Park Authority

Five members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors who are not returning to their current positions after the fall recently were honored by the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Fairfax County Park Foundation for their contributions to the popular Summer Entertainment Series.

For more than 25 years, the Fairfax County Park Authority in partnership with the Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Park Foundation has offered free summer entertainment for residents of all ages and backgrounds. The Summer Entertainment Series carries on the American tradition of summer concerts by offering musical performances, children's shows, international cultural performances, and drive-in movies through 11 local series featuring 170 free performances at 16 venues with more than 40,000 people in attendance.

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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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The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) and the Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Thursday, February 21, 2019, to help guide the group’s efforts at the farm in Herndon, Virginia. The signing took place in the park’s visitors’ center.

The Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park is a non-profit organization that provides significant financial and volunteer support for programs and activities at Frying Pan Farm Park. The group has held and supported numerous events, such as Spring Farm Day, Farm Harvest Day, the concert series and the annual 4-H Fair. The Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park financially support the park in many ways, providing veterinary care and feed for the animals, crops for interpretation and supporting equestrian activities through fundraising horse shows and programs.

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, governance and administration.

The Fairfax County Park Authority and the Friends of Frying Pan continue to work together to preserve this community landmark and allow neighbors to enjoy activities at the site. Pictured at the recent signing are, seated at the table from left to right: Jack Pitzer, President, Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park; Ann Marlow, Vice-President; Yvonne Johnson, Frying Pan Farm Park Manager; and Sara Baldwin, Deputy Director, FCPA. Back row from left to right are: David Walters, Board Member; Nicole Stroud, Treasurer; Betty Holman, Board Member; Margaret Wergley, Board Member; Marion Scaffidi, Secretary; Anne Pearson, Board Member; Dick Hoffmann, Board Member; and Mary Olien, Park Management Specialist, Resource Management Division, FCPA.

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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 Colvin Run Mill (FOCRM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, to govern the group’s efforts at the historic mill in Great Falls, Virginia. The document was signed with a quill at the 1810 miller's house.

FOCRM is a non-profit organization that provides financial and volunteer support for programs and activities at Colvin Run Mill. Among its many activities, the group has paid for and developed new interactive tour tablets, purchased barrels for the mill and funded popular programs such as Santa at the Mill.

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): Colvin Run Mill Manager Mike Henry, Fairfax County Park Authority Director Kirk Kincannon, and Friends of Colvin Run Mill President Gene Bacher.

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

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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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Twenty-one volunteers offered their time and energy to the Fairfax County Park Authority on Thursday, January 3, 2019, to provide much-needed help restoring trails at Riverbend Park.

The park’s trails took a beating in late 2018 from heavy rains that caused flooding and forced some closures. Riverbend scheduled a two-hour Trail Work Day on January 3, and volunteers worked with park staff to help clear away debris, move dirt and restore hard-hit trails. The popular Potomac Heritage Trail is still muddy, but the upriver section is now open.

Pictured are some of the volunteers who provided trail work at Riverbend Park.

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

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The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors honored the Fairfax County Park Authority at its meeting on Wednesday, December 4, 2018, for its re-accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). Becoming accredited is one of the highest benchmarks of excellence that an agency can attain.

Park and recreation agencies across the United States turn to CAPRA Accreditation as a credible and efficient means of achieving their goals of providing high quality services and experiences. Accreditation also provides assurance to the public that an agency meets national standards of best practice.

This is the Park Authority’s third accreditation by CAPRA. The agency achieved its re-accreditation in 2018 by meeting all 151 national standards set by CAPRA.

Pictured are members of the Board of Supervisors and Park Board, and Park Authority staff.

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, local officials and plenty of pooches gathered this past Saturday to celebrate the Fairfax County Park Authority’s official opening and ribbon cutting at Monticello Park located at 5315 Guinea Road in Burke, VA. The just-completed park features a challenge course, off-leash dog park, multi-use space and trails. The $1.5 million project was funded by the 2016 Park Bond.

Pictured from left to right are: Members of the community and their canine companions, Kiel Stone, Braddock District Rep, Park Authority Board; John Cook (center), Braddock District Rep, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Tony Vellucci, former Park Authority Board Member; Margaret Thaxton, Director of Development, Fairfax County Park Foundation; Sara Baldwin, Deputy Director, Park Authority, Dave Bowden, Director of Planning and Development, Park Authority; Kelly Davis, Project Manager, Park Authority; and Mohammad Mahboob, Construction Manager, Park Authority.

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