfax County Park Authority; Acting Director Tim White, Fairfax County Park Authority; Edward Wenzel, Trustee, Kearny and Stevens Monuments Trust; Chairman Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Former Park Authority Board Member Ken Feng; Cricket Bauer Pohanka, Trustee, Kearny and Stevens Monuments Trust; and George Rogers, Southern Asphalt, Inc.

Youth sports enthusiasts joined local officials and dignitaries for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of a turf field conversion project at Bryant Alternative High School (AHS). Pictured (from left to right) are George Graves, Bucknell Youth Football Commissioner; Chairman Hal Strickland, Fairfax County Park Authority Board; Rick Hubbard, Bryant Alternative High School (AHS) physical education instructor; Assistant Principal Hector Mujica, Bryant AHS; Jonathan Willmott, Mt. Vernon Representative, Fairfax County Athletic Council; Mt. Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Chairman Daniel Storck, Fairfax County School Board; John Stamos, Ft. Hunt Youth Athletic Association; Brian Robertson, Top Football; Branch Manager Deb Garris, Fairfax County Park Authority; and David Zatt, Gunston Soccer Club.

This joint project supported by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Fairfax County Park Authority and Fairfax County School Board was funded by the 2006 Park Authority Bond program. The new lights were funded by the Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreation Services. Converting rectangular fields to synthetic turf surfaces is part of a countywide effort to increase the number of fields and playing capacity.

Local youth football and soccer players and coaches joined Fairfax County Park Authority officials and county dignitaries for a groundbreaking ceremony at Franconia District Park. Construction was slated to begin on a new synthetic turf field conversion project, a countywide effort aimed at reducing the shortage of rectangular fields in the community. Pictured (from left to right) are David Fletcher, Lee Franconia Football; Acting Director Tim White, Fairfax County Park Authority; Hunter Mill District Representative Bill Bouie, Fairfax County Park Authority Board; Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Chairman Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Lee District Representative Ed Batten, Park Authority Board; and Lula Bauer, Director, Lee Mt. Vernon Soccer Club.

This $1 million project is part of ongoing efforts by Fairfax County to meet the growing need for rectangular multi-use fields. Project funding is provided in part by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Department of Community and Recreation Services and the Park Authority.

Even a parking lot can be beautiful when the parking lot is a low impact development project that protects the watershed and emulates nature. Local officials, children and other participants in last Saturday's Children's Day activities gathered at Hidden Oaks Nature Center to cut the ribbon. Performers joined (from left to right) Area Manager Richard Maple, Acting Park Authority Director Tim White, Hidden Oaks Manager Michael McDonnell, Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross, Park Authority Board Member Frank Vajda, Planning Division Director David Bowden, Resource Management Division Director Cindy Walsh, Eagle Scout Bruce Ayliff, Scott Birdwell, President of the Friends of Hidden Oaks and area children in the celebration.

LID is an innovative storm water management approach with a basic principal that is modeled after nature: manage rainfall at the source using uniformly distributed, decentralized microscale controls. LID's goal is to mimic a site's predevelopment hydrology by using design techniques that infiltrate, filter, store, evaporate and detail runoff close to its source.

Officials and players gathered Saturday, April 12 to officially open the new synthetic turf field at Hutchison Elementary School in Herndon. The ribbon cutting drew players and cheerleaders as well as Dranesville Supervisor John Foust pictured in the center. To his left are School Board Members Janie Strauss, Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay, Park Authority Acting Director Tim White, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, Park Authority Board Chairman Hal Strickland, Jerry Carter, President of the Herndon Optimist Youth Sports, Bill Bouie, Vice Chairman of the Park Authority Board, Davie Bekenstein, President of Herndon Youth Soccer and Eric Brunner, Project Manager for the Park Authority.

The property is owned by the Fairfax County Public Schools and the Park Authority has an interim use agreement for the field. The $2.7 million project completes the second phase of improvements at this site. For more information call the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

March winds blew fiercely but that did not deter those who braved the cold to break ground on the latest synthetic turf field conversion project in Fairfax County last Saturday. The $850,000 project is part of the ongoing efforts by Fairfax County to meet the growing need for rectangular fields and to address the current field shortage. Project funding and support has been provided by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Department of Community and Recreation Services, the Athletic Council and the Fairfax County Park Authority. The field will open in June.

Pictured in the front are youngsters from Southwestern Youth Association who will be among the many to use this field. Behind them (left to right) are Park Authority Board Member at large George Lovelace, Jenifer Beausoliel, Athletic Council Member, Chairman of the Athletic Council Mark Meana, Deb Garris, Manager, Synthetic Turf Projects, Park Authority, Chairman Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, Harold Pyon, Park Authority Board, Eric Brunner, Park Planning Division, Director Pat Frankewitz, Department of Community and Recreation Services, Acting Director Tim White, Park Authority, Gary Flather, President SYA and an unidentified coach.

Patriot Park, located adjacent to the Mott Community Center at the intersection of Braddock Road and the Fairfax County Parkway, was opened on Saturday, November 3, 2007 by the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA). Officials, players and members of the community gathered to mark the occasion with a ribbon cutting as well as to name the new field in honor of retiring Springfield District Supervisor Elaine McConnell.

Patriot Park West, as the first phase is called, is a $3.8 million project that features a new lighted, multi-sport, multi-use synthetic turf field -- the largest field in the county measuring 420 feet by 230 feet. Unveiling a replica of the field sign are (left to right, center) Frank Vajda, vice chairman, Fairfax County Park Authority Board, Georgette Kohler, at-large Member, Park Authority Board; Ken Feng, Springfield District Representative for the Park Authority Board, Supervisor Elaine McConnell, Eric Brunner Project Manager, FCPA; Pete Murphy, chairman, Fairfax County Planning Commission; Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Gerry Connolly, Ed Batten, Lee District Representative, Park Authority Board and Bill Bouie, Secretary/Treasurer, Park Authority Board.

There was football, as well as soccer under the lights as officials and players gathered recently to mark the opening of two synthetic turf fields at Lake Fairfax Park in Herndon, VA. This $2 million dollar bond project is part of the countywide effort to address a rectangular field shortage of approximately 90 fields.

Players, coaches, and parents are pictured, as well as several officials in the center including Stuart Gibson of the Fairfax County Public Schools, Bill Bouie, Secretary/Treasurer, Fairfax County Park Authority Board, Hunter's Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, Park Authority Board Chairman Hal Strickland and Vice Chairman Frank Vajda.

Baseballs were in the air as players and officials joined together for the opening of Dulles Corner Field in Herndon, VA on Saturday, November 3, 2007. This state-of-the-art project features a lighted, irrigated, 90-foot diamond field and associated parking area. The field was proferred by the Bethesda, MD-based firm Fairfield Development which provided this new recreational amenity to offset the impact of new residential development on the community.

Pictured in the center is Hunter's Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins standing next to Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Gerry Connolly. Others in the photo are members and staff of the Fairfax County Park Authority, members of the development team, players and other interested members of the community. The first symbolic pitch was thrown by more than 30 participants.

An enthusiastic crowd gathered for ribbon cutting ceremonies at Giles Run Meadow Park in Laurel Hill on Saturday, October 20, 2007. The event marked the opening of a 153-acre recreational area, open space and new amenities at the southern end of the sprawling 1,200-acre Laurel Hill Park complex in Lorton, VA. Pictured in the center is Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland. To his right are Park Authority Acting Director Tim White, Park Board Chairman Hal Strickland, Board Member Winnie Shapiro, Chairman Gerry Connolly, and Park Authority Board Members Georgette Kohler and Ken Feng. Others in the picture include Park Authority Board Vice Chairman Frank Vajda, members of the project team as well as park users.

This area has not been accessible to the public for more than 100 years. Site improvements include the completion of a pedestrian and mountain biking trail, improvements to the Laurel Hill Greenway/Cross County Trail; renovations/stabilization at the historic Barrett House; a new disc golf course; picnic areas; a small play areas; a pond side trail and platform; installation of more than 2000 feet of fencing and parking lot improvements; installation of interpretive signage, as well as improvements to this historic barrel bridge and invasive exotic plant removal.

Local officials, members of the Park Authority Board and field users gathered last weekend to celebrate the completion of the latest synthetic turf field conversion project, this one at Carl Sandburg Middle School in Mount Vernon District. The project was completed in approximately three months at a cost of $735,000. Synthetic turf fields increase field capacity as well as providing limitless play time in all weather.

Attending the festivities were (left to right) community families, Jay McConville, President Fort Hunt Youth Athletic Association, Project Manager Deb Garris, Acting Park Authority Director Tim White, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly, Mark Meana, Chairman of the Athletic Council, Hal Strickland, Chairman of the Park Authority Board, Keither Carney, Fort Hunt Youth, School Board Member Ilryong Moon, Gilbert McCutcheon, Mount Vernon District Representative on the Park Authority Board, Dan Storck, Chairman of the School Board, Frank Vajda, Vice Chairman of the Park Authority Board, School Principal Wendy Eaton and other members of the community.

Several dozen members of the Springfield community came out for ribbon cutting ceremonies recently held at Danbury Forest in Lake Accotink Stream Valley. The ceremony marked the completion of a new trail section and pedestrian bridge that makes a once steep, perilous trip into the park, a safer, more aesthetically attractive trek into the woods. Project improvements included construction of an asphalt trail with a boardwalk, a pedestrian bridge, and related site improvements at a cost $312, 600. The project was funded by the 2004 Park Bond.

Marking the occasion were (from left to right) John Kormos, project manager for the Park Authority, Julie Tahan, assistant manager at Lake Accotink Park, Mike Salehi from Cube Construction Company, Winnie Shapiro, Braddock District rep on the Park Authority; Tessie Wilson, Braddock District rep, Fairfax County School Board; Supervisor Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Virginia Delegate Vivian Watts, 39th District; Chairman Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Steve Woodbury, a neighbor and trail commuter and Acting Park Authority Director Tim White.

Schoolchildren from Siena Academy, the parish school of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Great Falls, VA gather around Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly and British artist Tony Moss, and Dranesville District Supervisor Joan Dubois at the recent unveiling and dedication of a unique sundial. This sundial, designed and donated by the artist to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown settlement, is the first of several sundials to grace the newly established International Sundial Garden located in Observatory Park at Turner Farm Park in Great Falls. The park is operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority.

Pictured behind Chairman Connolly and Moss (from the left) are Acting Park Authority Director Tim White, Park Authority Board Member Kevin Fay, members of the North American Sundial Society as well as representatives from Mclean and Great Falls Celebrate Virginia.