Park Authority

The Fairfax County Park Authority celebrated the completion of the new Woodlands Stewardship Education Center with a ribbon cutting on Saturday, Nov. 18. Designed to wow adults and children alike, this interpretive facility demonstrates principles of environmental stewardship that make a world of difference in the way we interact with and affect our natural environment.

From the use of reclaimed construction materials and sustainable energy and water sources to experimentation with simple machines and natural observation spaces, this stewardship education center provides an incredible teaching platform for demonstrating technologies and processes that can reshape our individual relationship with the environment around us.

See more photos of the ribbon-cutting on the Park Authority's Flickr page.

County leaders, project benefactors and residents from the surrounding community participated in the inaugural event followed by tours of the amazing features of the site, which was designed to meet the rigorous standards of the Living Building Challenge (LBC) – an achievement attained by only a small number of projects worldwide.

“When looking at the concept for this project, we knew we wanted to raise the bar to a whole new level,” said Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole. “Every aspect of this facility is an exhibit that illustrates our connection to the natural world and creates an experience that will ignite the imaginations and creativity of young people through hands-on experiences and play.”

The standards of the LBC require meticulous attention to the development of a project in seven performance categories including Place, Water, Energy, Health and Happiness, Materials, Equity and Beauty. Every aspect of the project – including the building materials, energy and water usage and production, learning and recreational features and landscaping - involved intentional decision-making to preserve and protect the natural environment and provide a unique user experience for all who visit. The Park Authority will be eligible to apply for LBC certification after one full year of operation.

General project features include an interpretive center with multipurpose spaces, kitchen and restroom; an educational kiosk and plumbing room; outdoor amphitheater and observation deck; a large STREAM (science, technology, recreation, engineering, arts and math) activity play space with connecting trails; native plantings; and related site improvements.

Watch a video of the new stewardship center below:

The total project cost was $8.8 million and included $7.2 million in park bond funding, $1.1 million in proffers, and $500,000 in financial contributions through the Fairfax County Park Foundation.

The Woodlands Stewardship Education Center is located within Ellanor C. Lawrence Park at 5301 Walney Road in Chantilly.

For more information, visit the Woodlands Stewardship Education Center webpage.

This project was made possible thanks in part to numerous donations contributed through the Fairfax County Park Foundation. The Fairfax County Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3), supports the Fairfax County Park Authority by raising private funds, obtaining grants, and creating partnerships that supplement tax dollars to meet our community’s needs for park land, facilities and services. Visit the Park Foundation website or call 703-324-8582 for more information.

The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has approved matching grant funding in the amount of $13,000 to supplement community contributions toward installing swings at the playground within Gilbert S. McCutcheon Park located in the Mount Vernon District. Funds were awarded through the Park Authority’s Mastenbrook Volunteer Matching Fund Grant Program. The applicant, the Villamay Community Association, will also contribute $13,000 to complete this project.

The existing playground, developed in partnership with the community in 2004, did not include swings in the project scope due to limited funding. The proposed project will include the purchase and installation of a two-bay swing set with four swings serving all ages and abilities.

The project will be managed by the Fairfax County Park Authority and is expected to be completed in spring 2024.

The Mastenbrook Volunteer Matching Fund Grant Program encourages public-private ventures that improve Fairfax County parks and park facilities. It is designed to fill a gap between limited bond funding and the community’s desire for new or improved park facilities by assisting volunteer, community and user groups in improving park facilities by matching funds and in-kind services.

Since 1999, the program has awarded approximately $2.1 million in grants for projects valued at more than $16.3 million. Grants ranging from a few hundred dollars to the maximum of $20,000 have funded such projects as trail improvements, construction of gazebos and shelters and athletic field improvements.

For more information about the Mastenbrook Matching Funds Grant Program, visit the Mastenbrook Grants website.

As the holiday season approaches, give that someone special the gift of fun and adventure with a Fairfax County Park Authority Gift Card or Golf Fairfax Gift Card. Gift cards can help adults and children of all ages and abilities to choose their own adventures from among the thousands of activities and events that the Park Authority offers around Fairfax County.

A Fairfax County Park Authority Gift Card can be used to purchase entry to Rec Centers, registration for classes and camps, tours of historic properties and tickets to numerous fun amusements, events and activities. Purchase gift cards at any value between $20 and $999 with ease online, or purchase them in person at Rec Centers, nature centers and historic sites.

Purchase a Park Authority gift card

Get your loved ones onto the greens with a Golf Fairfax Gift Card. These cards can be used at all seven Fairfax County Park Authority golf courses. Use the Golf Fairfax Gift Card to purchase greens fees, range balls, food and beverages and merchandise in pro shops. They also can be used to purchase lessons at Burke, Greendale and Pinecrest courses. Purchase these gift cards for amounts as low as $25 at any golf course pro shop.

Learn more and purchase a gift card today by visiting the Park Authority’s Gift Card website.

Whether you are stocking up for golf season or shopping for stocking stuffers, enjoy the lowest prices of the year on golf rounds during the Black Friday Pass Sale from Nov. 18 to Nov. 29.

Save on weekend and weekday passes at Burke Lake, Greendale, Jefferson, Laurel Hill (senior rounds only), Oakmont (formerly Oak Marr)*, Pinecrest and Twin Lakes golf courses. Take 10% off 5 rounds, 20% off 10 rounds and 25% off 15 rounds. Pass savings are based on regular greens fees.

Seniors, save up to 35% off weekday rounds. Seniors can purchase 14 rounds and get the 15th round for free.

Passes are available for 9 or 18 holes, for weekend or weekday rounds. Golf passes are valid at the course where it was purchased for two years after the date of purchase.

To purchase passes, visit participating golf pro shops.

For more information on the Black Friday Golf Pass Sale, visit the Golf passes webpage.

View the Golf Pass Sale flyer

*Note: The Fairfax County Park Authority Board recently approved of changing the name of the Oak Marr Golf Center to Oakmont Golf Center. This change will be phased in across the Park Authority website and registration system over the next several weeks.

A dash of sparkle, a pinch of holiday spice and a sprinkle of magic — find this recipe for the perfect holiday in Fairfax County parks this season. The Fairfax County Park Authority is hosting events perfect for one and all.

Enjoy holiday decorations, gather around the campfire, stargaze, birdwatch, meet Santa, find the perfect holiday gift, don a tacky holiday sweater for a skate/dance party, take a tour by candlelight or lanternlight, or take part in a magical round of mini golf. Here’s a quick look at what awaits you, your family and your friends this holiday season in the park:

At Frying Pan Farm Park

• Holiday on the Farm: Fridays (4:30-7:30 p.m.) and Saturdays (4:30-7:45 p.m.), Dec. 1 - 15. Enjoy an evening of wagon rides, indoor activities, food, animal interactions and campfires.
• Animal Tea Party: 10-11 a.m. and 2 - 3 p.m., Jan. 19, 20, 26 and 27

At Burke Lake Park

• Winter Wonderland: Saturdays and Sundays (11 a.m.-5 p.m.), Dec. 2-17. Visit Santa, enjoy hot chocolate, ride the Holiday Express train, take a spin on the Carolers Carousel, play Gingerbread Man mini golf, warm yourself by the fire and cook s’mores.
• Stargazing Spectacular: 5:30-7 p.m., Jan. 13. Enjoy guided stargazing and listen to ancient stories about constellations around a campfire.

At Colvin Run Mill

• Children's Holiday Shopping: 11 a.m.-3:20 p.m., Dec. 2-3
• Sensory-Friendly Santa at the Mill: 11:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m., Dec. 9; and 11:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Dec. 10
• Santa at the Mill: 3-6:30 p.m., Dec. 9

At Historic Huntley

• A Very Mason Christmas: 3:30-5:30 p.m., Dec. 17

At Franconia Rec Center

• Ugly Holiday Sweater Family Skate and Dance Night: 6-9 p.m., Dec. 16. Light up the night with your tackiest holiday sweater while skating and dancing to holiday classics played by a DJ.

At Green Spring Gardens

• Learn about the Christmas Bird Count: 10-11 a.m., Dec. 9

For more information and to register for these holiday events, visit the Seasonal Events in the Parks website. 

Fairfax County Park Foundation (FCPF) Board Chair Anita Herrera presented a ceremonial check in the amount of $1,246,585.41 to the Park Authority Board at its Nov. 8 meeting. This represents the total monetary funding received from donors that was transferred to the Park Authority during Fiscal Year 2023 for important projects, outreach programs and community events.

Thoughtful and generous charitable contributions from individuals, foundations and organizations enabled FCPF’s FY 2023 support to FCPA for the Woodlands Stewardship Education Center, Summer Entertainment Series, Green Spring Gardens Moon Gate, Invasive Management Area Program, Rec-PAC Camp & Class Scholarships, Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience, 4-H Fair & Carnival, Earth Day Fairfax, Open Space Land Preservation, Memorials, Trail Building and Care, and much more.

“Fairfax County loves its parks,” said Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole. “That relationship is manifested through the countless hours of volunteer service and through generous giving through the Fairfax County Park Foundation to support our amazingly diverse park system and the thousands of programs we offer every year to millions of visitors. The involvement and support we receive from the community is one reason that Fairfax County Parks are recognized among the nation’s best.”

The Fairfax County Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3), supports the Fairfax County Park Authority by raising private funds, obtaining grants, and creating partnerships that supplement tax dollars to meet our community’s needs for park land, facilities and services. Visit the Park Foundation website or call 703-324-8582 for more information.

The winter holidays are upon us and local forecasters predicting a white winter for the Washington Metropolitan area. Naturally, many might be wondering how to stay in touch with what’s open and what’s closed during the holidays and during inclement weather. The Fairfax County Park Authority has several ways to be in the know when it comes to holiday hours and closure notifications:

1. The Park Authority Website. Closures and cancellations are posted on the Park Alerts website. This page is accessible by clicking the alert bar at the top of any page within the Park Authority website. Holiday hours are listed on the Holiday Hours webpage.
2. Social Media. Follow the Park Authority on X, Facebook and Instagram. Notifications are posted whenever there are closures or cancellations pertaining to inclement weather, which will point to the Park Alerts website for complete details.
3. Contact Our Sites. For the most current information about specific sites, classes and programs, you may contact your specific location directly. Please note that when registered programs or classes are canceled, staff will send a notification email to all registered participants directly.

For more information, please contact the Public Information Office at Parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.

The Fairfax County Park Authority, joined by Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay and Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, celebrated the official opening of Lake Accotink Park’s new playground with families from the surrounding community on Thursday, Nov.2.

The upgraded playground was installed to replace equipment, which had outlived its useful lifespan as one of the parks most popular features for visiting families since 1995. The new play space features a variety of equipment for children of all ages and abilities. The design includes a tower play structure with a winding slide, boulder climber, four swings, net climber, playhouse, dragonfly teeter-totter, musical panels, and tactile and visual features to provide children with a variety of play experiences.

“I could go on for hours about the science of playgrounds and how they provide an essential space for our children’s physical fitness, socialization and intellectual and creative development, but this is really what it’s all about,” said Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole, pointing out the laughter of dozens of children in the background. “The language of play is universal, and there is no expression which more clearly represents the reason why we are so passionate about providing gold-standard experiences for children of all ages throughout our park system.”

The project cost totaled approximately $300,000. One-time funding was appropriated by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at the end of third quarter in fiscal year 2023. The allocation was championed by Chairman McKay, Supervisor Walkinshaw and Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk.

Lake Accotink Park is located at 7500 Accotink Park Road in Springfield, Virginia. For more information about the playground project, please contact the Public Information office at Parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.

There might be a little more chill in the air, but the harvest is far from over at three of the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Farmers Market locations! Enjoy the extended season at the Reston, Burke and McCutcheon/Mt. Vernon farmers markets.

Starting Nov. 25, each market will welcome a handful of new vendors in addition to the ones you know and love. Expect new products, such as bagels, hot biscuits, pho, fresh cheese and more! The Extended Season will continue each week until market closing dates, which can be found below.

Burke Farmers Market

April 22 – Dec. 16, 8 a.m. to noon

VRE Parking Lot, 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke

Reston Farmers Market

April 29 – Dec. 2, 8 a.m. to noon

Lake Anne Village Center, 1609-A Washington Plaza, Reston

McCutcheon/Mt. Vernon Farmers Market

April 19 – Dec. 20, 8 a.m. to noon

Sherwood Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria

Be sure to visit the Burke, Reston, and McCutcheon/Mt. Vernon markets to support your favorite vendors through the season, and to welcome our new vendors to the Extended Season. Visit the Farmers Market website for more information regarding the Extended Season and market locations.

The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has approved of a name change for its Oak Marr facilities. Oak Park, Rec Center and Golf Center will now be called Oakmont Park, Rec Center and Golf Center respectively. The elimination of “Marr” from the name of these park facilities follows the county’s pattern of moving away from names and titles that glorify the Confederacy.

Oak Marr was named in commemoration of John Quincy Marr. Marr was the first Confederate soldier killed in combat by a Union soldier in the Civil War during the Battle of Fairfax Courthouse. In 1904, the Daughters of the Confederacy erected a monument at the courthouse to commemorate his death. In 2020, the monument was removed.

The Park Authority is in the process of changing all references in documentation, signage and on the Park Authority website where appropriate.

Oakmont Park, Rec Center and Golf Center are co-located at 3200 Jermantown Road in Oakton. For more information, please contact the Public Information Office at Parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.