Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · Nov 13, 2025

PRAB Regular Meeting

Agenda Minutes Read the transcript23 agenda items · 3 votes, all unanimous · 14 tracked topics, 1 in the wiki

What was decided

✓4a
WSHCC Presentation – Brooke Hardin, James Patteson
Presentation given on the Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center. PRAB voted to direct the Chair to draft a memo stating PRAB's support of the project.
Passed, unanimous
- Willard Sherwoodin progressPresentation given to PRAB on the project's status; construction scheduled to begin Q2 2026. PRAB voted to draft a memo of support for the project.
- City HallMeeting held at City Hall, 10455 Armstrong Street.
not chaptered
✓6e
Old Business – Urban Forest Master Plan
PRAB voted to direct the Chair to draft a memo in support of the Urban Forest Master Plan to present to City Council.
Passed, unanimous
- Urban Forest Master Planin progresswikiPRAB voted to direct the Chair to draft a memo in support of the Urban Forest Master Plan to present to City Council.
not chaptered
✓7a
New Business – Pat Rodio Master Plan Discussion
PRAB voted to support moving $100k in CIP funds from a Pat Rodio Master Plan to create a master plan for the Westmore School site and fund improvements such as utilities and a bathroom.
Passed, unanimous
- Master Planin progressPRAB voted to support moving $100k in CIP funds away from a Pat Rodio Master Plan toward a master plan for the Westmore School site, including improvements like utilities and a bathroom. The community survey for the Parks Master Plan will be presented to City Council on January 6th.
- Pat Rodio Parkin progressA majority of Pat Rodio is in the Resource Protection Area; PRAB voted to support redirecting the $100k CIP master plan funds to the Westmore School site instead.
- Westmore School sitePRAB voted to support directing $100k in CIP funds to create a master plan for the Westmore School site, including utilities and a bathroom.
not chaptered

Presented

1
Call to Order · Meeting called to order by Chair Sarah Ross at 7:02 p.m.
2
Adoption of Agenda
3
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes · Listed on agenda; no outcome recorded in the minutes.
5a
Stakeholder Updates – Commission on the Arts · Cheryl Neway reported that the Commission on the Arts is working to enhance the public art program and the spring Art Walk.
5b
Stakeholder Updates – Environmental Sustainability Committee · Rusty Russell reported that the ESC is updating the Solid Waste Management Plan.
5c
Stakeholder Updates – NOVA Parks · Douglas Stewart was absent; update was read into record. NOVA Parks winter light events are open and Executive Director Justin Wilson is scheduled to brief City Council on December 9.
- NOVA Parksin progressNOVA Parks' Winter Walk of Lights, Festival of Lights, and Ice and Lights events are open through January. Executive Director Justin Wilson is scheduled to brief City Council on December 9, with Gateway Park plans likely part of the briefing.
5d
Stakeholder Updates – Planning Commission · Matt Rice reported that the Planning Commission has been discussing CIP for the future, which will be the focus for the next few months.
5e
Stakeholder Updates – School Board · Amit Hickman was absent; update was read into record. The School Board has hired Dr. Dustin Wright as the new Superintendent.
5f
Stakeholder Updates – Senior Center · Chuck Paceley reported 59 new first-time members in October with 2,464 total visits scanned. New Senior Council members and officers were announced. Upcoming events include a Thanksgiving Luncheon and Holiday Party.
- Senior Center59 new first-time members in October with 2,464 total visits scanned; new Senior Council members and officers were announced, with upcoming Thanksgiving and Holiday events.
5g
Stakeholder Updates – Student Representative · Madeline Clary was absent; no update provided.
5h
Community Member Updates · Diana Gibson reported she was appointed as a Solid Waste Management Plan representative and attended the November 4th meeting. A public meeting for the SWMP is scheduled November 20th at the KJMS library.
6a
Old Business – Thaiss Park Update · Construction is progressing, running slightly behind on sod installation. The playground is installed.
- Thaiss Parkin progressConstruction is progressing but running slightly behind on sod installation; the playground has been installed.
6b
Old Business – Pat Rodio Park Playground Update · Playground has been installed; fencing, walkways, and landscaping are still to come. New signage with code of conduct rules is being developed.
- Pat Rodio Playgroundin progressPlayground has been installed; fencing, walkways, landscaping, and new code-of-conduct signage are still forthcoming.
6c
Old Business – City Playground Updates · At Van Dyck Park, the broken dragonfly equipment piece will be replaced with climbers and steppers for preschool-age children. At Stafford, the broken rock wall replacement is ordered and expected in March.
- Van Dyck Parkin progressThe dragonfly equipment piece is broken and cannot be replaced; several climbers and steppers focused on preschool-age children will be installed in its place.
6d
Old Business – Budget Update · The Budget Open House was not well attended. Budget enhancements are due soon and all usual enhancements are being requested.
- Budget Open HousecompletedThe Budget Open House was not well attended; budget enhancements are due soon with all usual requests being submitted.
7b
New Business – Summary of recent Council meeting actions pertaining to Parks and Recreation · Staff reported that the community survey for the Parks Master Plan will be presented to City Council on January 6th.
- Community Surveyin progressThe community survey for the Parks Master Plan is scheduled to be presented to City Council on January 6th.
Master Planin progress
8a
Parks and Recreation Department Report – Upcoming Events and Programs · Holiday Craft Show announced for November 15th and 16th.
- Holiday Craft ShowThe Holiday Craft Show is scheduled for November 15th and 16th.
9
Matters of the Members · No matters recorded in the minutes.
10
Upcoming Meetings · Next meeting: Thursday, December 11 at 7pm at City Hall, Work Session Room.
11
Adjournment · Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

Topics touched · 14

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.
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…
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.
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.
Pat Rodio Playgroundin progress
The Pat Rodio Playground is a public playground project funded at $400,000, of which $315,000 was allocated for equipment and surfacing, with the remainder reserved for fencing, walkways, and trees. Early planning included a public survey (results reported June 12, 2025) showing strong public preference for swings, followed by PRAB's selection of color option 6 from 12 options.
- Whether fencing, walkways, and landscaping have been completed (still pending as of November 13, 2025, with no follow-up update recorded through July 2026).
- Whether the new code-of-conduct signage has been developed and installed (noted as forthcoming as of November 13, 2025).
Van Dyck Parkin progress
Van Dyck Park is a city park in Fairfax undergoing a multi-phase redevelopment process. The broader redevelopment and master plan design have been subject to repeated scheduling delays: as of late 2024, redevelopment was on hold pending the start of Thaiss Park construction, and by February 2025 the construction start was pushed to FY28 to avoid overlap with the Blenheim Boulevard and Willard Sherwood Center construction projects; the master plan design deadline was subsequently confirmed as FY28 in the FY2026 CIP submission.
- Repair of the tennis court and pickleball court lights — status not confirmed resolved as of October 2025.
- Installation of the replacement preschool climbers and steppers (approved November 2025) — completion not yet confirmed.
Budget Open Housecompleted
The City of Fairfax has held Budget Open Houses as a public engagement mechanism tied to the annual budget process. A spring 2025 Budget Open House was held on April 2, 2025, at the Stacey Sherwood Center; Superintendent Platenberg noted great turnout at that event.
- Whether a Budget Open House will be held during the FY 2027 budget cycle (spring 2026) has not been decided as of late March 2026 — Councilmember Peterson explicitly raised this question at the March…
Urban Forest Master Planin progress
The Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) is the City of Fairfax's first 20-year roadmap for stewardship of its urban forest, developed with consultant Marstel-Day. Development began in May 2024; Phase 1 (information gathering) was completed and Phase 2 (plan development) was nearing completion as of December 2025.
- Annual reporting on the UFMP's key performance indicators and one-year plan strategy metrics is planned via a State of the Urban Forest report; timing and format of first such report is not yet…
- A natural areas assessment of city-owned and potentially conserved areas is underway as a 2026 action; a canopy coverage goal is anticipated to be set in the 5–10 year phase once a baseline is…
This meeting in the wiki Overview
Master Planin progress
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan is an ongoing update to the City of Fairfax's parks master plan, the last version of which was adopted in 2014. Staff engaged consultant Berry Dunn to lead the update process.
- Community survey results for the Parks Master Plan are to be presented to City Council on January 6, 2026 — outcome of that presentation is not yet recorded.
- Staff still needed to meet with consultant Berry Dunn to review the received survey feedback results (as of October 2025).
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.
Westmore School site
Community Surveyin progress
The City of Fairfax Community Survey is a citywide resident satisfaction and priorities survey that was developed and administered over the course of 2025. Staff first presented the survey process to City Council in a work session on April 22, 2025, with subsequent work session discussions held on June 24 and July 1, 2025 (a June 10 session was rescheduled), and a follow-up discussion slated at the June 28 Council Retreat with no recorded outcome.
- The Parks Master Plan community survey was scheduled to be presented to City Council on January 6, 2026 — no record of that presentation's outcome is available in the material.
- It is unresolved whether the community survey will be conducted on a recurring/regular basis, as at least one member has expressed hope for this but no formal decision has been recorded.
Holiday Craft Show
The Holiday Craft Show is a recurring City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department event. For 2025, it is scheduled for November 15th and 16th, as reported at both the October 9, 2025 and November 13, 2025 PRAB Regular Meetings.

“This meeting in the wiki” opens the topic’s history at this date.

Documents · 2

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