Three More Pool Hours Each Day — Lake Newport Pool is opening each weekday at 10 a.m. and will continue to do so through June 23. The pool, which is open until 7 p.m., had been originally scheduled to open at 1 p.m. each day. The pool is closed on Fridays. [Reston Association]

Meeting on RTC North Project Tonight — Proposed redevelopment of Reston Town Center North will be the topic of a community meeting hosted by the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services along with Supervisor Cathy Hudgins from 7-9 p.m in the cafeteria at Lake Anne Elementary School (11510 North Shore Drive). [Fairfax County DPWES]

SLHS Runners Heads to States This Week — The South Lakes High School track and field team will participate in the state championships Friday and Saturday in Newport News. Last weekend, the team had strong performances at the North Region championship, including a record-tying effort by freshman Hannah Waller. [Reston Patch]

Reckless Gun Discharge at Chantilly Chick-fil-A — Fairfax County Police reports a 38-year-old woman was struck in the hand by a stray bullet while walking in the restaurant’s parking lot Tuesday afternoon. [FOX 5]

File photo courtesy Carole Burnett

The Reston Masters Swim Team hosted the 30th Annual Jim McDonnell Lake Swim on Sunday at Lake Audubon.

According to the team’s website, the swim — which has been held every Memorial Day weekend since 1988 — was renamed in honor of McDonnell in 1999. McDonnell, a founding member of the team who was on the committee that first organized the swim, died of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma the previous year.

More than 700 swimmers participate each year, according to the team, which makes the event the largest open-water swim in the region. Proceeds from this year’s event were donated to the Lymphoma Research Foundation and to Herndon-Reston FISH Inc.

Results from the event can be viewed here.

Photos courtesy Ryan Dawson

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff of summer, and what better way to enjoy it than with a picnic?

The Lake Anne Plaza Memorial Day Picnic is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Bring your picnic blanket and patriot pride and enjoy live music on the plaza. There will be food available for purchase from local vendors and plaza restaurants, as well as boat rentals and family games.

“We are positioning this event similar to a ‘National Day Out’ setup where folks come bring a picnic, or a bite, listen to music, do some plaza games like cornhole, etc.,” said Maurisa Potts, Lake Anne Plaza spokesperson. “[We’re] just building a sense of community and a platform to get to know their neighbors.”

There are dozens of other activities going on around the Reston area this holiday weekend, from music to celebrations. Here are some of the highlights.

• All of Reston’s pools open for the season Saturday, as does The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive).
• Live music at Reston Town Center this weekend will include a performance from 6-10 p.m. tonight at Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) and both tonight and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.).
• The premiere of the weekly Mr. Knick Knack! concerts happens this Monday at Reston Town Center. Starting at 11:15 a.m., the children’s music concert is free to the public.
• Tonight at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. the Ravel Dance Company will put on a ballet version of “Cinderella” on the CenterStage in the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road). Tickets are $20 at the door.
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• Lake Anne is also hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive) will screen award-winning film “Can You Dig This?” tonight at 7 p.m.; Sunday, from 1:30-3 p.m., the nature center is hosting a salamander search.
• Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern (697 Spring St., Herndon) will host its 20th Annual Birthday Bash and Bike Run on both Sunday and Monday. Starting Sunday, live music will be performed indoors and outdoors throughout the day from various local bands. Monday morning, motorcyclists from around the area are invited to join a communal ride through George Washington Parkway, Crystal City and Alexandria.
• The Reston Choir will honor veterans with a Star-Spangled Salute at Reston Town Center tonight from 7-11 p.m. The performance will include family activities and an opportunity to honor the troops. The event is free with a recommended donation that will go toward providing care packages to troops overseas.
• Exercise with Athleta this Sunday at 11 a.m. in the Reston Town Center pavilion. The POUND class, hosted by Kathy from StudioPinkFit, is free to the public.
• Oakton Library (10304 Lynnhaven Place, Oakton) will host a Chinese Dance exhibition on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. that features tradition Chinese and Taiwanese dances. The event is free and hosted by the Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• Hosted by the Reston Masters Swim team, this Sunday will be the 30th Annual Jim McDonnell Lake Swim. Swimmers will have the option of a one- or two-mile swim around Lake Audubon.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., from Throwing Plates. DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits Saturday night.
• Vinafera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) has live music from 7-10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night.

Nothing says summer like a trip to the water park.

Reston’s own water park, The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive), will open for the season Saturday. Splashing, tubing, sliding and more will be available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. all three days of Memorial Day Weekend.

Admission each day this weekend will be $15.95 for adults and kids over 4 feet tall; kids under 4 feet tall are admitted for $12.25; and children 2 and under get in free with a paying adult. Season passes are also available for purchase.

The park will be open only on Saturdays and Sundays until daily hours begin Monday, June 26. Weekend-only hours will return once school begins, and the last day of season will be Sunday, Sept. 10.

If you plan to go this weekend, the park recommends arriving before 10 a.m., as “the line begins filling as early as 30-45 minutes prior to opening. If you are arriving at other times, you may experience a wait of up to 45 minutes.”

Board President Addresses Pool Schedule — Sherri Hebert, president of the Reston Association Board of Directors, says RA’s pool schedule is broken into six sessions this year in the effort to maximize association resources. She says the board will be looking at each line item in the 2017-18 budget “to identify ways to shift funds to meet the community’s requests as they apply to pools and other matters.” [Reston Association]

Television Interview at RTC Cut Short — When a local television crew came to Reston Town Center to do a story on the effects of paid parking, they had to move across the street after security told them “photography is no longer allowed on the Town Center’s site.” [WHAG]

Bojangles’ Coming to Northern Virginia — The restaurant chain has a multiunit development agreement with a new franchisee that will bring its Southern-style chicken joints to the area. No news yet on how many are coming or where they will be. [Washington Business Journal]

Registration Open for Women’s 5K — Reston Runners will put on the “Seize the Day” women’s 5K on Saturday, June 17. The course is on Reston Association pathways. [Reston Runners]

It’s another busy weekend in Reston, with plenty of fun activities on the agenda.

The weather hasn’t been pretty for several days now, though, and it looks like rain will be prevalent again Saturday. We recommend you check the status of any scheduled outdoor activity before heading out.

Here is just a sampling of things to do in the area this weekend:

• Reston Association’s Community Yard Sale, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been rescheduled for Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to noon at 1900 Campus Commons Drive. Eighty-five families will be selling a variety of items. In case of rain, call 703-435-6577 that morning to check the event’s status.
• It’s pool season in Reston. The North Shore and Ridge Heights pools are scheduled to open for the season this weekend, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.
• The Reston Community Players will continue their staging of “Private Lives” this weekend. Performances will be tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m., along with a 2 p.m. performance on Sunday. Tickets are $21, or $18 for students with ID and senior citizens. Shows take place at CenterStage at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road).
• The Reston Farmers Market is scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• The South Lakes High School “Spirit of Reston” Marching Band will hold a rummage sale Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the school (11400 South Lakes Drive). The event is slated to be held on the east side of the school, along Seahawks Drive; however, it will be moved inside if the weather does not cooperate.
• The seventh annual “Be Amyazing!” Reston Youth Triathlon is scheduled for Sunday morning. It consists of a swim at Ridge Heights pool, a bike ride on roads near South Lakes High School and a run on Reston Association paths. Lengths are different for each age group.
• Langston Hughes Middle School (11401 Ridge Heights Road) is presenting “Willy Wonka Jr.” this weekend. The show will be performed tonight at 7 p.m., and at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday.
• The NOVA Tour de Cure fundraising event of the American Diabetes Association is scheduled for Saturday, rain or shine, beginning at Reston Town Center.
• Reston Chorale will present its “A Season to Remember” show, celebrating 50 years of the group, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). Tickets at the door will be $30. Those 62 and over will be admitted for $25; youth 17 and under will be admitted free, as will active military.
• Events at Reston Town Center this weekend include live music tonight from 6-10 p.m. at Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) and from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. tonight and Saturday at Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St., formerly World of Beer); wine tasting at Il Fornaio (11990 Market St.) Saturday from 3-5 p.m.; a Mother’s Day brunch at Mon Ami Gabi (11950 Democracy Drive) Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and more.
• Lake Anne Brew House (11424 Washington Plaza W.) will host a special Mother’s Day “She’s Crafty” women’s beer event from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday.
• Frying Pan Farm Park (2739 West Ox Road, Herndon) has a free Spring Farm Day planned for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event will included hand-churned ice cream samples, a dairy exhibit, children’s activities and crafts, blacksmithing, and antique equipment demos.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• Lake Anne is hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• Saturday from 2-3:30 p.m. at Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive), local historian Jim Lewis will share the story of Japan’s secret plans to attack the U.S. mainland during World War II.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., from Bushmaster with Gary Brown. DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits Saturday night.
• Vinafera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) has live music from 7-10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night. This week they have Hilary Veltri tonight and Jason Masi tomorrow night.

As part of a national effort to help prevent drowning and water-related injuries and illnesses, Reston Community Center will offer free beginning swim lessons for children ages 6 to 12 this summer.

May is recognized nationwide as National Water Safety Month. The initiative is a joint effort of the American Red Cross, The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, the National Recreation and Park Association, and the World Waterpark Association.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), accidental drowning is the leading cause of death among young children ages 1 to 2, and the second leading cause of death for ages 3 to 6. Most of those deaths occur when a child either falls into a pool or is left alone in a bathtub.

The NSC recommends that all children be taught the following basic life-saving swimming techniques: Read More

Diana Turecek of Windleaf Court calls changes in hours in the 2017 Reston Association swimming pool schedule a “slap in the face to Reston residents who continue to face substantial increases in annual Association dues.”

In a letter to the editor submitted to Reston Now, Turecek says the changes — which include no weekday swimming prior to Memorial Day weekend and only two pools open the week before Labor Day — will result in frustration for Reston residents who just want to go swimming.

“This year fewer pools will be open, and those that are open will be open fewer hours. If you like swimming at the end of the season, have kids who like to swim on the weekdays, or are a lap swimmer, the pools are going to be much more crowded.”

This year, no pools will be open on weekdays prior to Memorial Day; in 2016, both the North Shore and Ridge Heights pools were open from 1-7 p.m. each weekday beginning May 14. Through June 23, only four pools will be open on weekdays, with one (Glade) open only three hours a night.

Mike Leone, RA’s communications director, said the pool schedule is developed annually based on a number of factors including historical use, geographic distribution of facilities, current program and rental use, potential future program and rental use, staffing requirements and budget implications.

“During the 2017 budget development process, the Board directed staff to identify significant cost savings in the budget to accommodate other strategic goals. Based on facility usage data collected over the past three years that shows a decline in pool attendance as well as feedback from the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, the Board of Directors approved pool schedule options by which the proposed aquatics budget could be reduced while still serving the interests of the membership as a whole.”

Another reader who contacted Reston Now about the changes says the new schedule fails “to take into consideration that most people want these pools open when the weather is warm enough to swim through Labor Day.”

North Shore and Ridge Heights will be the only two pools open the week preceding Labor Day, from 4-7 p.m. each evening. All other pools will see their seasons end by Aug. 27. In 2016, Glade and Lake Newport pools also remained open through the first weekend in September.

Leone said pool staff is made up mainly of high school and college students. Fairfax County Public Schools changed its school schedule for 2017-18, beginning classes the last week of August (Monday, Aug. 28) instead of after Labor Day as in the past. Leone said a school schedule that ends June 23 and begins again Aug. 28 results in only nine full weeks of summer for pool scheduling.

Leone said the pool “season” schedule was tweaked this year to allow two more pools to stay open prior to school returning to session. In addition, he said, RA “will reopen as many pools as possible for the three-day Labor Day weekend, prioritizing those facilities which have the most capacity for swimmers and recreational users of all types.”

Turecek also expressed concern about Lake Newport pool being closed until 1 p.m. most weekends in June and July for Reston Swim Team Association meets. Other pools will be affected three weekends during the summer for meets.

“I also suspect — as in past years — there will be other non-announced pool closures to accommodate local day cares, summer camps or the dreaded ‘hygiene incidents,'” Turecek wrote.

Leone said staff has looked strategically at pools that can “generate additional revenue from rentals and activities during ‘closed’ hours.”

North Shore and Ridge Heights pools will open for the season Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The next step in Reston Community Center’s proposed aquatics center upgrade comes Monday.

The finance committee of RCC’s Board of Governors will meet to discuss the final report from Hughes Group Architects regarding the possible renovation of the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center. The proposal calls for using the existing footprint of the aquatics center for a six-lane, 25-yard lap pool with an attached family pool, as well as a separate warm-water therapy pool. Leila Gordon, RCC executive director, said she believes the project could cost up to $4 million.

Gordon said there are minor changes from the proposal made by Hughes Group at an early March public meeting, including the addition of “a bit more” deck space and widening of the lap pool to make a full turn on the outside lane.

Tax rates would not be affected by the project, Gordon emphasized. The projected costs “haven’t changed significantly” from the original estimate, she said, but those numbers are still being honed.

“Cost projections are being further refined at this point to include estimates for contingencies, general contractor cost and overhead/Architecture & Engineering,” she said. “But we are all cognizant that we don’t know what we will find once the current pool is demolished.”

Gordon said she expects core programs and services, as well as other critical capital projects, to occur as planned through FY19. However, she said the board will likely defer the establishment of two new programming areas being considered for FY19 — Therapeutic Recreation and Digital Media, Film and Video — until they have a more concrete figure on what the aquatics centers project will cost.

Scheduled replacement of the seats and projection screen at CenterStage may also be deferred, Gordon said.

“That totals $150,000 in the current profile of Capital Improvement/Maintenance Plan projects,” she said.

At the meeting, the committee will consider the presentation from Hughes Group, as well as the budget ramifications of the project. They are expected to make a recommendation to the full board regarding the project and the FY19 budget outline. The project could not be finalized until September at the earliest, Gordon said.

“Hughes Group will include a possible timeline in its presentation on Monday. As with all hypothetical timelines, it would be subject to significant change and shifts if conditions warrant as we move along in our process,” she said. “Currently, our desire is to time the beginning of a construction period with the opening of the summer pools in Reston in summer of 2018.”

Monday’s meeting is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start at Reston Community Center’s Hunters Woods location, 2310 Colts Neck Road. Anyone who wishes to attend is asked to RSVP to [email protected]. Anyone who is unable to attend but would like to submit written comments can do so to the same email address, being sure to include their full name and address with the statement.

After Reston parents raised concerns about being required to provide photos of their children for RA pool passes, the policy has been changed.

As reported last week, residents who decline to submit photos with their pool pass applications will be allowed to show another form of photo ID to gain access to a facility. Further clarifying in a post to the Reston Association website this week, CEO Cate Fulkerson said children of those parents will not be required to show anything other than their pool pass, just as in previous seasons.

“Should you still wish to opt-out of providing photos for your passes, please contact our Member Services team at 703-435-6530 or by email [email protected] with your name and address, and we will update your account accordingly. Please note, when choosing this option, the adults in your household will be required to show a photo ID matching the name and address on the pass. Youth pass holders will not be required to show an ID.”

Photos that are provided for pool passes will be stored in the WebTrac database, accessible to RA staff by swiping the card at entrances to pool facilities. Two facilities are piloting the scanning technology this year, and Fulkerson says the goal is to have the process up and running at all RA pools by the end of 2018.

Physical photos were printed on Reston Association pool passes until 1991. According to Fulkerson’s post, there has been a great deal of misuse of the passes since they were removed.

“Over the past 25 years, there have been many instances where non-members were able to use or even purchase non-member passes — at a greatly reduced rate — to gain entry into RA facilities. More specifically, violators were circumventing the need to pay their fair share by ‘borrowing’ RA member passes.”

Fulkerson and Laura Kowalski, RA’s deputy director of recreation, are expected to share more information about the updated pool admission policy at the March 23 meeting of the RA Board of Directors.

Plans to upgrade Reston Community Center’s aquatics center will be the topic of discussion at a public meeting Monday.

At RCC’s Feb. 13 community engagement meeting, proposals for renovations to the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center were presented. Leila Gordon, RCC executive director, says total cost for needed repairs at the aquatics center over the next two-year cycle is estimated at $1.2 million. This has led to discussion, she said, that a full upgrade of the facility may be more effective to meet current and future needs.

Gordon said the aquatics center serves three subsets of users: master swimmers, those learning to swim and those using the pool for therapy purposes. Each has different preferences, Gordon said, for specifics including pool length, depth and temperature.

Based on community feedback, three options for renovations were proposed, two of which involved expanding the aquatic center’s space by as much as 7,000 square feet. The information provided for Monday’s meeting includes only the third option, which would use the existing footprint of the aquatics center for a six-lane, 25-yard lap pool with an attached family pool, as well as a separate warm-water therapy pool.

Gordon said she believes the upgrade could cost up to $4 million.

“Our understanding is that from the perspective of ‘rough order of magnitude,’ the cost is in the $3-4 million range,” she said. “Of course, though, that is not based on a detailed analysis of the existing conditions or a more precise costing that would accompany more refined ‘scoping’ of the project.”

The other options would cost at least $8 million, which Gordon said there would be “no path to” outside of a lengthy and costly bond question — which, if successful, would also add significant expenses to RCC’s core budget.

Other improvements laid out in the plan include a possible patio and/or windows along the northeast wall, an additional family changing room, reconfigured shower stalls in both the men’s and women’s locker rooms, and improved quality of light, air, water and acoustics.

Wayne Hughes, of Hughes Group Architects, will present more information regarding the proposed renovation at Monday’s meeting and will answer community members’ questions.

The public meeting of RCC’s Long Range Planning Committee is scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. Monday at RCC’s Hunters Woods facility (2310 Colts Neck Road). Those who plan to attend are asked to email [email protected] to RSVP. Anyone who is unable to attend but would like to submit comments can do so to the same email address, and should include their full name and address along with their comments.

The Reston Community Center Board of Governors adopted their 2016-21 Strategic Plan last year, and they will discuss progress with the public next week.

The largest number of January updates to the Strategic Plan are in the section about expanding programs. In the plan, RCC identified goals that included “balanc[ing] services to neighborhoods within Reston with programming that brings the community together and fosters a sense of belonging to the community as a whole.”

Among the items listed in the update is a proposed building needs analysis to “investigate intersections feasible with Park Authority efforts related to indoor recreation facility planning for Reston and [to] seek differentiation from Reston Association efforts to date.” It also lists plans to coordinate summer programming options with Cornerstones, among other initiatives.

At the Monday night event, the RCC board also will discuss content for inclusion in their FY19 budget and capital project planning for the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center.

The public is invited to the meeting at RCC Hunter Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road), scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, but it is requested RSVP be made to [email protected] by 4 p.m. Friday. Anyone would who like to provide input but is unable to attend is invited to contact the same email address.

A hands-on swimming school where children won’t get too cold is coming to Reston. Goldfish Swim School will open on Nov. 1 with a 25-yard pool filled with 90 degree water, co-owner Gina Bewersdorf said Monday morning.

“The kids never get chilly,” she said. “It’s like nice bathwater.”

With a space about half the length of an Olympic-size pool being dug now at 12340 Pinecrest Rd., Goldfish will serve kids from 4 months old to 12 years old. Supervision will consist of instructors, lifeguards and deck supervisors. Whereas many swim lessons include as many as eight children per class, Goldfish’s classes will have just four kids.

“That’s a really big deal,” said Bewersdorf, a radiologist who will run the business with her husband, lawyer Ryan Bewersdorf.

In addition to focusing on students’ safety and comfort, the curriculum aims to teach kids at their own pace.

“Here, you don’t move [to the next class] because the class has ended, you move up because you’re ready,” Bewersdorf said.

The Reston school will be the first Virginia location of Goldfish, which opened in the Detroit area in 2006 and has 15 outposts nationally.

Swimming classes are open for registration online and by calling (703) 348-3261. A drop-in lesson costs $23.75. One lesson per week in a group of four children costs $95 per month, and private lessons cost $220 per month.

South Lakes High School’s swim team will enter Friday’s meet against James Madison at Oak Marr Rec Center with a 1-0 record after topping Stone Bridge last weekend.

The girls team defeated Stone Bridge 202-83; the boys team won 193-90.

“It’s a very nice opening meet with a lot of good swims,” said SLHS coach Scott Brown. “We’ll keep moving people around and see what we can do pressing forward to get people in the best events.”

South Lakes won both the boys and girls 200-yard medley relay, South Lakes placed first. Jair Valenzuela, Tyler Ellis, Bradley Torrington, and Gianmichel D’Alessandro swam for the boys. Natalie Obando, Sabrina Groves, Emily Landeryou, and Caitlyn King swam for the girls.

South Lakes boys swept four events, taking first through third place in the 200 medley relay, the 200 freestyle, the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle.

Other highlights:

• Sabrina Groves (first), Natalie Obando (second) and Malina Stassinos (third) swept the girls 100 butterfly.
• Mac Sogandares won the 100-yard butterfly and 100 breaststroke and anchored the first-place 400 free relay team with Dylan Hawley, Benjamin Gryski, and Johnny Micka.
• Joseph Hosi won the 200-yard freestyle; was second in the 100-yard butterfly, and anchored the first-place 200 freestyle relay team with D’Alessandro, Conor McBride, and Tyler Hutson. Hutson also won the 50 free .
• Sabrina Groves won both the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley as well as the 400 free relay with Malina Stassinos, King, and Landeryou.
• Landeryou won individual events – the 100 back and 50 free, while King won the 100 free.
• Paige Sogandares won the 500 free and was second in the 200 free.
• Kalyn Macaluso placed first in 100 breast and anchored the first-place 200 free relay team with Obando, Stassinos, and Katie Degutis.

Submitted by Lyn Fiscus. Have sports scores to report? Send them to [email protected].