Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · Sep 11, 2025

PRAB Regular Meeting

Agenda Minutes Read the transcript18 agenda items · 3 votes · 14 tracked topics, 2 in the wiki

What was decided

2
Adoption of Agenda
Agenda adopted. Susan Kuiler motioned, Douglas Stewart seconded, approved.
Passed
not chaptered
✓4a
Presentations/Introductions – Foundation Interviews
PRAB unanimously approved nominating Emilio Alonso to the Parks Foundation board of directors (as first applicant), and recommending the nomination of Selamawit Washington to the newly independent board of directors.
Passed, unanimous
- Parks Foundationin progressPRAB voted unanimously to nominate Emilio Alonso to the board of directors and recommend Selamawit Washington to the newly independent board, following discussion about bylaw limits on City Council appointments.
not chaptered
5
Election of Officers for FY26
Sarah Ross unanimously elected as Chair; Kelly O'Brien unanimously elected as Vice Chair for FY26.
Passed, unanimous · 2 motions on this item
not chaptered

Presented

1
Call to Order · Meeting called to order by Chair Sarah Ross at 7:03 p.m.
3
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes · Listed on agenda; no action recorded in the minutes.
6
Stakeholder Updates · Stakeholder updates received from liaisons for Commission on the Arts, Environmental Sustainability Committee, NOVA Parks, Planning Commission, School Board, and Senior Center. Student representative had no update.
- Urban Forest Master Planin progresswikiReported as in the home stretch; final presentations to stakeholders including PRAB in October are planned, and the final document should be ready for recommendation and adoption by the end of the year. Scheduled to be presented to PRAB at the October meeting.
- NOVA Parksin progressHired Justin Wilson as new Executive Director (starting October), succeeding retiring Paul Gilbert; also continuing negotiations with Dominion over tree cutting along the W&OD trail following Dominion's clear-cutting of a 4-mile section and termination of the existing MOU.
- 2035 Comprehensive Plan Implementation Guidein progresswikiThe Planning Commission reviewed the 2035 comp plan and implementation guides for the small area plans at a meeting in late July.
- Senior CenterReported that bocce season ended September 11 with awards in two weeks, Northern Virginia Senior Olympics beginning September 18, and upcoming events including a Halloween Party (October 31) and Veterans Day brunch (November 7).
7a
Old Business – Pat Rodio Playground Update · Playground is still on back order. A separate smaller HOA-installed playground has had safety concerns; the HOA will hire a contractor to address them.
- Pat Rodio Playgroundin progressPlayground equipment remains on back order; a nearby smaller HOA playground has safety concerns that the HOA will hire a contractor to fix.
7b
Old Business – Thaiss Park Update · Project is on budget; expected to remain on time depending on when sod is installed this fall.
- Thaiss Parkin progressProject is on budget and on track; timing depends on when sod is installed this fall.
7c
Old Business – OTH/OTS Update · The Splash Pad has a new pump and will remain open through October. OTH is now closed, with books in storage and piano donated; the parking lot is closed as a contractor staging area.
- OTHOTH is now closed; books are in storage, the piano has been donated, and the parking lot is closed as the contractor's staging area.
- OTSThe Splash Pad received a new pump (producing cooler water and higher jets) and will remain open through October.
7d
Old Business – Park Foundation Update · James and Nicolas were confirmed and appointed to the Park Foundation board of directors by City Council on September 2nd.
- Park Foundationin progressTwo directors (James and Nicolas) were confirmed and appointed to the board of directors by City Council on September 2, 2025. City Council appointed two Foundation directors, as summarized in the Council actions report.
7e
Old Business – WSHCC Update · The next vote on the WSHCC is scheduled for September 30th. The Willard building is now vacant.
- WSHCCin progressThe next Council vote on the WSHCC is scheduled for September 30th; the Willard building is now vacant. The Van Dyck Master Plan CIP has been pushed out to ensure WSHCC is complete before beginning construction; a separate SCSCC update CIP was submitted contingent on WSHCC not including the performance space update.
8a
New Business – FY27 Budget · Staff presented several CIP requests for the FY27 budget, including OTS improvements, parks facelift program, NOVA Parks contribution, Van Dyck Master Plan (pushed out pending WSHCC completion), Stacy C Sherwood Community Center expansion ($9M), security cameras ($200K), asphalt/resurfacing ($75K/yr), SCSCC update CIP (contingent on WSHCC), Blenheim Boulevard tunnel lighting ($60K), Stalnaker turf field replacement at FHS, KJM fields ($10M estimate), and Barker House assessment.
- FY 2027 Budgetin progressMultiple CIP requests presented for FY27, including OTS improvements, parks facelift, NOVA Parks contribution, Van Dyck Master Plan, Sherwood Community Center expansion, security cameras, asphalt/resurfacing, Blenheim Boulevard tunnel lighting, turf field replacement, KJM fields, and Barker House assessment.
- Sherwood Community CenterproposedA $9 million Stacy C Sherwood Community Center expansion/update CIP request was included in the FY27 budget discussions.
WSHCCapproved
8b
New Business – Summary of Recent Council Meeting Actions Pertaining to Parks and Recreation · Summary noted that two Foundation directors were appointed by City Council.
Park Foundationin progress
9a
Parks and Recreation Department Report – Master Plan Update · The Master Plan was put on hold over the summer due to it being the busiest season and staff being short-handed; work will resume in the fall.
- Master Planin progressThe Master Plan was placed on hold during summer due to high season workload and staffing shortages; it will be picked back up in the fall.
9b
Parks and Recreation Department Report – Upcoming Events and Programs · No specific events or programs were recorded in the minutes.
10
Matters of the Members · No matters recorded in the minutes.
11
Upcoming Meetings · October meeting will feature a presentation on the Urban Forest Master Plan; Stacey will be absent. A committee fair is scheduled for October 22nd at 6:00 p.m. at SCSCC.
Urban Forest Master Planapproved
12
Adjournment · Meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

Topics touched · 14

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.
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
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.
2035 Comprehensive Plan Implementation Guidein progress
The 2035 Comprehensive Plan Implementation Guide is an ongoing project that tracks the City's progress in carrying out the policies of its 2035 Comprehensive Plan, including associated Small Area Plan Implementation Guides. It is updated periodically in conjunction with the Planning Commission's Annual Report to City Council.
- No minutes or action report has been confirmed for the July 13, 2026 work session presentation — the outcome of that meeting remains unverified in the dated record.
- The 2025 Planning Commission Annual Report and associated Implementation Guide updates (presented March 9, 2026) had no formal vote recorded at that meeting; it is unclear whether a formal approval…
This meeting in the wiki Overview
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.
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).
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.
OTH
OTS
Park Foundationin progress
The Park Foundation is a new city parks philanthropic foundation being established to raise supplemental funding for capital park projects. Early groundwork (evidenced by transcript discussion as far back as October 2024) included research into peer foundations such as Fairfax County's and deliberations about governance structure, independence from Council, and liaison with PRAB.
- Next steps for the Foundation following submission of the Articles of Incorporation (e.g., IRS/nonprofit status, bylaws finalization, launch of fundraising operations) have not yet been recorded.
- The website design and donor management software procurement appear to still be in progress as of the last update — no completion has been recorded.
WSHCCin progress
The West Side Heating/Community Center (WSHCC) is a City of Ann Arbor parks capital project that has been tracked by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB). Through mid-2025, the project was in a planning and financial analysis phase, with staff preparing low, medium, and high cost-recovery scenarios to address concerns about staffing costs and the overall cost of the building; the community preference for open gym time over heavy rental usage was noted as a tension with cost recovery goals.
- A June 4, 2026 meeting was scheduled to present the impact on the existing Sherwood building and police station and a revised construction schedule — the outcome of that meeting is not yet recorded.
- The current construction plan calls for closing half the building (including the Performance Space and Art Room) while operating in the other half — final decisions on phasing and operations during…
FY 2027 Budgetin progress
The FY 2027 Budget is the City of Fairfax's annual operating and capital budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Budget development began in fall 2025, with staff presenting a range of CIP requests to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in September 2025.
Sherwood Community Centerproposed
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.
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).

“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.