Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · Sep 10, 2026

PRAB Regular Meeting

Agenda Read the transcript9 agenda items · 11 tracked topics

Discussed

3
Joint Fairfax City Parks Foundation Meeting · Scheduled per agenda. Joint meeting with the Fairfax City Parks Foundation was planned, including introductions and foundation updates. No outcome recorded.
- Fairfax City Parks Foundationin progressA joint meeting with the Fairfax City Parks Foundation was scheduled, including introductions and foundation updates.
4
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes · Scheduled per agenda (July Minutes attached). No outcome recorded.
5
Election of FY27 Officers · Scheduled per agenda. Election of officers for FY27 was planned. No outcome recorded.
- Election of FY27 OfficersElection of PRAB officers for FY27 was scheduled for this meeting; no outcome recorded.
6
Stakeholder Updates · Scheduled per agenda. Updates from liaisons representing Commission on the Arts, Environmental Sustainability Committee, NOVA Parks, Planning Commission, School Board, Senior Center, Student Rep, and Community Members were planned. No outcomes recorded.
- NOVA Parksin progressLiaison Douglas Stewart was scheduled to provide a stakeholder update on behalf of NOVA Parks.
- Senior CenterLiaison Chuck Paceley was scheduled to provide a stakeholder update on behalf of the Senior Center.
7
Old Business · Scheduled per agenda. Old business items included the PRAB Service Award and Parks Foundation. No outcomes recorded.
- PRAB Service AwardThe PRAB Service Award was listed as an old business item; no outcome recorded.
- Parks Foundationin progressThe Parks Foundation was listed as an old business item; no outcome recorded.
8
New Business · Scheduled per agenda. New business items included a summary of recent Council meeting actions pertaining to Parks and Recreation, and a native planting program at the park. No outcomes recorded.
- Summary of recent Council meetings actions pertaining to Parks and RecreationA summary of recent City Council actions pertaining to Parks and Recreation was scheduled for discussion under new business; no outcome recorded.
- Native planting program at the parkA native planting program at the park was introduced as a new business item; no outcome recorded.
9
Parks and Recreation Department Report · Scheduled per agenda. Report was to cover upcoming events and programs and project updates. No outcome recorded.
- Upcoming Events and ProgramsParks and Recreation Department was scheduled to present upcoming events and programs; no outcome recorded.
- Project UpdatesParks and Recreation Department was scheduled to present project updates; no outcome recorded.
10
Matters of the Members · Scheduled per agenda. No outcomes recorded.
11
Upcoming Meetings · Scheduled per agenda. Next meeting noted as Thursday, October 8 at 7pm at City Hall, Work Session Room.
- City HallNext PRAB meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 8 at 7pm at City Hall, Work Session Room.

Topics touched · 11

Fairfax City Parks Foundationin progress
The Fairfax City Parks Foundation is a nonprofit foundation being established to support parks in Fairfax City. It was first discussed at a City Council work session on October 8, 2024, with no formal action taken at that time.
- The fourth and fifth inaugural director appointments: the September 9, 2025 transcript indicates two more candidates were pending a PRAB interview, and the September 30, 2025 transcript references a…
- No outcome was recorded for the September 10, 2026 joint PRAB and Fairfax City Parks Foundation meeting; the substance of the introductions and foundation updates is unknown.
Election of FY27 Officers
NOVA Parksin progress
NOVA Parks (Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority) is a regional parks authority that manages facilities and trails serving the City of Fairfax and surrounding jurisdictions, including the 44-mile W&OD Trail, Meadowlark Gardens, Bull Run Regional Park, Gateway Park, and other sites. The NOVA Parks liaison to the City's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) is Douglas Stewart, who provides regular stakeholder updates.
- Gateway Park restoration contract award and groundbreaking: contract was nearly ready to be awarded as of March 2026; construction was targeted for summer 2026 — current status of contract award and…
- W&OD Trail Visitors' Center in Vienna (125 Church St): plans announced but dependent on state budget funding — funding status remains unresolved.
Senior Center
The Fairfax City Young at Heart Senior Center, currently located at Green Acres Center (a repurposed 1961 school building), is a membership-based senior activity hub offering programs including pickleball, bocce, bus trips, craft markets, holiday events, and fitness activities. Chuck Paceley has served as the regular PRAB stakeholder liaison for the Senior Center throughout this period.
- Outcome and full implications of the April 28, 2026 City Council vote on the Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center for the Senior Center's future at Green Acres.
- A proposed $60/year membership fee (benchmarked against Fairfax County pricing, raised at the April 2025 PRAB meeting) — whether it was adopted or rejected.
PRAB Service Award
The PRAB (Parks and Recreation Advisory Board) Service Award is a recurring agenda topic that has appeared under "Old Business" at multiple PRAB regular meetings. It was listed as an old business item at the September 10, 2026 meeting (Agenda Item 7, alongside the Parks Foundation) and again at the October 8, 2026 meeting (Agenda Item 5a).
- No outcome or action has been recorded for the PRAB Service Award discussions at either the September 10, 2026 or October 8, 2026 meetings; it is unclear what decisions or changes, if any, are under…
- Minutes or an actions report for the October 8, 2026 meeting are not available, leaving the result of that discussion unresolved.
Parks Foundationin progress
The Fairfax City Parks Foundation is a nonprofit entity created to raise private funds and accept donations (including bequests) to support parks projects in the City of Fairfax. Its formation involved an extended bylaw revision process: in October 2024, PRAB agreed to a 60% board residency requirement and revised the director appointment process so that PRAB nominates directors and City Council approves.
- Whether the approximately $470,000 Legacy for Fairfax fund transfer to the Parks Foundation bank account was completed as planned on July 1, 2026 (no confirmation recorded after June 2026).
- Status of the naming rights policy: no recorded outcome confirming City Council adoption after PRAB's edits were incorporated in July 2026.
Summary of recent Council meetings actions pertaining to Parks and Recreation
Native planting program at the park
Upcoming Events and Programs
Upcoming Events and Programs is a standing informational report delivered by the Parks and Recreation Department to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) at its regular meetings. The report covers scheduled parks and recreation events and programs, as well as project updates.
- Content of the Parks and Recreation Department's Upcoming Events and Programs report from the September 10, 2026 PRAB meeting has not been recorded — outcome is unknown.
- Content of the Upcoming Events and Programs report from the October 8, 2026 PRAB meeting has not been recorded — no minutes or actions report is available.
Project Updates
Project Updates is a recurring agenda item under the Parks and Recreation Department's reports to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB). It appears to serve as a standing update on active capital or renovation projects managed by the department.
- What specific projects are included in the Project Updates reporting category (e.g., school renovations, park capital improvements, other)?
- What were the actual project updates presented or discussed at the September 10, 2026 and October 8, 2026 PRAB meetings?
City Hall
Fairfax City Hall (10455 Armstrong Street, Fairfax, VA) is the primary civic building serving as the routine venue for a wide range of municipal meetings, closed sessions, receptions, and public functions across multiple boards, commissions, and the City Council. Its named spaces include Council Chambers, Work Session Room 111, the Atrium, Judge's Chambers, City Manager Conference Room, Sisson House, and Council Executive Room 100 (in the City Hall Annex).
- Installation of 20 EV charging stations at City Hall and Sherwood Community Center: current completion status is not recorded in the material.
- Revised EV charging station fee structure: Council reached consensus in February 2026 to adopt it as part of the city budget rates and levies, but no formal vote or final budget adoption confirming…

Documents · 1

Report1

Filed in agenda order; the agenda names the item each belongs to.