Candidates for the Reston Community Center’s Board of Governors talked about the future of RCC Monday night — its 2,000 annual programs in general and the plans to build a 50-meter indoor pool and recreation center, specifically.
Four candidates running for three openings in the annual preference poll took part in the 2014 Candidates Forum at RCC Hunters Woods. Two, William Penniman and Vicky Wingert, are incumbents.
The other two candidates are longtime Reston resident Linda Singer, who has served in a variety of local organizations, and William Keefe, a former RCC board member who was not re-elected in 2013.
As Reston, which has a new master plan and the first of its Silver Line Metro stations, prepares for growth, it is important that RCC grow with it, all candidates said.
“RCC is unique,” said Penniman, who has served on the board for eight years. “There is nothing like it in Virginia. No other community center has this kind of energy — it is important we preserve it. It is important we continue to strengthen and rise to meet needs that will grow.”
RCC will probably have to do that in the face of tough economics. The candidates said they do not want to have to raise the special tax that residents of Small Tax District 5 (Reston) already pay. RCC has studied building the new pool at Baron Cameron Park on land donated by the Fairfax County Park Authority, the county is also facing a cash crunch.
Residents of Small Tax District 5 are currently taxed 4.7 cents per hundred dollars of assessed home value. RCC officials say the expectation for future growth is that the tax base will grow with the population, not by raising rates.
“It is difficult [to predict] given the financial situation,” said Keefe. “It will take some time to assess what capital needs and revenue sources will be. We would like to diversify funding, proffers from developers and a series of other things to get to where we need to go to improve facilities for all people in Reston.”
Added Singer: “The county does not have the money either. There is space at Baron Cameron Park where we can build something, but I don’t believe the park authority will pay for it. All residents of Fairfax will not be happy if their taxes had to go up to pay for it.”
The board has been examining the proposed new pool since early 2013. Consultants from Brailsford & Dunlavy, hired for a feasibility study, say the new facility will cost about $30 million. The community has had mixed reaction to the expansion, and many of the detractors have said it is not a financial sound idea.
Before the idea can move forward, it will face a voter referendum, and RCC executive director Leila Gordon said that won’t happen in 2014.
“Our job as the Board of Governors is to find the best possible solution and deal that we can find,” said Wingert. “I think we are pursuing all the options possibly available. We [candidates] are all taxpayers too. It is ultimately up to community to decide what priorities are going to be and up to us to come up with best possible package.”
Residents of Small Tax District 5 should have received RCC ballots in the mail. Voting opens Sept. 12 by mail, online or in person.
Four candidates are running for three three seats in this year’s Reston Community Center Preference Poll.
Come hear what they have to say at the 2014 Candidates Forum Monday at RCC Hunters Woods at 7 p.m.
Residents of Small Tax District 5 (Reston) are asked to cast votes in the annual poll to fill open seats on the RCC Board of Governors. Voting begins Sept. 12 and runs through Oct. 3.
The community will elect three, three-year positions as the terms of board members Bill Penniman, Cathy Vivona and Vicky Wingert are expiring.
Penniman and Wingert are running for another term on the board. The other two candidates are William Keefe, who served on the RCC Board from 2008-13, and Linda Singer, a longtime Reston resident who has been active in many local and county organizations.
Each property in Small Tax District 5 will receive a ballot in the mail. Mail-in ballots must be received by the counting agent (a pre-addressed envelope is provided with the ballot; postage is required) no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2. Walk-in and online ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3
The RCC Board of Governors guides policy, budgeting and programming for the community center, which has locations at Hunters Woods and Lake Anne. The board may also authorize in the next year a community referendum for a new $30 million indoor pool and recreation center. The board has been studying the feasibility of such a project for several years.
The cost of swimming in Reston Community Center’s indoor pool will rise next week.
“This fee increase is necessary in order for us to ensure that RCC and the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center continue to offer patrons a high-quality experience,” says RCC executive director Leila Gordon. “Rest assured that our pricing will always factor in the subsidy that Reston patrons should and can expect as a result of the Small District 5 taxes they pay to support RCC.”
Individual swim passes will rise from $4 to $4.50 for an adult Reston resident. That same daily swim rate will now be $9 for a Fairfax County resident (up from $8) and $13 for a non-resident (up from $12). Youth and senior rates will be $2.75 (formerly $2.50), $5.50 and $8.25.
A 20-visit pass will rise to $73 from $65 for Reston adults; the pass will remain at $45 for youth and senior residents.
Other new prices:
- 20-visit pass Fairfax County adult/youth or senior: $146/$90
- 12-month pass Reston adult: $425; County resident, $850; non resident: $1,275
- 12-month pass Reston youth/senior: $215; County resident, $430; non-resident, $645
The pool is currently closed until Sept. 14 for annual maintenance.
For more information, visit www.restoncommunitycenter.org or stop by the Aquatic Services Desk at RCC Hunters Woods.
Reston Community Center will conduct its annual Preference Poll this fall. Four candidates are running for three, three-year terms on the Board of Governors. Reston Now will present information from the candidates’ statements today and tomorrow.
There will be a candidates forum at RCC Hunters Woods on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. Voting begins on Sept. 12. Each property in Small Tax District 5 will receive a ballot in the mail. Mail-in ballots must be received by the counting agent (a pre-addressed envelope is provided with the ballot; postage is required) no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2. Walk-in and online ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3.
Today’s profiles are of Vicky Wingert, a current RCC Board of Governors member and former Reston Association CEO, and Linda Singer, who has been involved in many community organizations as a longtime Reston resident.
Linda A. Singer, Statement of Candidacy
What previous experience or participation in civic activities would you bring to the RCCBoard?
1975-Present (Partial list)
EDUCATION
- Terraset – First PTO President
- Langston Hughes – PTA President
- South Lakes – PTA Board
- Area III Superintendent’s Council
- FCPS Boundary Committee
COMMUNITY
- Town Center Organization Committee – Community member. Decided on how Town Center would look and function.
- RA (RHOA) – Lakes Committee Chair
- Bylaws Revision Committee
- RCA – Transportation Committee Chair. Held first community meeting on rail to Reston and did follow-up.
- Reston Museum – Member of Reston 20 and 50/100 Committees.
COUNTY
- Library Board – Chair
- Community Action Board – Chair
- Human Services Council
- Fairfax Water Board – Treasurer, Vice Chair
- Redistricting Committee
COMMONWEALTH
- Social Services Board
How would your leadership enhance RCC’s vision to bring the community together by providing opportunities for enriching leisure experiences and connections that reach out to all and foster inclusiveness and a sense of belonging?
My participation and leadership with many boards and organizations gives me a great sense of our community’s need for enriching leisure experiences. My family is a good example of RCC participants. In one week at RCC, I played bridge, participated in a Current Issues Discussion Group, saw my granddaughter in an RCC-produced play and signed up for a Supreme Court class and RCC Senior Trip. My granddaughter has taken swimming, crocheting, and drama classes. She will be taking a sewing class in the fall.
I will be an active Board Member, presenting innovative ideas and collaborating with all Board members, other organizations and individual citizens. RCC will need to expand as our community grows. I want to have input on how RCC will meet the demands of growth.
We moved to Reston because of its inclusiveness in 1975. I will help RCC continue to meet all of our citizens’ needs.
Vicky Wingert Statement of Candidacy
What previous experience or participation in civic activities would you bring to the RCC Board?
I have had the opportunity to live, work and play in Reston since 1973 and have been active in a variety of community organizations. In my younger years, I coached girls’ softball, soccer and basketball teams. For many years, I worked for the Reston Association as Day Camp Director, Open Space Director and as CEO.
I have served as President of the Reston Historic Trust, a founding member of the Friends of Reston Board, and on the Reston Association Board of Directors. Currently, I am completing my first term on the Reston Community Center Board of Governors.
How would your leadership enhance RCC’s vision to bring the community together by providing opportunities for enriching leisure experiences and connections that reach out to all and foster inclusiveness and a sense of belonging?
As Reston celebrates its 50th anniversary, we are reminded of the values that shaped this community; a welcoming place for all, a place where beauty is celebrated and cultural and recreational opportunities are accessible to everyone. The mission of the Reston Community Center is closely aligned with these values. I have spent a lifetime in recreation planning and bring that experience to RCC. RCC’s programming must focus on meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse population and continue to strengthen its partnerships with other Reston organizations.
Responsible stewardship of tax dollars is the primary role of the Board of Governors. Prudent use of funds today must be coupled with a commitment to meet the demands of tomorrow. RCC has an important role to play in seeing that the next 50 years of growth and development in Reston continue to uphold the values that have made this community worth celebrating.
Reston Community Center will conduct its annual Preference Poll this fall. Four candidates are running for three, three-year terms on the Board of Governors. Reston Now will present information from the candidates’ statements today and tomorrow.
There will be a candidates forum at RCC Hunters Woods on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. Voting begins on Sept. 12. Each property in Small Tax District 5 will receive a ballot in the mail. Mail-in ballots must be received by the counting agent (a pre-addressed envelope is provided with the ballot; postage is required) no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2. Walk-in and online ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3.
Today’s profiles are from William Keefe, a land use lawyer who formerly served on the board, and William Penniman, and energy use lawyer and current board member.
William Keefe Statement of Candidacy
What previous experience or participation in civic activities would you bring to the RCC Board?
- RCC Board of Governors: 2008-2013
- Reston Special Study Master Plan Task Force Member
- Reston Association Board Member 2005-2008
- Reston Planning & Zoning (P&Z) Committee: Member 1997-2002
- Reston Youth Basketball: Commissioner, Coach, Referee
- Reston Youth Baseball: Coach
- Reston 2000 Task Force: Member
I have been an active member of the Reston community for many years with interests in such activities as planning for the future based on the advent of rail, planning for the youth recreation priorities for Reston Association, participating in Reston Runners, and participating in and supporting Reston Triathlons.
How would your leadership enhance RCC’s vision to bring the community together by providing opportunities for enriching leisure experiences and connections that reach out to all and foster inclusiveness and a sense of belonging?
An important Fairfax County agency with a clear charter, RCC’s mission is to improve the quality of life for residents of Small Tax District 5 by providing a wide variety of cultural, artistic, social, and fitness offerings. I would like to promote and expand RCC programming for Restonians, especially for youth and seniors.
Based on Reston’s changing demographics, and the financial limitations placed on County services, RCC should continue to fund and implement diverse programming that responds to the wide variety of needs of the community. Multi-lingual and multicultural programming is a necessity in meeting RCC’s mission. Cooperation and good communications with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Reston Association, Reston’s community organizations, and business community are also critical in implementing the RCC vision.
I look forward to bringing my years of leadership and experience to RCC’s efforts to reach out to and involve all of Reston.
William Penniman Statement of Candidacy
What previous experience or participation in civic activities would you bring to the RCCBoard?
I have served on the RCC Board of Governors for eight years, acting, at various times, as the Secretary, Treasurer, Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Board’s other committees. For four years, I served as RCC’s representative or alternate representative on the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force, where I co-chaired the Wiehle Station Subcommittee and served on other task force committees.
In recent years, I have also served on Supervisor Hudgins’ Hunter Mill Budget Advisory Committee. I have done volunteer work for non-profit organizations, including, most recently, the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.
How would your leadership enhance RCC’s vision to bring the community together by providing opportunities for enriching leisure experiences and connections that reach out to all and foster inclusiveness and a sense of belonging?
Reston is fortunate to have a community center as vibrant as RCC. No other community center in Fairfax rivals RCC for its rich program offerings or its overall contributions to the community. RCC excels in its classes, facilities, arts, summer camps and close engagement with schools and other community organizations.
My goal is to help RCC maintain the adequacy of these programs and continue its community-building activities for the benefit of all income levels, while keeping a close eye on the budget. Metro will bring substantial commercial and residential growth to Reston. I believe that RCC can meet the community’s evolving demands and needs within its existing funding structure and will work to help it to do so.
My experience on the RCC board and in the community can help RCC continue to fulfill its mission of community service in the face of challenges ahead.
Four candidates will run for three seats in this year’s Reston Community Center Preference Poll.
Residents of Small Tax District 5 (Reston) are asked to cast votes in the annual poll to fill open seats on the RCC Board of Governors.
The community will elect three, three-year positions as the terms of board members Bill Penniman, Cathy Vivona and Vicky Wingert are expiring.
Penniman and Wingert are running for another term on the board. The other two candidates are William Keefe, who served on the RCC Board from 2008-13, and Linda Singer, a longtime Reston resident who has been active in many local and county organizations. Watch for candidate profiles on Reston Now soon.
There will be a candidates forum on Monday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at RCC Hunters Woods.
Voting begins on Sept. 12. Each property in small district 5 will receive a ballot in the mail. Mail-in ballots must be received by the counting agent (a pre-addressed envelope is provided with the ballot; postage is required) no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2. Walk-in and online ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3.
The RCC Board of Governors guides policy, budgeting and programming for the community center, which has locations at Hunters Woods and Lake Anne. The board may also authorize in the next year a community referendum for a new $30 million indoor pool and recreation center. The board has been studying the feasibility of such a project for several years.
Friday at 5 p.m. is the filing deadline for candidates interested in a seat on the Reston Community Center (RCC)’s Board of Governors.
The Board of Governors is a nine-member group that is responsible for oversight and guidance of RCC, which serves the people of Small Tax District 5 (Reston).
Candidates must be residents of Small District 5, age 18 or older, and complete a candidacy statement in order to have their names placed on the Preference Poll ballot.
The RCC Preference Poll is a community event held annually to select members to serve on the board. The Board of Governors establishes the overall policies for RCC priorities for its programs and budget.
There has been increased focus on RCC the last few years as it seeks to expand by building a new 50-meter indoor pool in Reston. That proposal been met with mixed reaction from the community.
This year’s Preference Poll will fill three positions for three-year terms. The terms of board members Bill Penniman, Cathy Vivona and Vicky Wingert are expiring.
Online and mail-in balloting and walk-in voting will be available Sept. 12 to Oct. 3 until p.m. Mail-in ballots must be received by Oct. 2 at p.m. There will be a candidates forum on Sept. 8 at RCC Hunters Woods.
For more information on the 2014 RCC Preference Poll or Board of Governors, visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com or call (703) 476-4500.
The celebration of Reston’s 50th anniversary continues as Reston Community Center will hold a 10-day Reduced Shakespeare Company Extravaganza in September.
The festival will include eight performances by The Reduced Shakespeare Company, as well as a comedy boot camp and several opportunities to meet members of the well-known comedy ensemble.
The Reduced Shakespeare Company is a three-man comedy troupe that takes long subjects and reduces them to short, sharp comedies. The trio’s annual visit to RCC’s CenterStage has made them a favorite with Reston audiences, says RCC Executive Director Leila Gordon.
The “Bad Boys of Abridgement” have created nine stage shows, two television specials and many radio shows that have reached worldwide audiences.
“The Reduced Shakespeare Company has been part of the RCC arts family for more than two decades,” said RCC Executive Director Leila Gordon. “We can’t imagine any significant anniversary year in Reston that wouldn’t include sharing the hilarity they bring to the CenterStage and our community. In this extraordinary year, bringing back these shows and many original cast members is the ‘least’ we could do for their fans and fully in the spirit of ‘reducing’ us to helpless laughter.”
Tickets for the extravaganza, which begins Sept. 12, go on sale for the general public Aug. 8.
Click through for the lineup of events in Reston.
Reston Community Center (RCC) is looking for candidates to run for three seats on its Board of Governors.
The Board of Governors is a nine-member group that is responsible for oversight and guidance of RCC, which serves the people of Small Tax District 5 (Reston).
Candidates must be residents of Small District 5, age 18 or older, and complete a candidacy statement in order to have their names placed on the Preference Poll ballot.
Candidacy statements will be available at the RCC locations or on RCC’s website beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 1. The deadline for candidacy filing is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 15.
The RCC Preference Poll is a community event held annually to select members to serve on the board. The Board of Governors establishes the overall policies for RCC priorities for its programs and budget.
There has been increased focus on RCC the last few years as it seeks to expand by building a new 50-meter indoor pool in Reston. That proposal been met with mixed reaction from the community.
This year’s Preference Poll will fill three positions for three-year terms. The terms of board members Bill Penniman, Cathy Vivona and Vicky Wingert are expiring.
Online and mail-in balloting and walk-in voting will be available Sept. 12 to Oct. 3 until 5:00 p.m. Mail-in ballots must be received by Oct. 2 at 5:00 p.m.
For more information on the 2014 RCC Preference Poll or Board of Governors, visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com or call (703) 476-4500.
Baron Cameron Park may one day be home to a large indoor recreation center or other new amenity.
Or it may stay very much like it is, with garden plots, athletic fields and Reston’s only off-leash dog area.
Two weeks ago, the Fairfax County Park Authority approved a Baron Cameron master plan revision that includes the option for a large indoor recreation space.
Bill Bouie, Chairman of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board, says the approved master plan merely reserves the option to build there.
That doesn’t mean anything necessarily will be built at the 60-acre park.
“A rec center might not happen at all,” he said. “But before this, these was no approved plan in place. What this does is say ‘in Nirvana, when and if we get the money, this what it should look like.’ ”
The park authority board discussed the future plans for Baron Cameron Park for more than a year before voting on the plan. The goal was to update the master plan, which had not been done since 1990. The park has at various times been property of the Fairfax County Public Schools (which at one time was going to build a high school there), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and finally, the Park Authority.
But with Reston population expected to grow with the opening of the Silver Line Metro this summer, the timing was appropriate to look at how Baron Cameron can serve more people in the region. Baron Cameron is designated as a district park, meaning it should have a variety of uses in order to serve a wide variety of needs, said Bouie.
Over the last 18 months, the Reston Community Center has held a series of community meetings and conducted a feasibility study on teaming with the parks authority to build the a 50-meter indoor pool and rec center at Baron Cameron. RCC would build the center on land donated by the park authority.
In 2013, RCC hired consultants Brailsford & Dunlavy for a feasibility study that estimated the rec center with pool would cost about $35 million. Read More
Is 2014 the year indoor tennis moves forward in Reston?
Reston Association’s Tennis Advisory Committee has urged the RA Board put indoor tennis as a high priority for this year. The board said at a planning meeting this week that it will make indoor tennis part of a broader conversation as it looks at the community’s recreation needs as a whole.
“We should talk about what amenities [Reston] needs to support a diverse community,” said At-Large Director Michael Sanio, who has been an advocate for tennis in Reston. “We have a whole slew of amenities here. But there are clearly amenities that would make us a world-class community. We need to look broadly and prepare for when someone says they want to build here, we’ll be able to say ‘this is what we want.’ “
Reston Association currently has 52 outdoor courts, but no indoor courts. Indoor tennis has been a much-debated topic in Reston over the last several years.
In 2008 and 2009, RA and Reston Community Center jointly studied building a $65 million recreational facility at RA’s Brown’s Chapel Park. That was met by resistance from neighbors and ultimately dropped by the board.
In 2010 and 2011, RA researched covering five courts at Lake Newport at a cost of $3.8 million — much of which would be borrowed by RA. After board debate and feedback from the community, the RA board voted in late 2011 not to put the issue to referendum and to direct RA staff to look for public-private partnerships in the future.
Meanwhile, Reston Community Center has been studying building an indoor recreation facility at Baron Cameron Park for more than a year. That facility would feature a 50-meter indoor pool, but indoor tennis is not currently part of the plan. Baron Cameron Park, owned by the Fairfax County Park Authority, is also undergoing its own Master Plan revision that may or may not include building the indoor rec center.
RCC currently has a 25-meter indoor pool at Hunters Woods, but RCC officials and the swim community say the 35-year-old facility is outdated and overcrowded.
The Baron Cameron indoor pool plans have also been met with mixed reaction from community members. Big issues often mentioned: cost (about $30 million) and the location’s impact on noise and traffic.
Sanio says indoor tennis is just one of several amenities Reston could use, along with the 50-meter pool, basketball courts and an indoor track.
With major development planned for Reston as Metro’s Silver Line prepares to open here, the timing may be right to not only assess Reston’s needs, but also obtain developer proffers to held finance them.
“RA staff, with the assistance of the re-created [RA] Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, will develop and implement a community-wide needs assessment to evaluate future amenities of all types,” said Sanio.
“The data compiled will not only assess the current needs of the community, but will also assist the board as it addresses future development, redevelopment and the impact and benefits of all proposed projects. Having organized and structured input from the community will provide a road map for RA priorities which we can then share with developers, the county and with our community partners and stakeholders.”
Photo: 2010 rendering of Lake Newport indoor tennis/Credit: Reston Association
Hunters Woods Village Center management rearranged the parking lot and gave the shopping plaza a cosmetic facelift about a year ago. But a deeper problem remains: the perception that the center is not a safe place.
There have been recent complaints of panhandling and other nuisance, but not necessarily criminal, activity at Hunters Woods, Fairfax County Police said. This spring, residents of the Hunters Woods Condo Association, which borders the plaza’s Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, say they have noticed a new neighbor — one who lives in a tent in back of the church.
The tent was a subject of a recent condo association meeting. It is sure to come up again on May 7 and 10, when police and representatives from Reston Community Center, Cornerstones and FCPD will meet with the community to talk about what’s being done to improve safety at Hunters Woods.
Katy DeFoe, crime prevention specialist for FCPD’s Reston District Station, say community leaders have been meeting for about a year to discuss — and make changes at — Hunters Woods.
“I hear from the community ‘I don’t want to go to Hunters Woods. There are people hanging out there,’ ” says DeFoe. “But the stories I hear are not backed up by [crime in the] police reports.”
The police did not have updated crime stats for Hunters Woods available.
DeFoe says several plans have been implemented to work on improving safety (or the perception of safety) at Hunters Woods.
Among them:
- Making sure the community knows who to call when they see criminal activity or they are being bothered by someone.
- Adding visible police presence.
- Improving lighting on the Reston Association paths near the village center. RA will pay for this.
- Improving visibility on the plaza between RCC, the church and the retail shops. This area formerly had tall bushes where people could congregate or hide. Vegetation is now lower and sparser.
As the Fairfax County Park Authority continued its Baron Cameron Park Master Plan process with a public hearing on Thursday, the main takeaway was that public opinion has not changed very much from a year ago.
In early 2013, Reston Community Center began examining building an indoor recreation center and pool in the park and the FCPA started to plan for the 68-acre parcel’s future in general.
The park is home to 10 athletic fields, a playground, 32 community garden plots and Reston’s only off-leash dog area. Proposed changes include upgrading the athletic fields to full-size with synthetic turf and lights; increasing parking; adding a second park entrance; building a restroom and picnic pavilion; adding community garden plots and a fitness trail.
An alternative plan includes replacing athletic fields with the indoor recreation center and additional parking and relocating the existing dog park to a central location within the park.
In 2013, there were a series of sometimes-emotional meetings about RCC’s plans to build the pool, which consultants say would cost about $30 million. Swimmers made the case that the community definitely needs this amenity as RCC’s current pool is more than 35 years old and very outdated. But many community members said they were against the cost of a county facility being the responsibility of Reston residents in Small Tax District 5.
Thursday’s meeting was not much different. The swimmers still want to swim. Opponents are still opposed.
“This is great work built on faulty assumptions – one of them is that Small Tax District 5 is the bank account of Fairfax County,” said Rick Beyer, representing a group of residents called Save Baron Cameron Park, said of the park authority’s proposed plans. “I challenge the [Fairfax County] Supervisors to support Reston like it supports the rest of the county.”
The re-imagining of Baron Cameron comes, in part, as the Reston is preparing for an influx of population after Metro’s Silver Line opens here later this year. The Reston Master Plan Amendment estimates the area will see and additional 22,000 residential units, and those tens of thousands of residents will need places to play.
Several speakers suggested the indoor pool be built in the North Town Center area, closer to housing and the future Reston Parkway Metro. That site is the only alternative still under consideration, RCC says.
Other top topics at the meeting:
The Dog Park — many dog owners said they do not want the off-leash area moved. With increased population, there is sure to be an influx in dogs, so some advocates say the dog park should be expanded.
“The current site has benches, trees and a water source,” said dog owner Martha Mason. “That would have to be relocated. The current site would be difficult to convert to playground. It is safer and cheaper to keep it at its current location.”
Tammi Petrine, co-chair of Reston 2020, suggested the dog park be moved to the more expansive Lake Fairfax Park.
Not speaking up on Thursday was the group of Longwood Grove residents who have filed an injunction against Reston Dogs Inc., the sponsor of the dog area, and the FCPA, to shut down the dog run due to excessive noise.
Reston’s Memorial Garden of Reflection — Reston lacks both a cemetery and a quiet spot for reflection and remembrance, said members of Initiative for Public Art Reston (IPAR).
They would like to see a memorial garden included in the plans for Baron Cameron Park. The idea has also been included in the recently approved Reston comprehensive plan amendment.
“Reston has no area for a special place for people to be remembered, where we can go and honor and celebrate Restonians who have passed,” said IPAR president Joe Ritchey.
FCPA will be accepting public comments on Baron Cameron Park for 30 days. There will be revisions to the master plan in the spring, and the park authority board hopes to take action on the plan by summer. Send comments to [email protected].
RCC will continue its own process about the indoor recreation center. That plan would eventually go to a referendum vote in Small Tax District 5, but executive director Leila Gordon says she does not think that will happen in 2014.
The Reston Citizens Association will hold its own Town Hall on Baron Cameron on April 7 at 7 p.m. at Buzz Aldrin Elementary School.
See all documents relating to the Baron Cameron Master Plan on Fairfax County’s website.
Baron Cameron Park, the 68-acre parcel owned by the Fairfax County Park Authority, could have a very different look in the future.
The park is home to 10 athletic fields, a playground, community garden plots and Reston’s only off-leash dog area.
The park is undergoing a master plan revision process, which could bring many more amenities — and, some say traffic and noise.
Among the proposed changes:
- Upgrade the athletic fields to full-size with synthetic turf and lights
- Increase the amount of parking spaces
- Add a second park entrance off Wiehle Avenue
- Add a picnic pavilion, restroom/support facility, multi-use court and outdoor fitness stations
- Expand the community garden area
- Create a trail network throughout the park and a pedestrian connection to the adjacent Reston Association Brown’s Chapel Park
- Establish Resource Protection Zones (RPZs) to manage and protect natural resources
Other possibilities include replacing athletic fields with an indoor recreation center and additional parking and relocating the existing dog park to a central location within the park.
Residents are invited to hear more about the proposed changes and offer feedback at a meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. at Buzz Aldrin Elementary School.
The park master plan was last amended in 2001, and Park Authority Chair Bill Bouie says the park is long overdue for an upgrade. Baron Cameron is a district park , he said when the planning process kicked off nearly a year ago. That means it should have top-flight facilities to attract people from all over the western part of Fairfax County, not just Reston.
“A district park serves those in communities of Reston, Herndon, Vienna, Great Falls and surrounding areas,” he said. “All of those folks use the park, and we will be soliciting their input. We must consider future investments to transform it so it better serves Reston and surrounding communities.”
Several proposed additions have been met with mixed opinions since the planning process began in 2013.
The recreation center, which would feature a 50-meter indoor pool, would be built in partnership with Reston Community Center. It has the support of many swimmers. But a large number of people are opposed to building the estimated $30 million facility because residents of Small Tax District 5 would be left paying for a center used by non-residents. Others are opposed to the center because of predicted noise and traffic.
The dog park is a popular spot for dog owners in Reston. But a group of neighbors recently filed an injunction against Reston Dogs, the group that runs the park, and the FCPA. The five families say they are subject to excessive noise from the dog park and want the dog area closed.
There has been no resolution to the injunction, filed earlier this month. The defendants have 21 days to answer the complaint, Bouie said.
See all documents relating to the Baron Cameron Master Plan on Fairfax County’s website.
The Baron Cameron Park Dog Park will stay a part of a re-imagined park design — but may be moved to the park’s interior.
Baron Cameron Park, a 68-acre parcel operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority, is in the midst of a master plan revision. The process began close to a year ago, with a community meeting at Buzz Aldrin Elementary aimed at getting input on what the park needs as it moves forward as a “District Park” serving not just Reston, but close-by communities such as Vienna and Great Falls, Park Authority Board Chair Bill Bouie said.
The public will have a chance to comment on the draft master plan revision at a public meeting March 27 at Buzz Aldrin (11375 Center Harbor Rd.). The meeting kicks off a 30-day public comment period. If you wish to speak at the meeting, you can register ahead of time by calling 703-324-8662 or emailing [email protected].
The dog park has been a source of controversy lately as a group of residents of Longwood Grove, located across Wiehle Avenue from the park, has threatened a lawsuit against the park authority and Reston Dogs, the nonprofit that monitors the park. Residents say they are subject to noise from barking dogs at the park and they request that the park either move or close.
“At this time, my clients firmly believe that the only way to fix this problem is to close and/or move the Baron Cameron dog park to a new location,” reads a letter sent by attorney Zachary Williams. “Given the ongoing Baron Cameron Master Plan revision process, now is an opportune time to close the dog park so that this area of Baron Cameron Park can be redeveloped in a manner that is compatible with surrounding neighborhoods.”
One plan for Baron Cameron has the park staying as is, on the park’s edge near Wiehle Avenue.
The second option moves it to the center of the park, putting a community flexible use space where the current dog park is located.
The second option does not come without other developments, however.
The interior dog park spot is included with the option to build a 90,000 square foot indoor recreation center in partnership with Reston Community Center. The center would feature an indoor, 50-meter pool, fitness rooms, and other community use facilities. It also would include space an additional 250 parking spots. Read More
