Van Dyck Park
Van Dyck Park is a city park in Fairfax undergoing a multi-phase redevelopment process. 9 separate matters touch this place; each has its own status.
WSHCC
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.
- Jun 11, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 3Joint Senior Council Meeting
The Van Dyck Park Master Plan was mentioned by the Senior Council as a park project they would like PRAB to advocate for.
Willard Sherwood
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.
- Jun 11, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 3Joint Senior Council Meeting
The Van Dyck Park Master Plan was mentioned by the Senior Council as a park project they would like PRAB to advocate for.
- May 26, 2026City Council · item 9aConsideration of an Award of Construction Contract to Meadville Land Service, Inc. in the amount of approximately $628,655 for Providence Park and Van Dyck Park Outfall Restoration
Van Dyck Park is one of the two parks whose outfall restoration is the subject of the awarded construction contract.
passedAuthorization for Purchasing Agent to award construction contract of $628,655.00 to Meadville Land Service, Inc. for Providence Park and Van Dyck Park outfall restoration✓ Amos✓ Bates✓ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✓ McQuillen✓ Peterson
CIP Update
The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is an ongoing multi-year budget process tracking planned investments across school, parks, and municipal facilities. On October 20, 2025, Acting Superintendent Dan Phillips presented an updated CIP budget to the School Board during a work session, incorporating added HVAC funding and revised cost estimates for the football turf field replacement and softball field; that updated CIP was slated to be formally brought to the next regular school board meeting.
- New Business – CIP Update
The Van Dyck Park Master Plan design deadline was pushed to FY28 in the CIP submission.
Urban Forest Master Plan
The Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) is the City of Fairfax's first-ever 20-year roadmap for stewardship of its urban forest, developed beginning in May 2024. The planning process included two Steering Committee meetings, multiple public meetings and open houses (July 2024, October 2024, October 2025), a public survey, stakeholder interviews, and presentations to the Planning Commission, City Council, PRAB, and the Environmental Sustainability Committee.
- Apr 10, 2025Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5Stakeholder Updates
Identified as one of the parks where invasive plant removal efforts have been focused by the Stewardship Coordinator and Forest Rescuer volunteers.
George Snyder Trail
The George Snyder Trail was a planned shared-use trail project (VDOT UPC 112816) in the City of Fairfax intended to improve multimodal connectivity. The project drew sustained and significant public opposition throughout 2025 and into 2026.
- Summary of Recent Council Meeting Actions Pertaining to Parks and Recreation
Construction start date pushed to FY28 to avoid overlap with the Blenheim Boulevard and Willard Sherwood Center construction projects. Invasive plant removal at Van Dyck Park last weekend was reported as successful; additional removals are listed on Engage Fairfax.
Pat Rodio Park
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.
- Nov 14, 2024Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 7aProject Updates – Master Plan, Pat Rodio, Van Dyck Redevelopment, Old Town Renovation, KJM Turf
A fence was placed between Van Dyck Park and St. Leo the Great Church and school; a trail easement from the archdiocese is unlikely at this time.
Van Dyck Redevelopment
The Van Dyck Redevelopment is a funded parks project in the Town of Vienna that has been tracked by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) since at least October 2024. The project was initially placed on hold pending the start of Thaiss Park construction, and by February 2025 its construction start was pushed to FY28 to avoid concurrent work with the Blenheim Boulevard and Willard Sherwood Center projects.
- Nov 14, 2024Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 7aProject Updates – Master Plan, Pat Rodio, Van Dyck Redevelopment, Old Town Renovation, KJM Turf
A fence was placed between Van Dyck Park and St. Leo the Great Church and school; a trail easement from the archdiocese is unlikely at this time.
KJM Turf
The KJM Turf project involves the renovation and turfing of fields associated with KJM Middle School, a effort that has been in development for at least 10 years. As of the May 2025 joint PRAB/School Board meeting, the current plan — developed with consultant Timmons — estimates a total cost of approximately $10 million and encompasses two turf fields, a track, and a paved area, with a projected construction timeline of 16–18 months (potentially shorter if synthetic turf is selected). $6 million in funding has been identified ($4 million already allocated plus $2 million in ARPA funds), leaving a gap of $6–8 million.
- Nov 14, 2024Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 7aProject Updates – Master Plan, Pat Rodio, Van Dyck Redevelopment, Old Town Renovation, KJM Turf
A fence was placed between Van Dyck Park and St. Leo the Great Church and school; a trail easement from the archdiocese is unlikely at this time.
- OTH/OTS – Update
A construction start date of April 1 has been set for the Splash Pad (OTS); it is expected to be up and running by Memorial Day.
- Old Business – Van Dyck Update
The tennis court and pickleball court lights are out; staff hopes to repair them soon.
- Nov 13, 2025Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 6cOld Business – City Playground Updates
The dragonfly equipment piece is broken and cannot be replaced; several climbers and steppers focused on preschool-age children will be installed in its place.
In full
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. In the interim, several smaller-scale efforts have proceeded: invasive plant removal by the Stewardship Coordinator and Forest Rescuer volunteers has been ongoing and reported successful; a fence was placed between the park and St. Leo the Great Church and school, with a trail easement from the archdiocese considered unlikely; broken playground equipment (a dragonfly piece) is being replaced with climbers and steppers for preschool-age children; and as of October 2025, the tennis and pickleball court lights were out pending repair.
Most significantly, in May 2026 the City Council unanimously approved a $628,655 construction contract with Meadville Land Service, Inc. for outfall restoration at Van Dyck Park and Providence Park. The Senior Council has identified the Van Dyck Park Master Plan as a priority they would like PRAB to advocate for.