Alert:
At its July 14 meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors proclaimed the month of July as Park and Recreation Month in Fairfax County. The county joins jurisdictions from across the nation in commemorating National Park and Recreation Month, celebrating the role of parks and recreation and recognizing the role of park and recreation professionals in building vibrant communities.
"Parks offer endless opportunities for connection – connection with nature, with history and culture, with recreational experiences, and with one another. This is made possible by the dedication of park and recreation professionals and their commitment to serving Fairfax County."
-Jai Cole, Executive Director, Fairfax County Park Authority
"The Power Of" parks and recreation brings people together, supports physical and mental health, and creates resilient, connected communities.
This year the Fairfax County Park Authority is celebrating 75 years of powerful parks, programs, people and stories.
Hear how community and team members are impacted by everyday moments of play, gathering, restoration and celebration.
"The access they provide to nature and outdoor activities. I think having public spaces with free access to miles of trails, athletic courts, fields, and other amenities is invaluable. I, like so many other people, fell in love with the outdoors and sports because I had access to public parks and spent hours in parks when I was growing up. After living in cities with limited green space, easy access to parks and green spaces is something I try not to take for granted now."
"Parks and recreation are powerful because they give so many people the opportunity to take a break from their busy lives and enjoy quality leisure time. FCPA offers so many accessible options for people of all ages, interests and skill levels, making it easy for everyone to find a place to enjoy."
"I really enjoy being able to build things that people can play on. It’s very rewarding to go to a ribbon cutting and see citizens excited about something that you spent the last several years working on. It is also a lot of fun now that I have two kids to be able to take them to a project I worked on and watch them enjoy it. The other part that is great about the Park Authority is the relationships you develop with other park staff while working on a project. Everyone is willing to pitch in to make sure the project is successful from both a user and staff standpoint."
"The mixture of cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds of the FCPA employees that are serving one goal and that is to be able to provide a fun, safe and inviting environment to the citizens and visitors of Fairfax County."
"Being a planner for parks and recreation means so much to me because it has allowed me to serve the community in a way that results in real and visible positive impacts. What we do here is provide opportunities for all people to live healthier lifestyles. Having access to nature and places where you can recreate and be social can make a real difference in a person's health and wellbeing…I also enjoy connecting with communities that have not traditionally participated in engaging with us and hearing what they want from their parks and recreation agency."
"Pursuit of leisure and recreation is incredibly important to a community's well-being, so we serve an important role. Access to parks, recreation and leisure opportunities is essential to a healthy, connected community, and it's meaningful to be part of that mission."
"Parks and recreation is meaningful to me because it creates places where people connect, learn, celebrate and enjoy life together. It is not just what I do for a living — it is how I serve my community and share my love of parks, people and nature."
"To me, parks and recreation are about creating opportunities for people to have fun, challenge themselves, and connect with others. There's nothing better than seeing friendships and lifelong memories grow from a shared experience."
"There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a child's face light up with a smile or hearing the sound of laughter during a program or event. Knowing that I have played a small part in creating those joyful moments for families is incredibly fulfilling. Those experiences remind me every day why I chose this career and continue to inspire my commitment to serving my community."
"It's rewarding to work on facilities that that provide such diverse and enriching opportunities to our community. The projects and efforts I’ve been able to help install have been aimed at addressing patron concerns, while improving equipment reliability and operation, while delivering energy and cost savings to the FCPA. Every dollar saved operating or powering a building is another dollar the FCPA can put towards providing more amenities and opportunities to further its mission the community."
"Parks are meaningful to me because they offer a peaceful place to restore mental and emotional health, creating an easy way to reconnect with nature. Parks help protect the environment and wildlife while serving as special spaces where people make lasting memories with family and friends."
"We have freedom to implement new ideas, follow the latest scientific literature, and combine the best practices with novelties in ecological restoration projects implementation. Parks are important part of our cities, and their significance became especially clear during Covid-19, when citizens were trying to spend more time in nature. Creating healthy natural oases in our urban environment for everyone to enjoy makes this work meaningful and improves the quality of life in the entire area."
"My coworkers and the community we serve are what makes Parks and Rec meaningful to me. The relationships I've built and continue to build everyday makes the work rewarding. The impact on helping to improve people's lives, helping to create environments where people feel safe and building something that is long lasting years after for generations to come."
"Watching the children experience all of the things I love about the gardens and retain the lessons we teach them because of our crafts and activities, has been so enjoyable."
"What first drew me to parks and recreation was the opportunity to connect with both people and places. During my undergraduate studies, one of my favorite experiences was participating in field trips and site visits. We had the chance to meet residents and hear their perspectives on their parks and public spaces. Those conversations taught me that every community has unique needs, and that good park planning comes from listening to the people who use these spaces every day."
