Fairfax County inched closer to transitioning to renewable energy yesterday (Tuesday) when the Board of Supervisors authorized county staff to lease Reston Community Center and seven other county government-owned facilities so they can be outfitted with solar panels.
Providence Community Center will have rooftop solar photovoltaic panels installed on its main building at 3001 Vaden Drive, which operates as a government center for Providence District as well as a community meeting facility.
The other facilities that the county board approved to be leased to Sigora Solar following a brief public hearing are:
- The Herrity Building (12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax)
- The Pennino Building (12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax)
- The North County Government Center (1801 Cameron Glen Dr., Reston)
- Springfield Warehouse (6800 Industrial Road, Springfield)
- Noman M. Cole Pollution Control Plant lab building (9399 Richmond Highway, Lorton)
- I-66 Transfer Station, workers’ facility building, and truck wash building (4500 West Ox Road, Fairfax)
The eight facilities are among the first locations approved for solar photovoltaic panels as part of Fairfax County’s extensive contract with Sigora Solar, which was announced on Dec. 10 as the largest solar power purchase agreement initiative by a Virginia municipality at that point.
As the PPA service provider, Sigora Solar is responsible for designing, permitting, installing, and operating rooftop solar panels at all facilities participating in the program, which also includes facilities owned by Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County Park Authority, and Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Under the PPA, Fairfax County will not bear any costs for the design, permitting, or construction of the solar panels, Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination director Kambiz Agazi says.
Instead, the county will purchase on-site electricity from Sigora.
The solar PPA is expected to help Fairfax County reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and its electricity costs, though county staff could not yet provide specific numbers for how much the installation of solar will reduce emissions or how much money the county is expected to save.
“We will have an approximation as soon as we have a permitted design,” Agazi said. “We hope to have that in the next three to four months.”
The eight facilities that were the subject of yesterday’s public hearing are among 113 possible projects in the first phase of Fairfax County’s PPA with Sigora, which could ultimately include a total of 247 facilities based on a request for proposals that the county issued in 2019.
County staff say they will return to the Board of Supervisors in the future to get approval to lease the 18 other county government-owned facilities included in the first phase of the PPA.
Image via Flickr/Minoru Karamatsu
Reston Community Center’s YouTube Channel was a named recipient of an award at the 65th annual Virginia Parks and Recreation Society Conference this week.
Virginia Recreation and Park Society is a nonprofit and professional organization designed to unify all professionals, students, and interested laypersons engaged in the field of recreation, parks and other leisure services in Virginia. Its annual conference, hosted remotely this year, is a five-day event with different workshops, a keynote speaker, and awards ceremony.
RCC’s YouTube channel was awarded on the third day of the conference for “Most Innovative Marketing Strategy” for 2019 (population 50,001-100,000).
Created last October, RCC’s YouTube channel was designed “to bring more content to patrons and tell the story of RCC through video,” according to Fairfax County’s press release.
Here’s more from RCC on the award:
The five-minute films look at RCC’s founding by involved community members. The way the local community theatre organization enjoys RCC’s professional theatre; how RCC supports low-income and recent immigrant communities; how RCC impacted the assimilation of one family who emigrated from Peru 20 years ago; RCC’s role in producing free, offsite community events such as concerts, art installations and children’s activities; and all that happens – from free Community Coffee to professional performing arts productions – on a busy Saturday at RCC.
RCC was one of 97 applicants for 14 different award categories. The awards given honor those who exemplify excellence in programming, personnel, marking, and more, the press release said.
Other categories included Outstanding New Professional, Distinguished Volunteer Service, Best Health and Wealth Initiative and more.
Photo via Charlotte Geary
Columbus Day, also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, is this upcoming Monday, which means several facilities will be closed to the public to observe the holiday. Here is a look at what is available and what is not.
Fairfax County government offices will be closed, as well as in-person early voting at the Fairfax County Government Center. Local libraries will be closed. All Fairfax County parks will be closed, with the exception of Frying Pan Farm Park’s farm and indoor areas. Additionally, all RECenters will be open.
The Fairfax Connector will be running on its holiday service. Several routes, which are listed on the county’s website, will not operate at all. Metro, however, will be operating on normal hours.
The Reston Community Center in Hunters Woods will be open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. The RCC in Lake Anne will be closed for the day. The Herndon Community Center will also be closed.
Photo by Aaron Burden/Unsplash
The Weekly Planner is a roundup of events coming up over the next week in Reston, Herndon and Great Falls.
We’ve searched the web for events of note in Reston and Herndon. Know of any we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!
Wednesday (Oct. 14)
- Reston Farmers Market by FreshFarm — 3-7 p.m. at St. John Neumann Catholic Church (11900 Lawyers Road).Vendors like Dimitri Olive Oil,Harmony Hill Farm, Lola’s Kitchen and more will be present.
Thursday (Oct. 15)
- Digital Drinking with Atlas Brew Works (Online) — 6 p.m. — This free event is for ages 21 and older. Those who wish to participate can choose a time to pick up a free six-pack of beer from The Kelvin and register for the Zoom link with Atlas Brew Works. The brewery is asking participants to post their favorite beer on October 15, tagging both @thekelvindc and @atlasbrewworks on Instagram. Three people will then be chosen to receive a $125 bar tab covered by The Kelvin.
Friday (Oct. 16)
- NASCOW (Online) — Friends of Frying Pan Park will race 11 of the park’s cows against each other online. Sponsors can use this form to choose their favorite cow. All proceeds will support the park as they make up for the revenue lost during the pandemic.
Saturday (Oct. 17)
- Reston Community Cleanup – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Reston Community Center (2304 Hunters Woods Plaza) — Volunteers should plan to clean up along the Reston Association Trail behind Hunters Woods Shopping Center, between Glade Drive and Reston Parkway, the website said. Registration is required, and those who register should gloves, sturdy shoes and expect to follow pandemic precautions. The cleanup is for the Hunters Woods Shopping Center.
Photo via Friends of Frying Pan Park/Facebook
Solar panels could be coming soon to the rooftop of Reston Community Center.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will host a public hearing to discuss the issue on Oct. 20 at 3:30 p.m.
Sigora Solar hopes to install solar panels to generate on-site electricity on several county sites, including RCC’s Hunters Woods location (2310 Colts Neck Road).
If approved by the board, Sigora Solar would sign a solar power purchase agreement with county entities. The company would design, install, permit and operate the rooftop solar panels and sell the generated electricity to facilities like RCC at a fixed rate.
In meeting materials, county staff indicated that the agreement would allow the county to purchase on-site renewable energy “with little or no upfront or operational costs.”
“As the average cost of utility-delivered electric power is expected to increase over time, the savings are expected to increase, as well.”
Sigora Solar has locations in Virginia and North Carolina.
Photo via Unsplash
Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition and the Fairfax County Police Department Crime and Prevention Unit are planning to clean the Reston Association trails and Hunters Woods Village Center later this month.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the event description said.
Volunteers are asked to meet at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road), wearing gloves, sturdy shoes, and dressed appropriately for the weather – rain or shine.
Further questions can be emailed to Katy Defoe, [email protected].
Photo via Reston Community Center/Facebook
Reston Community Center’s CenterStage will come to life once again with three performances in the fall.
A limited number of tickets will go on sale on September 1 for Reston residents and employees and the general public on September 8.
CenterStage has adopted new safety protocols in order to maximize safety for the Professional Touring Artist series. Audience members are requested to wear masks and no intermissions will take place.
In order to facilitate social distancing, audience capacity will be limited to 43 pairs of tickets.
Shows may be live-streamed in the community room if a show sells out of CenterStage seating.
The following shows are planned for the fall:
Sunday, November 22, 3:00 p.m.
$10 Reston/$20 Non-RestonThis Grammy-nominated music act returns to Reston to entertain audiences of all ages.
Mark Brutsché is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Saturday, December 5, 3:00 p.m.
$5 Reston/$10 Non-RestonMark Brutsché brings his unique spin on this childhood favorite that will be fun for the whole family.
Special Guest Daoirí Farrell. Opening with MALINDA
Thursday, December 17, 8:00 p.m.
$25 Reston/$50 Non-RestonIrish band Lúnasa brings its holiday show to the CenterStage, along with Dublin-born bouzouki player Daoirí Farrell and rising star MALINDA.
RCC also plans to continue its winter and spring line-up as well, which will include shows from Regina Carter, Reduced Shakespeare Company, and mutts Gone Nuts. Tickets for the 2021 portion of the schedule go on sale on December for Reston residents and December 8 for all others. The center noted that all decisions are “pending public health status and performer traveler restrictions.”
Unless otherwise noted, all performances take place at CenterStage, which is located at RCC Hunters Woods.
More information on how to purchase tickets is available online.
Photo via RCC
An in-person event in Reston will explore the past and future of Reston Town Center, which is now in its 30th year.
Robert Goudie, the Reston Town Center Association’s executive director, will offer a glimpse at what the town center will look like in the future. RTC is slated to double in size over the next 15 years.
The free event, “Reston Town Center: Its Past and Future,” takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 7-9 p.m. at Reston Community Center Lake Anne’s Jo Ann Rose Gallery. Chairs will be spaced out to facilitate social distancing.
Those interested can register online or in-person at RCC. The event is hosted jointly by Reston Historic Trust & Museum and Reston Community Center.
Tickets will go on sale on Sept. 1. No photography or video recordings will be allowed.
Photo by R. Dawson/Flickr
The Reston Community Center (RCC) has announced five candidates for the 2020 Preference Poll to fill three spots on its Board of Governors.
The candidates include three incumbents and two newcomers. Community voting begins on Sept. 11. Each property in Small District 5 will receive a mail-in ballot to send back by Thursday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m., according to a statement from the RCC. Walk-in ballots are due by Friday, Oct. 2 at 5 p.m.
A candidates’ forum will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at RCC Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road). Those interested in attending can email [email protected].
Below is the list of candidates with excerpts from their statements.
Incumbent William Keefe
“Given Reston’s changing demographics, along with the financial limitations placed on Fairfax County social services, RCC must continue to provide diverse programming, including multilingual and multicultural programming, at reasonable cost to its many patrons. Cooperation with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Reston Association, and Reston’s community organizations such as Cornerstones and Southgate Community Center should be emphasized,” said Keefe.
Niels W. Pemberton
“I’d bring my advocacy skills to RCC. Here’s what I’d do:
- Advocate myself for more movies & shows at Center Stage (Local Jazz & rock bands etc.) There should be an event each Friday & Saturday night at Center Stage.
- Increase outreach to all schools.
- Outreach to Reston newcomers.
- Honor Reston Association pool passes, in RA’s off-season.
- Expand Small Tax District #5 to the rest of the 20190, 20191 & 20194 Zip Codes and the neighborhoods on the periphery.
- Be a wise spender of money,” said Pemberton.
Incumbent William Penniman
“My goal is to help RCC continue to serve community members of all ages and income levels, while working closely with schools and other community organizations, like RA, Southgate, Cornerstones and arts organizations. RCC’s efforts must continue to evolve to meet new challenges, including growth, climate-change and Covid-19. We need a long-range vision, adaptability and a close eye on the budget,” said Penniman.
Incumbent Vicky Wingert
“Equity in all aspects of our programming and resource allocation must remain a central goal. By working with our Opportunity Neighborhood partners, this goal is attainable. I understand that a primary role for the Board of Governors is the responsible use of tax dollars. Prudent use of funds today must be coupled with a commitment to meet the demands of tomorrow. I have spent a lifetime engaged in recreational planning and bring that experience to RCC,” said Wingert.
Lorri Zell
“Developing community inclusiveness and a sense of belonging begins with observing and recognizing needs in your community, asking for input, developing solutions together and then executing initiatives.This has been my approach to community involvement and engagement since I observed a need for and began a toddler program 20 years ago to address an unserved population,” said Zell.
Photos courtesy of the RCC and via the RCC Facebook Page
How Rents Near Reston Metro Compare — “Rent near the East Falls Church and Tysons Corner stations is in the mid-range among DC Metro stops. But while the median price increased near Tysons Corner, it decreased near East Falls Church, according to the analysis.” [Reston Patch]
SAIC CFO Retires — “Reston-based defense contractor Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) announced Friday that Chief Financial Officer Charles A. Mathis will retire on Jan. 29, 2021.” [Virginia Business Monthly]
Feedback Sought on Grab and Go Meals — Fairfax County Public Schools are seeking feedback via a survey on its grab-and-go meal program for the next academic year. The survey will help the school system determine the best locations and bus routes for meal services. [FCPS]
Man Stabbed on Parcher Avenue — Police believe a man was stabbed by a group of men in a parking lot on the 13200 block of Parcher Avenue on August 13. The victim was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Fall Guide for Reston Community Center is Live — Although the guide will not be mailed this year, the online program includes a detailed breakdown of all offerings. Registration begins September 1 for Restonians and September 8 for all others. [Reston Community Center]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Although cancellations of many major Reston events were announced this week, Reston Community Center’s summer concerts have returned to Lake Anne Plaza and Reston Station.
The 2020 Summer Concert series is free to the public and features two different recurring concert series. The Take a Break series is held at Lake Anne Plaza on Thursdays from 7-8:30 p.m. The Summerbration Fab Fridays series is held at Reston Station on Fridays from 7-8:30 p.m, according to the Reston Community Center website.
The dates and performances for Take a Break include:
- July 30: Cheick Hamala Diabate
- Aug. 6: Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet
- Aug. 13: Mambo Combo
- Aug. 27: Alfredo Mojica & Friends
- Sep. 3: David Bach Consort
The dates and performances for Summerbration Fab Fridays include:
- July 31: Far Away
- Aug. 7: King Teddy
- Aug. 14: Cristian Perez Band
- Aug. 21: Seth Kibel Band
- Aug. 28: Swingin’ Swamis
- Sep. 4: Tobago Bay
RCC will be mandating social distancing protocol and masks to ensure COVID-19 safety at the venue, according to the website. Additionally, patrons are requested to bring their own chairs or blankets for seating, and capacity will be limited due to social distancing.
Photo via the Reston Community Center website
Reston Community Center has canceled this year’s Reston Multicultural Festival, which was originally scheduled to bring a celebration of diversity through song, dance and art to Lake Anne Plaza on September 26.
“It breaks our hearts to take this step. We know that this event is a cherished part of Reston’s calendar and has deep meaning for participants and festival-goers alike. We are hopeful that spring will bring greater safety and restoration of the public gatherings that mean so much to Reston,” said RCC Board Chair Bev Cosham.
In a statement released today (Tuesday), RCC Executive Director Leila Gordon said organizers realized that was no safe way to present the multicultural festival.
“The health and safety of our performers, vendors, staff, volunteers and community have to take precedence in these unprecedented times,” she said in a statement.
Gordon hopes the festival will return next year.
RCC plans to continue offering multicultural programming this summer and fall through smaller, socially distanced events. On Thursdays, RCC holds its Take a Break concert series at Lake Anne Plaza and Summerbration Fab Fridays at RestonStation. Other programming is also offering via RCC’s YouTube channel.
“Like our colleagues, we are trying to balance our desire to support artists, bring valued content to audiences and do so safely at all times,” said Arts and Events Director Paul Douglas Michnewicz. “It’s a constantly evolving environment, so we depend on flexibility and people staying alert to sudden changes in programming.”
Photo via RCC
Beware of Downed Power Lines — “The National Weather Service has indicated sustained winds of 10 to 20 mph with wind gusts up to 30 mph are likely for our area today. These winds, along with the saturated ground, may cause trees, tree limbs, and power lines to fall. Scattered power outages are possible.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
New Leadership at CertiPath — “CertiPath — a high-assurance identity management leader — has appointed industry veteran Jack L. Johnson as Advisor to its Board of Directors. In his new role, Jack will provide expertise and guidance on growth opportunities to the CertiPath leadership team and much more.” [CertiPath]
Reston’s EverWatch Buys Firm — “Reston’s EverWatch, a defense and national security contractor under the Enlightenment Capital umbrella, has made its largest acquisition to date, an Anne Arundel County IT and cloud services firm.” [Washington Business Journal]
Touring Artists to Take CenterStage — “Even as it faces the challenges of COVID-19, the Reston Community Center CenterStage has programmed a Professional Touring Artists Series that aims ‘to help our community reflect on how structural racism impacts us all and to celebrate diversity,’ said Paul Douglas Michnewicz, RCC’s Director of Arts and Events.” [DC Metro Theatre Arts]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Route 7 Lane Shifts Begin — There will be permanent lane shifts between Towlston Road and Lewinsville Road beginning today. All residences, businesses and other facilities will remain accessible. [Virginia Department of Transportation]
Filing Now Open for Reston Community Center Poll — “Candidate filing is now open for Reston Community Center’s 2020 Preference Poll to fill three seats on its Board of Governors. The Board of Governors is a nine-member body responsible for overseeing the policies, programs and financial planning for RCC.” [RCC]
Northern Virginia Trails Eastern in New COVID-19 Cases — “While the northern region was the center of the coronavirus crisis in Virginia months ago, it has been trailing the eastern region for new cases lately. In the eastern region, additional restrictions have been implemented in Hampton Roads due to increasing new cases, hospitalizations and positive tests.” [Reston Patch]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
The Reston Community Center Board of Governors is hosting an in-person Annual Public Hearing for Programs and Budget on Monday, August 10.
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m., and is located at RCC Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road).
The RCC plans to discuss highlights and challenges from the past year while giving the community the opportunity to view the agency budget approach for the upcoming fiscal years. The RCC’s annual report will be provided for attendees, according to a press release from the community center.
Those interested in attending can reserve a seat by emailing [email protected] by August 7. The reservations are to ensure COVID-19 safety at the in-person meetings. Written comments can be sent to the same email address, according to the statement. Organizations are urged to send just one attendant to accommodate a bigger pool of attendees.
The RCC will not sit more than allowed by Phase Three guidelines, and will not be providing their usual hospitality to comply with CDC requirements.
The meeting can also be viewed on the RCC Facebook page.
Photo via Reston Community Center
