Park Authority

On January 12, 2020, more than 500 people gathered at Burke Lake Park in Springfield, VA, to witness the release of a rehabilitated bald eagle. The bird was recovered by the Fairfax County Police Department on December 12, 2019, after a community member saw the bird on a trail near Burke Lake, unable to fly.  Dr. Belinda Burwell, D.V.M., of Wildlife Veterinary Care, facilitated the rehabilitation of the bird, who suffered from a shoulder injury and lead poisoning. After a few jumps on the ground, the eagle headed towards the lake.

Photo: Hundreds of onlookers watched as a rehabilitated bald eagle was released at Burke Lake Park on Sunday, January 12, 2020. 

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On January 1-3, 2021, the Fairfax County Park Authority joined America’s state parks including Virginia State Parks to encourage everyone to start 2021 with a hike. In Fairfax County, it’s a great way to appreciate more than 450 miles of trails and to set the bar for a new year of fitness and outdoor activity. This year’s contests included special prize amounts of $70 to commemorate the Park Authority’s 70th anniversary. Nearly 200 hikers submitted photos as part of the First Hike Fairfax 2021 Photo Contest presented by the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Fairfax County Park Foundation. The Park Authority Executive Director, a panel of Park Authority judges and a public vote have determined the following winners:

Elaine Starr, Huntley Meadows Park

Judges’ Choice: $70 Park Authority Gift Card OR 25-visit FCPA RECenter Pass

A panel of judges thought the photographer did an excellent job of clearly capturing the detail of this action shot from a Northern pintail at Huntley Meadows Park. They felt like the photo transported them to the Huntley wetlands – home to so many beautiful birds and animals.

First Hike Fairfax kicks off a new year of Healthy Strides activities for the whole family. For more fresh ideas, visit the Healthy Strides web page and sign up for the e-newsletter with monthly tips to get you and your family energized.

Find out more about how easy it is to support local parks by visiting the Park Foundation.

For more information on First Hike Fairfax, visit the First Hike Fairfax web page

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Lee District community leaders recently honored Transurban, operators of the 495 and 95 express lanes, for significant enrichment of Fairfax County parks through contributions to the Fairfax County Park Foundation (FCPF). 

Officials thanked Transurban for its support at a ceremony on December 10, 2019, at the accessible carousel at the Lee District Family Recreation Area. Transurban was granted naming rights to one of the horses because of a donation to the Park Foundation. The sponsors fittingly named the Chessie’s Carousel horse “Elane.”

“Transurban is honored to support the Park Foundation’s many programs that help make our community a great place to live,” said Brent McKenzie, Transurban Government Relations & Community Outreach Manager.

Since 2011, Transurban has donated a cumulative total $182,700 to FCPF for parks and programs located near the express lanes. Grants and charitable contributions enable the Park Authority to provide the popular Lee Nights Summer Entertainment Series, Chessie’s Big Backyard playground and programs at other parks.

A $10,000 gift to the Fairfax County Park Foundation enables the donor to name one of a limited number of Chesapeake Bay-themed Carousel features. To learn more, visit Chessie’s BIG Backyard at Lee District Park.

Pictured standing from left to right are: Dr. Cynthia Jacobs Carter, Park Authority Board Lee District representative; Margaret Thaxton, FCPF Director of Development; Dr. Abena A. Aidoo, At-Large Park Authority Board representative; Rodney L. Lusk, Lee District Supervisor-elect; Jeff McKay, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman-elect; Brent McKenzie, Transurban Government Relations & Community Outreach Manager; Bruce D. McLeod, FCPF Board Emeritus; Bobbi Longworth, FCPF Executive Director; Michael Gailliot, Vice Chair, FCPF Board of Directors.

For more information, visit us online.

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Members of the community, local elected officials, and representatives from the Park Authority gathered in celebration this past Saturday at Azalea Park in Falls Church.  This small, neighborhood park has been fully redesigned and, with the collaboration and cooperation of neighbors, has become a wonderful place to play, spend time with family and friends and enjoy being outdoors.  The park now features new play equipment for all age groups, adult exercise equipment, seating areas, picnic tables, and landscaping featuring the parks’ namesake azaleas.

The Park Authority worked closely with the Greater Hillwood Citizens Association to plan the improvements for the park, and the planning and construction process was completed within one year.  As part of the process, residents formed a volunteer group to provide enhanced maintenance of the park’s landscaping. 

Cunningham Recreation, Custom Park Solutions and Denison Landscaping provided services for the project, which had a total cost of $176,500, funded via proffers. 

Pictured are members of the community and the Park Authority project team as well as Alex Strong, President of the Greater Hillwood Citizens Association; Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Kirk Kincannon, Executive Director, Fairfax County Park Authority; Ken Quincy, Providence Representative, Park Authority Board; Adam Wynn, project manager, Park Authority; Julie Guzzo, co-chair, Azalea Park Steering Committee; Paul Shirey, Park Planning Division and David Bowden, director, Park Planning Division.

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Thirteen employees from Environmental Quality Resources (EQR), LLC turned out on Friday, April 19, 2019, to provide volunteer cleanup services at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park on Fordson Road in Alexandria, Virginia and Wickford Park on Wickford Drive, also in Alexandria. In cooperation with the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES), the EQR workers donated 65 hours of service and collected piles of trash and tires from the park.

“The Park Authority is very fortunate to have a good partner in DPWES-UDCD and exposure to a talented and generous contractor like EQR,” said Yudhie Brownson, the Park Authority’s project manager for the cleanup. “We are certainly appreciative of all the volunteers’ time and efforts, truly awesome work out there!”

EQR’s annual day of service is dedicated to friend and colleague Will Bunn. EQR describes Bunn as “a valuable employee whose passion and dedication for the environment runs through the 18 stream restoration projects he worked on so hard during his time at EQR.”

For more information about the Park Authority, visit online at Parks.

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Diane Willen’s sunrise photo of Burke Lake Park was named the People’s Choice Winner in the 2019 First Hike Fairfax Photo Contest. More than 1,250 people voted on the 15 finalists in the People’s Choice category. Willen’s photo received 209 votes, earning her 16 percent of the total vote.  

Fairfax County Park Authority also named Brian W. Knight the Judges’ Choice Winner. Judges felt that his photo of fiancée Christy Wahle striking a pose at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve perfectly captured the spirit of the annual First Hike initiative.  

Hundreds of people rang in the new year by taking a hike on Fairfax County Park Authority trails  and nearly 280 of them submitted photos for this year’s contest – more than triple that of last year. This year’s contest was expanded to encourage more park-goers to get outside and explore Fairfax County parks and trails.  Photo eligibility was expanded from five trails to the entire Park Authority trail system and voting was expanded to include more than just Facebook users. Both winners will receive a four-month RECenter pass valued at up to $300. For more info on First Hike Fairfax, visit First Hike.

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The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) and the Friends of Green Spring (FROGS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Friday, January 4, 2019, at Green Spring Gardens.

FROGS was established in 1993 with the sole mission of supporting Green Spring Gardens. Over the last 25 years, it has provided more than $2 million in funding for the public garden and historic site in Alexandria, Virginia.

An MOU establishes a framework for a productive working relationship between organizations in order for mutual support to continue and prosper. Friends group MOUs cover issues ranging from services offered to finances to governance and administration.

Pictured are (left to right): FCPA Deputy Director/Chief Operating Officer Sara Baldwin, FROGS President Sarah Munroe, and Green Spring Gardens Site Manager Nicole Conners. Susan Voss, who was not present in the photo, was instrumental in the MOU process for FROGS and the Federation of Friends Groups that support FCPA.

For more information about the Park Authority, visit online at Parks.

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Parks and recreation icon William “Bill” Beckner, who passed away earlier this summer, was remembered fondly and honored on Saturday, November 17, 2018 with a park bench dedicated in his memory at Huntley Meadows Park. Beckner joined the Park Authority in 1977 as the agency’s chief naturalist. Eight years later, he led the agency’s detailed strategic planning process, and in February of 1989, he was named the Park Authority’s director. He served in that post until December 1993, when he left the FCPA to establish his own consulting business.

Friends, family and colleagues joined together for the occasion including (from left to right) Harry Glasgow, former Park Authority Board member; Paul Baldino, former Park Authority Director; Lynn Tadlock, former FCPA Planning Division Director; Jean Van Devanter White, former Director, Park Foundation; Connie Weyant, former assistant to Bill Beckner; Jack Weyant, Director, Fairfax County Code Compliance; Nancy Magill, Bill Beckner’s life partner; Susan Allen, former member FCPA Conservation Division; Tim White, former Acting Director, FCPA; Annemarie and Rob Gremminger; Mona Enquist Johnston, former FCPA employee and volunteer; Kirk Kincannon, Executive Director, FCPA; Cindy Messinger, former Director, FCPA; Carolyn Gamble, former Huntley Meadows Park employee and volunteer, Nancy Vehrs, Prince William Native Plant Society.

A post detailing Beckner’s contributions to the field of recreation and parks can be found at our blog.

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Members of the community and local officials gathered this past Saturday to celebrate the Fairfax County Park Authority’s official opening and ribbon cutting at Backlick Park located at 4516 Backlick Road in Annandale, VA. Renovations at the park included installation of a new shelter and picnic tables, new playground areas, a new fitness area, renovation of the tennis courts, new tennis court lighting and the repaving of the trails and parking lot. This $1 million project was funded through voter-approved Park Bonds.

Pictured from left to right are members of the community and Park Operations staff members plus community activist Binod Gupta; Penny Gross, Mason District Rep, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Dave Bowden, Director of Park Planning and Development, Park Authority; Ron Kendall, Mason District Rep, Park Authority Board; Kirk Kincannon, Executive Director, Park Authority; Pat Rosend, Project Manager, Park Authority; Steve Rugen, community activist; and Julie Tahan, Community Support Specialist, Park Authority.

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On Thursday, November 1, 2018, Fairfax County’s second Resident Curator was officially approved and appropriate leases signed at Turner Farm Park. Members of the Great Falls community turned out for the lease signing ceremony. Sarah Kirk will serve as the Resident Curator of historic Turner Farmhouse in Great Falls, Virginia.

The Resident Curator Program allows for a curator to live in a historic Fairfax County property rent-free in exchange for rehabilitating the house and allowing public access. As required by the state legislation, lease agreements are required between the Park Board and Board of Supervisors, as well as the potential curator. Those approvals set in motion the right to rehabilitate the properties.

Ms. Kirk (acting as principle for the Turner Farmhouse Foundation) will rehabilitate the property. It will serve as a residence for the Kirk family, with its equine farm on the leased property. The lease will also repair the property’s milk house, restore and preserve its historic corn crib, and renovate an existing garage to serve as a retreat center.

Pictured signing the lease are Fairfax County Park Authority Executive Director Kirk Kincannaon and Resident Curator Sara Kirk. They are joined by (left to right): Reverend Jerry Pokorsky, St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church in Great Falls, Va.; Reverend Hank Langknecht of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Great Falls, Va.; Bill Canis, President, Great Falls Citizens Association; Tim Hackman, Dranesville Rep, Park Authority Board; John Foust, Dranesville Rep, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Stephanie Langton, Resident Curator Program Manager, Fairfax County Park Authority; David Buchta, Heritage Conservation Branch Manager, Fairfax County Park Authority; Jo Turner, former resident; and Michelle Meadows, Sr. Right of Way Agent, Fairfax County Park Authority.

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