Park Authority

CONTACT INFORMATION: Open during regular business hours 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday
703-324-8700 TTY 711
12055 Government Center Pkwy.
Fairfax, Virginia 22035
Jai Cole
Executive Director

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Park Development

Clemyjontri ParkPark development does not always closely follow adoption of a park master plan process. The Park Authority Board must identify project funding sources, typically through voter-approved bonds, private developer contributions, and/or cooperative agreements with local user groups.

Scope

When funding is secured, a project scope is developed for Park Authority Board approval. The scope identifies the facilities to be developed, areas of cultural and natural resources to be preserved, transportation and utility improvements, and federal, state, and local code requirements. The scope includes a preliminary cost estimate and schedule identifying major milestones for the design, permitting, bidding, and construction phases of the project.

Design

Once the scope is approved the project proceeds to the detailed design phase. During this phase each element of the plan such as buildings, athletic fields, playgrounds, parking lots, and trails are specifically located on a base plan. Various code requirements for buildings, site work, accessibility, wetlands, and Chesapeake Bay preservation are incorporated into the plan during this process. Following completion of the design, the plans are submitted to various agencies to obtain the permits necessary to proceed to construction.

Construction

As a public agency, the Park Authority must conduct the bidding of construction projects in accordance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act. Construction projects must be advertised, and the resulting bid proposals opened in public. Each contract is presented to the Park Authority Board for approval. A "Pardon Our Dust" letter is mailed to citizens that live near the construction site notifying them of the impending project. The Park Authority ensures that the project is constructed in compliance with the plans, specifications, and permit requirements resulting in the issuance of an occupancy permit for the facility. Park Authority operational staff then opens each facility for the public's use.

Groundbreakings and Openings

On January 1-2, 2022, the Fairfax County Park Authority joined park systems across the country to encourage everyone to start 2022 with a hike. First Day Hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks to encourage people to get outdoors. Despite wet weather, thousands of people came out to explore the Fairfax County Park Authority’s trail system and take steps toward improved health and fitness in the new year. More than 170 photos were submitted as part of the First Hike Fairfax 2022 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:   James Stone, Hidden Pond Nature Center  People’s Choice: $100 Park Authority Gift Card OR a 25-Visit FCPA Rec Center Pass  More than 900 people voted on the People’s Choice Winner. With 122 votes, this photo of a bridge on the trails at Hidden Pond Nature Center received 13 percent of the vote, making it the most popular of the 24 finalists selected by the judges.   Sarah Baldwin, Waverly Park   Judges’ Choice: $100 Park Authority Gift Card OR a 25-Visit FCPA Rec Center Pass  A panel of judges thought this photo offered a unique perspective of our parks. Since fungi grow best under wet conditions, the photo highlights the beauty that emerges in the parks on rainy days. The sharp detail of the hymenium gills of a mushroom are beautifully framed by the towering trees.  Erin Nicole Graf, Burke Lake Park Director’s Choice: $100 Park Authority Gift Card Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole chose this photo of two children running through the trails at Burke Lake Park. “We had some fantastic photographs submitted and I loved them all, but this photo really spoke to me. As a mom of two kids, this photo captures the pure joy of the moment these children were set free to run and just have fun. Thank you, Erin, for sharing this moment with all of us.” Billy Swistak, Burke Lake Park Best in Show (Landscape/Scenery): $50 Park Authority Gift Card Judges really enjoyed the warm tones and framing of this photo. The lakeside scene – complete with geese peacefully floating on the water - conveyed a sense of tranquility that so many people seek in our parks.    Ashley DeAntonio, Lake Fairfax Park Best in Show (People): $50 Park Authority Gift Card Judges thought this photo perfectly captured the spirit of First Hike Fairfax – different generations ringing in the new year on the Park Authority’s trail system. With a butterfly on his cap, the young nature lover is enjoying his perch on his dad’s shoulders.   Elaine Starr, Huntley Meadows Park Best in Show (Wildlife): $50 Park Authority Gift Card  Judges were amused by this photo of a blue heron landing on a row of turtles. They were also impressed with the photographer’s ability to capture this quick interaction with such detail. They appreciated how stunning the blue feathers were against the darker background. Mary Robinson, Lake Accotink Park Best in Show (Pets): $50 Park Authority Gift Card The Pets category was added this year following feedback from past participants. Judges were drawn to this pup’s cocked head and big brown eyes. In addition to the dog, they liked the photographer’s choice to include the train bridge, misty waters and tree reflection in the background. 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 Media Note: Click the photo to download See all First Hike Fairfax 2022 photos.

Dog Daze

As the Lake Fairfax Park Water Mine closed for the season to humans, dogs got their chance to take a plunge, chase tennis balls in the water and make new canine friends. More than 1,000 dogs and 3,000 people joined in the fun. Pooches and their families packed the Reston water park on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, for Dog Daze – an end-of-summer ritual that attracted dogs of all breeds and sizes. The event featured dogs-only swimming, a Canine Resource Fair and fun for all members of the family. Proceeds, reaching over $10,000 will go to the Fairfax County Park Foundation to benefit parks. Dog Daze was presented by the Fairfax County Park Authority in partnership with the Hunter Mill Dis-trict Supervisor and the Fairfax County Park Foundation, with support from Weber’s Pet Store and Aquatic Paws. Media Note: Click on the winning photos below to download. See more photos at the Dog Daze 2021 Flickr page. (Photo credit: Beth Fredericks). For more information, contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662 or send an email to parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Freedom Hill

The thirst for history from a more personal vantage point was on full display July 31, 2021, when a large crowd, including family members from several states, park neighbors, members of the Park Authority Board and staff, local officials, and History Commission members, gathered at Freedom Hill Park in Vienna for the inaugural Untold Stories program. Untold Stories is an interpretive project of the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA). It is a multiyear project involving dozens of parks across Fairfax County. The goal is to increase the representation of all peoples in the stories the Park Authority tells as it interprets county natural and cultural resources. This is one strategy in a larger equity and diversity plan that the organization is creating and implementing. Saturday’s event featured a traditional land acknowledgment ceremony, as well as the unveiling of new interpretive signage that explains a unique time and circumstance during the Civil War and Freedom Hill’s role in it. It also tells the story of a special community that existed amid the racism of the time. It is about a local multiracial family and a family member who may have been a Union spy. Residents of Freedom Hill represented a quintessential American ideal – people of all races and their descendants coming together as one community. Pictured are several generations of the Carter Family, as well as others involved in the project. Left to right in the center: Rose Powhatan, Director of the Powhatan Intertribal Museum; Gloria Runyon and Dee Carter; Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn; and Edwin Henderson, project leader. You can find more information at the Freedom Hill website or read more about Untold Stories. See Saturday's event program here. Media Note: Click the image above to download. See all the Freedom Hill Ceremony photos at the Freedom Hill Flickr page.  View a video of the event below.
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