Bocce May Not Happen At Cabots Point

Reston Association’s board of directors plans to rescind a proposal to build a bocce court at Cabots Point Recreation Area after complaints from several nearby residents.

In December, RA’s Board of Directors voted to authorize construction of the lawn bowling court at the area off of South Lakes Drive. The $2,500 cost would be paid for by Friends of Reston, said South Lakes Director Richard Chew, who proposed the amenity. The design plan was approved by RA’s Design Review Board in June and $1,700 has already been donated to the project, RA documents show.

RA CEO Cate Fulkerson has now proposed taking the plan off the table and coming up with an alternate plan that may or may not include bocce for Cabots Point. The directors will vote on it at their regular monthly meeting tonight.

Fulkerson says several RA members who live near Cabots Point have contacted RA “concerned that proper notification and opportunity for public input or a hearing was not made regarding the proposed project and change in use of the recreation area.”

Bill Parker, a South Bay resident told the board in an email “we object because, as an affected party, we were not informed of the plan in advance, and because the space that would be compromised is directly in line with Reston’s concept of openness, community, and beauty. In addition, there is extremely limited parking in the area and the corner of Cabots Point Lane and South Lakes Drive is already subject to significant traffic.”

Parker said he hopes the board will listen and this unfortunately conceived and improperly implemented proposal will be overturned. By doing so, the playground and open space that is currently enjoyed informally by so many will not be transformed into a sport-specific park that could easily be placed elsewhere in Reston.”

Photo: Bocce/file photo