Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · Apr 9, 2026

PRAB Regular Meeting

Agenda Minutes Read the transcript16 agenda items · 2 votes, all unanimous · 13 tracked topics

What was decided

2
Adoption of Agenda
Agenda adopted. Matt Rice moved, Rob Knowles seconded, approved.
Passed, unanimous
not chaptered
3
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
Previous meeting minutes approved. Rob Knowles moved, Matt Rice seconded, approved.
Passed, unanimous
not chaptered

Presented

1
Call to Order · Meeting called to order by Chair Sarah Ross at 7:00 p.m.
4
Presentations and Introductions · No presentations or introductions recorded.
5
Stakeholder Updates · Stakeholder updates provided by representatives of the Commission on the Arts, Environmental Sustainability Committee, Planning Commission, School Board, Senior Center, and Student Representative. NOVA Parks representative was absent. Community member Diana Gibson also provided an update.
- Old Town Hallin progressOld Town Hall Performance Series featuring the Vivaldi Project is scheduled for April 10th. Interior work is progressing; substantial completion is set for October 3rd, with some delays attributed to window restoration work.
- Old Townin progressAn Art Walk is planned for May 3rd in Old Town Fairfax.
- Arbor DayThe 40th annual Arbor Day celebration is scheduled for April 25th at Pat Rodio Park, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Pat Rodio Parkin progressPat Rodio Park is the venue for the 40th annual Arbor Day celebration on April 25th.
- NOVA Parksin progressNOVA Parks representative Douglas Stewart was absent; no update provided.
- Senior CenterChuck Paceley reported upcoming events: Craft and Vendor Market on April 11th at Sherwood Community Center, Open House at Green Acres on May 1st, a joint Senior Council and PRAB meeting on June 11th, City Council vote on Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center on April 28th, and a pickleball tournament May 12th–15th.
- Sherwood Community CenterapprovedThe Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center is the venue for the Senior Craft and Vendor Market on April 11th.
- Willard Sherwoodin progressCity Council vote on the Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center is scheduled for April 28th, per the Senior Center update. The joint City Council and Fairfax County meeting was held on April 7th; the final City Council vote is scheduled for April 28th.
6a
Thaiss Park – Update · Update received: work is progressing slowly; contractor's financial issues have been resolved; opening date is end of July; clubhouse building is the main source of delay.
- Thaiss Parkin progressConstruction is progressing slowly but steadily; the contractor's financial issues have been resolved and the opening date is set for the end of July, with the clubhouse building identified as the primary cause of delays.
6b
Old Town Hall · Update received: interior progress is being made; substantial completion date is October 3rd; window restoration work is causing some delays.
Old Town Hallin progress
6c
Parks Foundation · Update received: 1023 paperwork submitted allowing the Foundation to accept money and open a bank account; solicitation license from Virginia being pursued; website under construction; funds transfer from City expected in July. A naming rights policy is being developed and will be emailed to PRAB in mid-April for discussion at the May meeting, requiring PRAB endorsement and City Council adoption.
- Parks Foundationin progressThe 1023 paperwork has been submitted, enabling the Foundation to accept donations and open a bank account; a solicitation license from Virginia is being pursued; website development is underway; funds transfer from the City is expected in July. A naming rights policy is being drafted for PRAB review in May and subsequent City Council adoption.
6d
Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center · Update received: the joint City Council and Fairfax County meeting occurred on April 7th; final vote is scheduled for April 28th.
Willard Sherwoodin progress
7a
Summary of Recent Council Meeting Actions Pertaining to Parks and Recreation · Parks staff presented on funding of third-party events; a need to create parameters around third-party events was identified.
7b
Historic Resources Merger · Update received: merger is going well; the Blenheim Interpretive Center is being repainted and having atrium renovations; building will reopen April 22nd.
- Historic Resources Mergerin progressThe merger is proceeding well; the Blenheim Interpretive Center is being repainted and receiving atrium renovations, with a planned reopening on April 22nd.
- Blenheim Interpretive CenterThe Blenheim Interpretive Center is being repainted and having atrium renovations done, with a reopening scheduled for April 22nd.
7c
PRAB Service Award · Board discussed reviving the PRAB Service Award, which has not occurred in several years. A suggestion was made to add service award discussions to a recurring month on the agenda for regular nominations.
8a
Parks and Recreation Department Report – Upcoming Events and Programs · Department reported the Ashby Pond ribbon cutting and Fishing Derby on April 11th, the Senior Craft and Vendor Market at SCSCC on April 11th, and the hiring of Will Quinn as the new Cultural Arts Manager.
- Ashby PondThe Ashby Pond ribbon cutting and Fishing Derby is scheduled for April 11th.
9
Matters of the Members · No matters recorded.
10
Upcoming Meetings · Next meeting: Thursday, May 14 at 7pm at City Hall, Work Session Room.
11
Adjournment · Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Topics touched · 13

Old Town Hallin progress
Old Town Hall is a historic City of Fairfax building undergoing a major renovation that includes window restoration, a full HVAC overhaul, wiring upgrades, conversion to LED lighting, and new bathrooms. The project was originally planned to close and begin construction in February 2025, but experienced a series of delays: the start was pushed first to mid-to-late March 2025, then to April 2025 due to permitting issues, and the City Council presentation on construction approval (originally set for April 1, 2025) was further delayed to April 22, 2025 due to budget issues.
- Substantial completion is targeted for mid-October 2026, but no confirmed opening date has been established — the opening timeline remains pending.
- The specialty window restoration work by an Ohio craftsman is ongoing and has been identified as a schedule risk; its completion date is uncertain.
Old Townin progress
Old Town is a historic district and activity center within the City of Fairfax that has been the subject of multiple overlapping municipal initiatives spanning security, parks infrastructure, parking and circulation, zoning, and small area planning. Beginning in late 2024, the area was included in a security pilot program involving private security guards, cameras, safety lighting, and blue light boxes at parks including Old Town Square.
- What formal action, if any, will City Council take on the potential review and update of the Old Town Small Area Plan?
- What will the final recommendations of the Old Town Circulation Study be, and when will that study be finalized (expected 2027)?
Arbor Day
Arbor Day is an annual tree-planting and environmental celebration organized in the City of Fairfax, coordinated largely through the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC). In October 2024, the event was held on October 26 at Kutner Park.
Pat Rodio Parkin progress
Pat Rodio Park is a municipal park that has been undergoing a playground relocation and broader redevelopment effort. As of October 2024, staff identified that the playground needed to be moved to a new location; by November 2024, a relocation site had been identified and public outreach was planned.
- Completion of the playground redevelopment (expected spring 2026) — status not yet confirmed as complete.
- Construction of dugouts at the new baseball field — described as forthcoming as of April 2025, no subsequent confirmation recorded.
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.
Sherwood Community Centerapproved
The Sherwood Community Center (formally the Willard Sherwood Health & Community Center / WSHCC) is a joint City of Fairfax and Fairfax County redevelopment project, with costs split 42% City and 58% County. As of the November 2024 PRAB update, the project was between the zoning and permit steps, with construction slated to begin Q1 2026 and wrap up Q4 2028.
- Whether the Performing Arts addition to the existing Sherwood Center will receive the additional $4 million needed in the CIP to be funded.
- Whether the HVAC replacement at the existing Sherwood Center will be funded, including the potential use of Parks Foundation Legacy for Fairfax funds earmarked for Sherwood maintenance.
Willard Sherwoodin progress
The Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center (WSHCC) is a proposed health and community center project in the City of Fairfax, closely associated with senior services and intended to replace or supplement the aging Green Acres facility. The project faced an early setback in April 2025 when PRAB was informed it might not continue due to staffing and security concerns, with all trails-related work paused pending a City Council presentation on April 22, 2025.
- Construction is scheduled to begin Q2 2026 per the November 2025 update — the current construction start status and timeline should be confirmed against more recent records.
- How the Green Acres site will be handled in light of the Willard Sherwood project (including potential comp plan updates) remains an open question raised in a May 2026 Planning Commission discussion.
Thaiss Parkin progress
Thaiss Park is a City park undergoing full redevelopment, including new ballfields, a playground, adult exercise equipment, a clubhouse building, and related infrastructure. The City Council approved a $7,725,650 construction contract with Bright Masonry, Inc. on October 8, 2024, and the project was fully funded.
- The main contractor (Bright Construction) has fired all staff and deleted its website as of July 2026 — the project is on hold pending clarification on how construction will proceed.
- An ARPA funds deadline is looming; it is unresolved whether the project will meet it given the contractor situation.
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.
Historic Resources Mergerin progress
The Historic Resources Merger is an ongoing consolidation effort tracked by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB). As of April 2026, the merger was reported to be proceeding well, with concurrent physical improvements underway at the Blenheim Interpretive Center (BIC), including repainting and atrium renovations, and a planned reopening of that facility on April 22, 2026.
- Which positions are to be listed as part of the merger, and when will they be posted?
- What remaining steps are needed to complete the merger process?
Blenheim Interpretive Center
Ashby Pond
Ashby Pond is a public pond in the city that underwent a major dredging and retrofit project to address siltation from stormwater runoff and to reduce pollutant loads toward Chesapeake Bay and Accotink Creek TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) goals. In October 2024, the city council approved a construction contract of $1,695,000 to Sager's Construction Corporation for the dredging and retrofit work (awarded as part of the consent agenda at the 2024-10-22 meeting).

Documents · 2

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