Park Authority

The Friends of Green Spring Gardens, better known as FROGS, were honored for 25 years of service to the Fairfax County Park Authority site with a resolution from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. At an evening concert and celebration at Green Spring on June 26, 2018, Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross presented the resolution, which she called an “anniversary card,” to FROGS President Sarah Munroe.

Over the past quarter-century, the FROGS organization has donated more than $1.9 million to support Green Spring operations and special projects. FROGS has used its Annual Appeal to support initiatives such as the Frances Tyler Fund, which subsidizes educational programs for children from Title I schools and has supported 10,055 children through more than 500 educational programs. The group has provided renovations to the Glasshouse, repairs to Historic Green Spring and maintenance vehicles for staff. In addition, it expanded the Garden Gate Plant Shop, funded plants and site maintenance projects, and sustained Spring Garden Day, the Fall Garden Day & Silent Auction, summer concerts, Gardeners’ Holiday, art shows in the Historic House and Horticultural Center, and the Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series.

Pictured left to right are: FROGS President Sarah Munroe and Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross.

For more information about Green Spring Gardens and the FROGS organization, visit Green Spring Gardens.

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On Saturday, June 23, 2018, park leaders, staff, volunteers and community members gathered at Hidden Pond Nature Center to celebrate the new playground and picnic shelter. The new nature-themed playground features several structures to accommodate play for ages 2 to 12, including swings for all ages. A pre-fabricated multi-use shelter was erected at the site of the old playground. This shaded area expands picnic facilities at the site. The project also includes site improvements to meet ADA standards and improve accessibility.

Pictured in the photo, from left to right (in front): Cindy Walsh, Director, Park Authority Resource Management Division; Isabel Villarroel, Project Manager, Park Authority; Aimee Vosper, Deputy Director/Chief of Business Development, Park Authority; Mike Thompson, Springfield Rep, Park Authority Board; Senator Dave Marsden, Virginia’s 37th District; Bill McCabe, Office of Supervisor Pat Herrity, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Springfield Rep; Mike McCaffrey, Manager, Hidden Pond Nature Center; Gary Schankmen, community member; Mary Olien, Site Operations Manager, Park Authority; Michelle Alexander, Visitor Services Manager, Hidden Pond Nature Center; pictured along with Hidden Pond volunteers, staff and visitors on hand to celebrate the new playground structure.

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A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Chessie’s Trail at Lee District Family Recreation Area was held on June 16, 2018, as officials, project team members and local children celebrated the completion of the project. Chessie’s Trail was the last component of a robust capital improvement program at the site that includes a fully-accessible carousel, treehouse and playground, as well as a spray ground known as Our Special Harbor.

This multi-phase, multi-year, multi-million dollar effort to renew a once underdeveloped and dilapidated area of the park is unique in its use of funding from individual and organizational donors, Park Bond dollars, grants and in-kind contributions made to the Park Authority and Park Foundation. The project serves as a model for other collaborative efforts to provide new, much-desired and needed recreational amenities not funded by tax dollars.

Pictured with local children are (left to right) Roberta Longworth, Executive Director, Fairfax County Park Foundation; John Osborn, Chair, Fairfax County Park Foundation; Fairfax County Park Authority Board Members Dr. Abena Adoo and Dr. Cynthia Carter; Project Manager Tom McFarlane; Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay; Civil Designer Matt Tauscher, Bowman Consulting;

Park Authority Executive Director Kirk Kincannon, Lee District RECenter Manager Dan Peters and Mason District Park Board Member Ron Kendall.

For more information about Lee District Park amenities, visit online at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/recenter/lee-district/family-recreation-area.

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On Tuesday, May 22, 2018, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Washington Field Office held a Children's Citizenship ceremony at Sully Historic Site in Chantilly, VA. More than two dozen children recited the oath of citizenship and received certificates at the event, now in its 10th year at the site. Visitors celebrated with the children as they received their certificates.

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A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Sunday, May 6, 2018 for the new playground at Bucknell Manor Park in Alexandria, Va.

Bucknell Manor Park now features two play areas to appeal to children of different ages. In addition to the play structures, the facility includes new borders, subsurface drainage, child safety fencing and an asphalt trail – all designed to meet ADA standards. The $100,000 project was financed through the 2016 Park Bond as part of a plan to install new playground equipment at aging parks to bring them into compliance with today’s safety and ADA standards.

Members of the community, both young and old, were joined by (left to right, in back): Linwood Gorham, Park Authority Board Rep, Mount Vernon District; Philip Hager, Park Authority Area Manager; Daniel Storck, Board of Supervisors, Mount Vernon District; Kirk Kincannon, Park Authority Executive Director; Dave Bowden, Director of Planning & Development, Park Authority.

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On Saturday, April 28, 2018, the Fairfax County Park Authority and TrailsforYouth.Org opened a new bicycle pump track at Brookfield Park in Springfield, Virginia. The track is designed to allow riders of a wide range of abilities to maneuver around the track, while navigating smooth bumps (rollers) and banked turns (berms). The track project was supported by the Springfield Civic Association and funded by TrailsforYouth.Org through a Park Authority Mastenbrook Grant and community-raised matching funds. The Park Authority oversaw the construction of the project, with expertise provided by the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE).

Pictured in the photo, from left to right: Jeff McKay, Lee District Supervisor; Julie Childers, TrailsforYouth.Org Executive Director; and Aimee Vosper, Deputy Director of the Fairfax County Park Authority, along with two young cycling enthusiasts.

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On Saturday, April 14, 2018, the Fairfax County Park Authority renamed South Run District Park Athletic Field #5 in honor of Jack Nolan, a longtime coach, leader and advocate of youth soccer in the Springfield District. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Mr. Nolan served as a coach for several soccer teams in the Springfield Youth Club (SYC). His success on the field led to leadership roles with SYC, the Fairfax County Soccer Council and the Athletic Council. He was instrumental in the development of a rectangular field allocation policy.

Pictured in the photo, from left to right: Delegate Kathy Tran, Virginia House of Delegates; Michael Thompson, Fairfax County Park Authority Board, Braddock District Representative; Jack Nolan, Honoree; Pat Herrity, Braddock District Supervisor; and Kirk Kincannon, Executive Director, Fairfax County Park Authority Executive Director.

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The Fairfax County Park Authority signed an agreement with ServiceSource's Pathways to Careers initiative on December 13, 2017, in an effort to provide adults with disabilities internship opportunities in programs and activities operated by FCPA. The ultimate goal of the partnership is to provide competitive employment opportunities for qualified individuals in some of the more than 10,000 programs offered annually by the Park Authority.

ServiceSource's Pathways to Careers initiative supports integrated and customized work opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the DC metro region. For more information about Pathways to Careers, please contact Pathways to Careers Employer Relations Coordinator John Gyourko at 571-249-9468 or john.gyourko@servicesource.org. 

Pictured from left to right in the front row are: Sara Baldwin, Acting Executive Director, Park Authority; John Gyourko, Pathways to Careers Employer Relations Coordinator, ServiceSource; Second row: Kasey Kahmann, SourceAmerica; Ken Crum, Regional Executive Director, ServiceSource; and Jennifer Cardona-Kellett, Pathways to Careers Program Manager, ServiceSource.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Friday, December 8, 2017, for a new birthday party shelter at Clemyjontri Park in McLean, Virginia.

The shelter is being fully funded thanks to grants from the McLean Community Foundation, the Rotary Club of McLean, Friends of Clemyjontri and individual gifts to the Fairfax County Park Foundation. The $80,000 project is scheduled for completion by spring 2018.

Pictured from left to right are: From the Rotary Club of McLean: Vance Zavela, President of McLean Rotary Club Foundation; Thamir Al’Hashimi, Rotarian; Michael Arietti, Rotarian; Bob Jansen, President of Rotary Club of McLean; Gene Durman, Rotarian; Jan Auerbach, Rotarian; and Carol Stone, Rotarian. From the Fairfax County Park Foundation: Bobbi Longworth, Executive Director. From the Friends of Clemyjontri Park: Julie Clemente, Board Director; Dan Clemente, Board Director; and Rachel Georgelas, President. From the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors: John Foust, Dranesville District Supervisor. From the McLean Community Foundation: Janet Tysse, President; Amy Swaak, Trustee; Julie Warin, Trustee; and John Schell, Trustee

On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, the Fairfax County Park Authority signed a lease with Stephen McCullough as part of the new Resident Curator Program. McCullough will now serve as the Resident Curator of historic Stempson House in Lorton, Virginia.

Under the program, a curator is selected 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.

Steven McCullough was selected as the Resident Curator for the Stempson House after submitting an application in March 2017. The public is invited to follow renovation progress on McCullough’s blog.

Pictured standing (L-R): Margaret Puglisi, Heritage Resource Technician, Park Authority; Jo Gilbert, Investment Manager, Fairfax County Department of Finance; Dr. Liz Crowell, Manager of Archaeology and Collections, Park Authority; David Buchta, Historic Conservation Branch Manager, Park Authority; Leonard Clark, Insurance Manager, Fairfax County Department of Finance; Mike Thompson, Springfield Representative, Park Authority Board; Denice Dressel, Heritage Resource Planner, Park Authority; Daniel Storck, Mount Vernon Representative, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Cyndi McNeal, Project Coordinator, Park Authority Planning & Development; Dave Bowden, Director, Park Authority Planning & Development; Janet Burns, Fiscal Administrator, Park Authority; Mike Lambert, Assistant Director, Fairfax County Facilities Management; Michelle Meadows, Senior Right-of-Way Agent, Park Authority Planning & Development.

Seated (L-R): Steven McCullough, Stempson House Resident Curator; Cindy Walsh, Acting Deputy Director/Chief Operating Officer, Fairfax County Park Authority.

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