Park Authority

The Fairfax County Park Authority will soon begin renovating the tennis and pickleball court areas at Wakefield Park (8100 Braddock Road, Annandale) to enhance playing conditions and increase dedicated courts for pickleball. Construction, led by contractor ATC Corp, is expected to begin early April 2025.

The project will be completed in two phases. Phase 1 will include converting Tennis Court 11 into four dedicated pickleball courts, renovating Tennis Courts 7 and 8, restoring Courts 9 and 10 to tennis-only use, and repairing Tennis Courts 1 and 2. The basketball courts will also undergo repairs, with completion expected by late June. Weather permitting, Phase 1 is anticipated to be completed by mid-July 2025.

Phase 2 will follow shortly after, replacing half of the walled practice court with two additional dedicated pickleball courts, while preserving the tennis practice wall and courts closest to Courts 9 and 10. This phase will require additional site work, including modifying an existing trail and relocating picnic tables. Phase 2 is expected to be completed by fall 2025, pending necessary permits and weather conditions.

During construction, Tennis Courts 3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as Pickleball Courts 12 and 13, will remain open for public use. Directional signage will guide visitors to alternative pickleball court access, ensuring safe entry. However, visitors are reminded to avoid designated construction areas. Residents should also expect occasional construction traffic entering and exiting near Court 11 via the park access road. Construction hours will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Residents are encouraged to use the Park Amenity Locator to identify alternative courts to use during construction.

Once completed, Wakefield Park will feature 10 dedicated tennis courts and eight dedicated pickleball courts, reducing competition for dual-use courts and better accommodating the county’s growing demand for racket sports. The final design was informed by public feedback from the July 9, 2024, meeting. The $300,000 project is funded through the FY 2024 Third Quarter Budget Consideration Item, sponsored by Chairman Jeff McKay and Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw.

FCPA remains committed to expanding accessible playing surfaces for racket sports. With this project, Fairfax County will offer 90 pickleball courts and 193 tennis courts across its parks. For more details, visit the Wakefield Tennis and Pickleball Redevelopment Project page on PublicInput or contact the Public Information Office at Parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Spring into action with Fairfax County Park Authority classes. Learn a skill, pick up a new hobby, dive into a favorite pastime and get active with a range of fitness and recreation opportunities in and around your local parks.

Whether it’s learning essential life skills (like swimming), connecting with nature, tapping into your inner artist or enhancing strength and cardiovascular health, the Park Authority offers a wide range of ways to be healthy, learn new things and connect with friends and neighbors. Classes can be found for all ages and abilities. Find a class for the entire family that fits your schedule. Explore offerings in the following categories:

• Adapted Recreation Services
• Aquatics
• Children’s Corner
• Dance
• Equestrian
• Exercise and Physical Fitness
• Fine Arts and Crafts
• Gardening
• Golf
• History
• Ice Skating
• Martial Arts and Self-Defense
• Nature
• Outdoor Recreation
• Performing Arts
• Pets
• Science and Technology
• Sports and Leagues
• Xtras

Save $8 when you register by Feb. 21. Flip through the Parktakes magazine to see class offerings and more. Make this spring one to remember. Questions about classes and registration may be directed to PTOnline@fairfaxcounty.gov.

The Fairfax County Park Authority will soon begin work to preserve the Peake Family Cemetery located in the Mount Vernon District. This project is part of the Park Authority’s ongoing work to preserve and restore historic cemeteries in Fairfax County.

The restoration of the Peake Family Cemetery, expected to begin by spring 2025, will be overseen by archaeologists with specialized training in cemetery care and will include little to no ground disturbance with the only exception being the resetting of headstones. Work on the site will include gravestone cleaning, setting and repair, addressing landscape issues and conducting a ground-penetrating radar survey of the site to identify potential unmarked burials.

In addition to site restoration, the Park Authority is planning to update the existing interpretive signs at the cemetery and is requesting assistance from the surrounding community and historical organizations. The archaeology team seeks historic records, photographs, and/or family histories, which may help in identifying unmarked graves and contribute to the interpretive history of the site. Potential burials could include members of the Ford, Javins, Brown, Bigsby and Fisher families.

Historic records, photos and histories may be submitted online at the Peake Family Cemetery project website. All materials received will be reviewed by the archaeology team. The researched histories and the results of the ground-penetrating radar survey of the site will inform the narrative and design of interpretive signs later in the year.

For additional project background and information, including a recorded project overview, visit the Peake Family Cemetery project website. The Peake Family Cemetery is located adjacent to Martin Luther King Jr. Park and the Gum Springs Community Center at 8115 Fordson Road in Alexandria.

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

There is no better way to celebrate Wetlands Awareness Day than by visiting the Fairfax County Park Authority’s premier wetland sanctuary at Huntley Meadows Park on Sunday, May 5, from 12-4 p.m. Come explore the wonders of the park including a nationally significant historic house, majestic forests, wildflower-speckled meadows and a vast wetland bursting with all forms of life. There is no cost for admission.

Some of the best wildlife watching in the Washington metropolitan area is here. Bring your friends and family to stroll the forested paths and immersive boardwalk trails. Appreciate the plants and animals that live in the park and find out why they play an important role at the park. This exciting event will feature live raptors, reptiles and amphibians.  Enjoy an up-close view of our creatures and interactive displays and activities. 

On-site parking is limited. Shuttle rides are available from nearby Groveton Elementary School, 6900 Harrison Ln., Alexandria. Shuttles run every 30 minutes with the last shuttle ride to Huntley Meadows Park at 3:30 p.m. The last return shuttle ride to Groveton Elementary School is at 4:15 p.m. The event will be held rain or shine.

To register for this free event, visit Wetlands Awareness Day. Huntley Meadows Park is located at 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria. For more information visit Huntley Meadows.
 

Despite a few early raindrops, the sun broke through the clouds as the Fairfax County Park Authority, Board of Supervisors and hundreds of local little leaguers and their families celebrated the historic opening of the county’s new state-of-the-art baseball/softball sportsplex at Patriot Park North on Saturday, April 15. The event signaled the completion of a “game-changing” facility that offers a fantastic competitive experience and provides a significant economic benefit to the community.

“Patriot Park North provides a winning combination of community use and economic benefit that really knocks it out of the park,” said FCPA Executive Director Jai Cole. “This project is a wonderful example of what we can do together with the community and a host of partners in creating and executing a shared vision for amazing park facilities like this. This is a project we can all truly be proud of.”

Originally, the park was home to three grass diamond fields. In 2014, the FCPA acquired adjacent land, which expanded the site to 67 acres and opened the possibility for the redevelopment of the property to accommodate expanded use and create a prime destination for baseball and softball tournament play throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

The redevelopment of the park included the installation of six synthetic turf diamond fields (two 60-foot and four 90-foot diamonds), batting cages, warm-up areas, lighting, a 360-degree press box and deck, live streaming capability, concession stands, stormwater management, trails, playground, parking lot and other site amenities. The $22.7 million facility was funded through developer proffers and voter-approved 2016 and 2020 Park Bonds.

The FCPA anticipates significant returns on investment, with 26 committed tournaments already in process. The economic impact for the county is estimated between $162,000 to more than $1 million per tournament, depending on attendance and the duration of the event. The total estimated impact for all 26 tournaments is approximately $18.3 million in 2023.

Patriot Park North is located at 5425 Willow Springs School Road, in Fairfax. For additional information, visit the Patriot Park North website or call 703-324-5308.

Watch a video of the Patriot Park opening and ribbon-cutting. 

The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is seeking teenagers looking to develop their leadership and communication skills to become Counselors in Training (C.I.T.). The C.I.T. program is open to teens ages 14 and older and provides real-world experience in planning and leading activities for elementary-aged children participating in FCPA camps and Rec-PAC. Participants often return year after year, eventually accepting paid staff positions when they turn 18.

Serving alongside adult leaders, participating C.I.T.s assist counselors with programming, gain experience working as part of a team, develop new communication and leadership skills, and have fun helping elementary school-age children. Each participant receives a T-shirt and will receive an assignment for a specific Rec Center, park or school site.

To participate, applicants must submit the C.I.T. application and complete an interview. Once selected to the program, there is an application fee and initial online training that must be completed before the start of the summer program. Specific instructions for summer camp and Rec-PAC C.I.T.s are included below:

Summer Camp C.I.T.s: Applicants must submit their application to the camp program directors at the location they are interested in being assigned to. Camp C.I.T. training will be held virtually on Tuesday, June. 6 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Become a Camp C.I.T.

Learn more about FCPA’s camps by visiting the Camps website.

Rec-PAC C.I.T.s: Applicants must note their preferred location and submit applications by Friday, June 9 and attend an in-person training event on June 17. Accepted applicants will be assigned to a site and work daily on weekdays from June 26 through Aug. 3, from 8:15 a.m. through 4 p.m.

Become a Rec-PAC C.I.T.

Learn more about the FCPA Rec-PAC program by visiting the Rec-PAC website.

Don’t wait, submit a C.I.T. application today!

Explore a thriving wetland sanctuary during Wetlands Awareness Day! Join us in celebrating the significance of Huntley Meadows Park and get connected with the treasured homes and habitats of the wildlife throughout the park on Sunday, May 7, from noon to 4 p.m.

Huntley Meadows Park is home to a nationally significant historic house, majestic forests, wildflower-speckled meadows and vast wetlands bursting with life. Some of the best wildlife watching in the Washington Metropolitan Area is here.

Enjoy an up-close view of live raptors, reptiles and amphibians and interactive displays and activities. Bring the whole family, and your neighbors too, to stroll the forested paths and immersive boardwalk trails throughout the park. See the plants and animals that live in the park and learn how they play vital roles in the ecosystem. Grab a discovery guide when you check in and visit different activity stations, receiving a stamp at each station to earn a prize.

This free, family-friendly event will be held rain or shine. Come discover the importance and value of our local wetlands.

Register for Wetlands Awareness Day

Huntley Meadows Park is located at 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria, Virginia. For more information, please call 703-768-2525 or visit Huntley Meadows Park.

It’s National Poetry Month and Arab American Heritage Month. Celebrate both at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park with the first in a series of Poetry in the Parks events.

Enjoy poetry from the Fairfax Poet Laureate featuring local Arab American poets Zeina Azzam, Rayan Afif and Danielle Badra. Poetry in the Parks is a partnership between ArtsFairfax and the Fairfax County Park Authority, highlighting the relationship between nature and poetry. Experience the serenity of the Ellanor C. Lawrence wooded amphitheater, while experiencing the natural surroundings.

The event will be held on April 15 from 3 to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but please register for the program.

Register for Fairfax Poet Laureate

Ellanor C. Lawrence Park is located at 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, Virginia. For more information, please call 703-631-0013 or visit Ellanor C. Lawrence Park.

Meet Marcos!

Name: Marcos Suarez
Position: Area 4 Manager, Park Operations Division, Fairfax County Park Authority

I was born and raised in Venezuela and moved to the United States (Burke, Virginia) at the age of 16. While I was in school, I played baseball and basketball at the varsity level. In school, extracurricular activities helped me a lot to learn a new language and to exceed in my future. I graduated from Lake Braddock Secondary School in 2003. After graduating high school, I worked full time and went to Northern Virginia Community College part time for many years. I am a devoted husband and father of two children, I enjoy engaging with my community as my son’s little league baseball and basketball coach, spending time at many of our county’s parks with my family, and additional outdoor activities with friends such as hunting and fishing.

I am also a park professional with almost 10 years of experience with the Fairfax County Park Authority. I began my career with the county as an athletic field maintenance worker, holding positions such as Area 2 Park and Recreation Specialist I and Turf Crew Assistant Manager before being selected as a Parks and Recreation Specialist IV. I am a former member of the Virginia Turfgrass Council and a graduate with a landscape design and horticulturist degree from Northern Virginia Community College. I continue to increase my knowledge and expertise through the county’s Leadership and Management Training Program. I joined the county with over ten years of experience as a Landscape Design and Grounds Maintenance Manager. 

I have worked so many years in the service-oriented field. I love taking care of others, communicating with others and helping solve problems. Also, I love working with a group of people that are on the same path to accomplish something meaningful. As an area manager, I get to help others, manage park expectations, talk to many people and try to impact other people’s lives. 

The Park Authority gave me the opportunity to start and exceed in my career as a public servant. I love the environment and the fact that we are so diverse in so many ways. I am thankful that we have a team that helps each other and that is always willing to mentor you so that you could exceed in anything that you set your mind to. I think the best thing about the Park Authority is that you get to work outside, enjoy all the parks and trails, and become one with nature and with our environment. 

#joinFCPA

Get to know Gina Sando!

Name: Gina Sando
Position: Visitor Services Manager, Resource Management Division, Fairfax County Park Authority.

I was born in New Jersey to a Deaf family. My parents are Deaf along with my sister and an uncle, indicating that it may be a recessive trait. I grew up fully immersed in American Sign Language (ASL). I attended preschool and part of kindergarten at the New Jersey School for the Deaf prior to our family’s move to North Carolina. I finished kindergarten and first grade at the Central North Carolina School for the Deaf. 

More than 90% of Deaf children are born to hearing parents, and as a result many of them experience language delays as they are not exposed to language until school (unless their parents learn sign language). Teaching a Deaf child to speak is notoriously difficult as most sounds and mouth movements are actually made at the back of the mouth and in the throat, and even after years of speech therapy many individuals’ speech patterns are still difficult to understand. I am fortunate and privileged to have been born in a Deaf family, so I was exposed to ASL from birth. As a result, I was ahead of my peers in school. Due to this, my parents made the decision to mainstream me. This means that I was placed in “the mainstream” of public school, with hearing children close to my age, and with an ASL interpreter. 

This was the type of education I received throughout most of my K-12 school years. I attribute this to my work ethic and motivation, as I have always had to work three times as hard as my peers. I receive information in a different language and have to translate it to take accurate notes. After high school, I attended Rochester Institute of Technology and received two degrees there, a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Environmental Science. As an undergrad, I was hoping to work in a zoo (and actually had worked at a local zoo and at a big cat sanctuary during these four years). In graduate school, my focus shifted to working for the federal government, perhaps in the EPA. I had lofty goals of being a consultant at the White House, or perhaps in Congress. 

Clearly – my path to a career in park & recreation was a roundabout one!

That changed with my first service corps experience. As a Student Conservation Association volunteer, I got a natural resources management internship with Palisades Interstate Park Commission, based out of Bear Mountain State Park, roughly an hour north of New York City. From there, I was hooked. I served as an AmeriCorps intern at York River State Park and then was hired at Smith Mountain Lake State Park. 

I still wanted to add to my knowledge and skills, and that White House consultant dream was still there, so I made the difficult decision to move to Northern Virginia and start graduate school (again!) at Johns Hopkins University, studying Energy Policy and Climate. I was hired at Lake Fairfax Park as an assistant manager and naturalist, figuring it was a temporary gig until I finished my degree and got that elusive White House gig. 

Three and a half years later, almost two years since I finished my degree, and I’m still here and loving what I do every day. I love that the Park Authority gave me an opportunity to truly realize my potential, and I have never gotten a “no” to any sort of access request. The Park Authority’s mission aligns closely with my values and personal beliefs, and I am incredibly thankful to continue to grow professionally with such an incredible team. The best part? Now that I’m based out of Huntley Meadows Park as a program manager, I have the ability to go out and be one with nature whenever I have a minute. 

#joinFCPA  #NDEAM