Stratton Woods Park Getting New Outdoor Racquetball Courts

(Edited 8 p.m. Friday to correct ribbon cutting date. The correct date is May 16)

The Fairfax County Park Authority will dedicate new outdoor racquetball and handball courts at Reston’s Stratton Woods Park on Saturday, May 16.

The $644,000 project includes the installation of a lighted racquetball and handball court complex, relocation of the volleyball court, demolition of one basketball court, as well as site improvements and landscaping, the park authority says.

This courts were largely financed through revenues from an onsite cell phone monopole. Cell phone companies pay leasing fees to schools and parks in return for being able to add a tower on the property.

In FCPA parks that have monopoles, revenue received is reinvested in the parks, with 30 percent going to the park authority Natural Resource program, said FCPA Board Chair Bill Bouie. Last year over $250,000 was generated for the Natural Resource programs at the Park Authority, he said.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on May 16 at 10 a.m. at Stratton Woods Park, 2431 Fox Mill Rd.  The public is invited to hear remarks, enjoy light refreshments and observe a demonstration by nationally-ranked players from the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour and the United States Racquetball Association.

“These new courts give us a competitive facility for those of us who love racquetball and handball,” said Bouie, who is a Reston resident and a nationally-ranked racquetball player. “I am thrilled we could make that happen with such a first-class facility.”

“However, for Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and myself, the real pleasure is in seeing Stratton Woods Park built-out to its full master plan specs and knowing that the great majority of the funding to do so came from proffers and telecom fees and not taxes.”