Alert:
Braddock Park Master Plan Revision
The Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved a revision to the Braddock Park Master Plan at its meeting on Nov. 10, 2021.
The revised plan retains Braddock Park’s character as a primary destination for adult softball, leverages the findings of the 2020 Study of Sports Tourism Opportunities in Fairfax County, and plans for new facilities to balance out the variety of uses in the park. Those facilities include a concessions/refreshments service, a central plaza to serve as a focal area for the park to include family gathering and child-age play areas, a one-mile walking loop, a pickleball court complex, and a potential dog park or community gardens to address the preferences of park users. The draft Conceptual Development Plan (CDP) provides new recreational and sports tourism capacity, while retaining environmental stewardship goals and protecting Resource Protection Zones established in prior master plans.
This latest master plan was proposed following public meetings and a public survey. Among the 960 park users who responded to the survey, adult softball, running and walking, and batting practice all ranked high among current activities.
Braddock Park, located in the Springfield Supervisory District, comprises 61 acres of land adjacent to the Park Authority’s Twin Lakes Golf Course and Centreville High School. The park’s original master plan was approved in 1981 and revised in 1997.
Braddock Park is in the Pohick Planning District and consists of approximately 61 acres. The park is categorized as a District Park which means it may offer a variety of passive and active recreation uses and serves a larger area than a local park. Braddock Park shares a property line with Centreville High School to the south and Twin Lakes Golf Course to the east.
The original goals set forth in the 1981 Park Master Plan were to incorporate both passive and active recreational opportunities while also preserving the natural resources of the site. Today, the park is primarily an athletic facility containing six natural turf softball diamonds, one synthetic turf rectangular field, a batting cage area, and a restroom facility. Elements from the original master plan that were never constructed include a concession stand, volleyball courts, fitness trail, tot lot, and social gathering plaza. Many of the ball fields have reached the end of their life span. Heavy usage, increased soil erosion, and site drainage issues have become ongoing maintenance burdens. The site also includes an undeveloped area where a miniature golf course was previously maintained and operated from 2000 through 2014.
The main objectives for revising the Braddock Park master plan are to find out how the park has met the needs of the community to date and to determine how it could be improved for future users. The park’s success will be measured via input from community engagement and public surveys. Additionally, a strict analysis of the current park’s natural and man-made features will identify potential design opportunities and constraints. Together, this information will better inform the development of the park into a better experience for all.
Comments regarding the Braddock Park Master Plan Revision or any other project through parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov
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