Construction on the planned pickleball courts for the Walter Reed Community Center is expected to begin by the end of this year.
The Arlington County Dept. of Parks and Recreation announced the next steps for the hotly contested project and unveiled 90% complete designs last week. The project is set to go out for bid this spring and a contract is expected to go to the Arlington County Board for approval in the summer.
Work is on track to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, per the announcement.
“Thank you to all who provided feedback throughout the engagement process,” the county said.
The final project design differs only slightly from revised plans that the county announced in November. The county now plans to remove six trees and made minor revisions to its plans for the parking lot at Walter Reed.
The November proposal called for:
- increasing the distance between future courts near 16th Street S. and residential homes to a distance of about 170 feet
- adding acoustic fencing to both sets of courts and landscaping in between
- adding a deck to protect a large existing tree and provide respite space
- improving circulation for people with disabilities
- increasing parking spaces by four
- resurfacing the basketball courts
Pickleball proponents and neighbors irked by the infamous “pickleball pop” have been at loggerheads over plans for the Walter Reed Community Center since 2022.
That is when county officials announced plans to build dedicated pickleball courts at the community center, replacing part of the park’s wooded area along with an existing tennis court that has been co-opted for pickleball.
Residents living near the courts have sought relief from the thwack of pickleballs striking paddles and fiercely opposed plans to further encourage the sport at Walter Reed. They have threatened legal action and distributed fliers with allegations of players bullying children around “hijacked” tennis and basketball courts.
In addition to installing acoustic fencing to soften noise levels, the county had considered pausing the project, putting the question to community members last spring.
“Respondents were slightly more in favor of continuing the project, though it should be noted that respondents who identified as players are more in favor of continuing and those self-identifying as neighbors were more in favor of pausing,” Dept. of Parks and Recreation planning director Erik Beach said in November.
The survey drew skepticism from residents such as Columbia Heights Civic Association President Ron Haddox, who argued that it circulated in pro-pickleball online forums nationally and internationally. He argued that this “calls into question the genuineness of at least some portion of the feedback received.”
An additional round of feedback took place in November and December.
Of the 228 comments provided, the most common refrain, from 69 commenters, was that the final plan does not include enough pickleball courts, followed by 47 people who said the county should keep pickleball on the basketball court. The third most-popular comment type, with 42 mentions, was “looks good/like the compromise.”
The concentration of deer in Arlington’s parks is up to 16 times above desired levels, based on a newly released analysis of county data.
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) has raised doubts about the new numbers, which county staff revealed at a virtual information session last Thursday. What the numbers mean for Arlington’s much-debated deer management strategy remains to be seen.
A 2021 study found that some sections of Arlington exceed “healthy” levels — which some environmental professionals consider five to 15 deer per square mile — leading the county to begin asking the community how it should control its deer population. The county followed up this survey with new estimates, released last week, that looked specifically at county parks and found 12 forested areas with an average of 124 deer per square mile.
“The key takeaway from that survey is that the deer were not evenly distributed throughout the county, but they are highly concentrated in our forest parks,” said John Marlin, a deputy division chief at the Dept. of Parks and Recreation.
Glencarlyn Park had the greatest concentration, with 53 deer observed in its 0.156 square miles, or 339 deer per square mile. That is 16 times higher than the 20 deer per square mile Marlin said the county aims to stay under.
Excessive numbers of deer can harm forest ecosystems by over-browsing certain plant species and eating tree seedlings before they can mature into saplings.
“Because our parks are very small, it doesn’t take many deer to reach a high, unsustainable population density,” county spokesperson Jerry Solomon said. “One deer can eat 5-7 pounds of vegetation per day, which equates to roughly 2,000 pounds of leaves and twigs per year. So, even a few deer can have an impact if the park is too small to sustain them. “
AWLA, which oversees animal control for Arlington County, has long disputed the validity of the county’s deer population goals. After the meeting last week, it raised doubts about the newly released numbers in a statement.
“Unfortunately, this afternoon, DPR’s presentation left the community with more questions than answers,” the group said. “Particularly, the revelation that there are purportedly 124 deer per square mile in Arlington. This number significantly differs from previously reported estimates, indicating that the presented data is unclear.”
AWLA noted that these numbers could have implications for Arlington’s deer management strategy.
“If this new figure is accurate,” the AWLA noted, “Arlington would have to reduce its deer population by nearly 90% to reach what has been deemed an acceptable carrying capacity. This level of culling would be in direct conflict with the results from the County’s first engagement period, which clearly demonstrated that residents are more supportive of non-lethal deer management solutions.”
A recent county survey found that 63% of respondents are “supportive” or “very supportive” of reducing deer populations through non-lethal surgical sterilization, compared to 43% who supported the use of professional sharpshooting. Some 34% of respondents supported archery and 31% supported fences.
While sterilization is more popular among respondents, county staff outlined a few downsides to the method, saying it would be more expensive than sharpshooting, it may not meet the county’s population goals and is not commonly used among Arlington’s neighbors, all of whom — save Alexandria — have deer management programs.
Some research suggests that spaying female deer reduces populations by about 45% four years after a program is implemented, staff said. This process, which would involve tranquilizing female deer, surgically sterilizing them and supervising them as they recover from anesthesia, would also cost about $1,185 per deer.
The only nearby municipality that has tried out sterilization is the city of Fairfax, which used sterilization to reduce its deer population from 91 in 2014 to 40 in 2018 as part of a study, county staff said.
Sharpshooting — used even in parks near residential areas such as Rock Creek Park in D.C. — would cost about half this amount per deer. Professional sharpshooters would wait in tree stands and shoot deer at night, a method that the county described as “instantaneous and painless.” The county would distribute venison to residents experiencing food insecurity.
County staff said they have not received a “concrete recommendation” on how much Arlington needs to reduce its deer population.
Summer camp registration is just around the corner, with yet another change to smooth out the process.
Camp registration — historically a process plagued with problems for parents — was a relatively quiet affair last year after the county and its platform vendor tweaked the technology and made a few other changes.
After surveying families, Arlington’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation made a few other changes to the process this year, DPR spokeswoman Jerry Solomon tells ARLnow. Notably, registration starts next week, up from March and April in years past, so families can get a head-start on summer plans.
The parks department has also staggered registration start dates to ease potential strains on its software. Sign-ups for camps run by DPR’s partners open next Wednesday, Feb. 14, and for county-run camps the following Wednesday, Feb. 21. All registration sessions open at noon.
Registration opened for families who qualify for fee reductions on Monday while out-of-county residents can register for camps starting March 4.
This year brings another change that Solomon says is intended to make the process more efficient and manage expectations for families. Waitlists will be limited to 50% of each camp’s total enrollment — so, a camp with 40 available slots will have a maximum waitlist of 20.
This is a shift from years past, Solomon said, when families “often were on huge waitlists with little chance of getting a camp slot.” That could beget families signing up for multiple waitlists, leading to a pile-on effect and additional system strain.
“This change will allow for a more efficient registration process,” Solomon continued. “If spaces become available for new enrollments, the camp enrollment status will be updated.”
The newest update tacks onto a package of changes that went into effect last year to keep the county’s registration software from crashing. For years, parents would wake up early to nab spots for their children only to be greeted with spinning wheels and error messages.
County officials promised change in 2022, only to have the software melt down once again. They tried again, making a variety of changes that included:
- A virtual waiting room function
- Adjusting and staggering registration dates and times
- Updating the camp refund policy
- Adding more camp slots
- Increasing the number of day-of-registration support staff to 40
- Offering early registration for families with active fee reductions
Solomon said the adjustments proved successful. The system “remained stable” last year and DPR had “unusually low call volumes,” indicating that fewer families were having problems.
“We are encouraged by the registration system’s improved performance and look forward to a successful summer camp registration this February,” the spokesperson said.
(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) The 50-meter pool at the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center will have shorter hours for several months for needed repairs.
The pool area will close at 8 p.m., about two hours early, on weekdays starting next Monday, Jan. 29 to replace leaky pipes and water-damaged ceiling tiles caused by a corroded sprinkler hose, the Arlington County Dept. Parks and Recreation said in a press release. Weekend hours will not be affected.
The faulty sprinkler and the damage it caused were discovered by the contracting company given the $60 million contract to design and build the facility in 2017, Coakley Williams Construction, the county says. Coakley Williams will handle all the maintenance work and pay for the repair costs.
After attending to the 50-meter pool, repairs to the leisure pool will begin in early April. Its temporary operating hours will be available at a later date.
All repairs should be complete by this summer, the county said.
Some classes held at the pool have shifted their schedules because of the repairs. Affected participants will receive emails with more details.
It’s not the first time infrastructure issues have troubled the $70.7 million recreation complex. Delays in installing electrical power caused a $1.2 million increase in construction costs for the facility, which opened in 2021. An electrical emergency then caused the center to close briefly last April.
More information from the press release is below.
Repair Schedule
The repair schedule will begin with the 50-meter pool area on January 29. For the duration of the 50-meter pool repairs, it will be closed to the public by 8 p.m.— two hours early on weekdays, and the current closing time on weekends. Crews will work at night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to allow for a maximum number of operating hours. Through the duration of each phase, the work area will be sectioned off to allow programming to take place in other parts of the pool. During the daytime, scaffolding equipment will remain in the areas being addressed to allow for quick transition to maintenance work once the pool is closed. The leisure pool will operate as normal until repairs begin in early April. Details of this schedule will be shared at a later date. All repairs to both pools are estimated to be complete by summer, 2024.
As repair work begins at 8 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, the fitness rooms will also continue to operate on a normal schedule.
Adjusted Programming and Operating Hours
Most Winter ENJOY and 55+ classes will continue this season. To accommodate as many programs as possible, some classes have been shifted to either a different time or pool area. Class cancellations have been limited and are only being instituted for those that cannot be moved. Participants who have signed up for Winter ENJOY and 55+ programs at LBAFC will receive direct emails that detail adjustments to their program and refund options if they choose to use them. Program adjustments for these classes will not begin until the first day of repair work on January 29.
All LBAFC membership and passholders, as well as daily passholders, may use open sections of the pool during the adjusted operating hours. To see when lanes are open for drop-in use, please refer to the pool hours and lane schedules page. The schedule is updated with the week’s programming schedule every Sunday.
We look forward to a speedy and efficient repair process and want to make sure you stay in the know! To get the latest information, sign up for updates at the bottom of the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center webpage.
Arlington County will kick off the New Year with the next phase of engagement on its forthcoming plan to manage its deer population.
A study found two years ago that Arlington’s deer population exceeds healthy levels, with the county’s forested areas home to about 20 and 39 deer per square. About 1.5 years ago, the Dept. of Parks and Recreation began considering a management plan in response.
Today, the department is considering three ways to lower the population, including sharp-shooting, citizen hunting and sterilization. Another option, fencing off trees, would focus on tackling a purported effect of “overbrowsing,” when large deer populations eat too much of the forest understory.
Some naturalists welcomed the culling options presented. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington, which provides animal control services for the county, meanwhile, champions non-lethal options and has criticized the process so far as “one-sided.”
Early next year, the parks department will host a virtual information session to introduce a second round of community engagement on potential deer management strategies, according to a new timeline it published today (Monday).
Residents can also expect a new feedback form and have the chance to participate in more community meetings before DPR crafts draft recommendations, the timeline says.
These recommendations will be the subject of a third round of public engagement — including another feedback form — before DPR drafts and releases final recommendations.
At some future point yet to be determined, County Manager Mark Schwartz will take action on the final recommendations, per the timeline.
Although this work continues well into 2024, some local environmentalists say the county should have strengthened its discussion of deer management in a forthcoming county master plan governing stewardship of trees and natural resources.
“The role of high white-tailed deer numbers and invasive plants should be more clearly articulated in the environmental degradation of Arlington’s forested areas and included in the plan’s priorities,” Climate Change, Energy and Environment Commission Chair Joan McIntyre wrote in a letter to the Arlington County Board this fall.
“Reducing deer numbers and treating invasive plants are both critical to restoration of our natural areas,” she continued.
The Forestry and Natural Resources Commission expressed its concern that the plan did not treat overbrowsing specifically as a forestry management priority.
“Independent scientific research has ‘noted that tree regeneration failure is widespread and that without active deer management, ecological health of Arlington County’s natural areas will likely continue to degrade,'” writes commission chair Phil Klingelhofer.
The Planning Commission is set to review and vote on the final draft of the Forestry and Natural Resources plan tonight (Monday), teeing up the County Board for a vote on Dec. 16.
The Board authorized this month’s hearings in October. At the time, Board member Takis Karantonis noted he would spend the next two months talking about deer, among other topics.
“There is no question… we are out of balance, we have species that are abundant because we have killed or eliminated factors that balance their population,” he said at the time.
Of deer, the draft plan says “many” Arlingtonians note that expanding deer populations are having “harmful impacts.”
“General sentiment favors striking a balance between managing negative impacts of wildlife while also protecting habitats that benefit Arlington’s ecosystem,” the plan says.
It resolves to inform management with surveys on existing and emerging pests and “high-impact organisms.” By way of example, the plan highlights the 2021 deer count that determined Arlington County had unhealthy deer population levels.
Going forward, “such surveys will be critical to identifying threats early, informing management efforts and can tie into education campaigns,” the plan says.
The hottest new pickleball club is the Arlington County Detention Facility.
Two weeks ago, the jail inaugurated its new pickleball court — installed by Arlington’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation — with a three-day tournament.
Two dozen inmates matched up for “thrilling competitive play” after receiving lessons from an inmate services counselor and the parks department, according to Arlington County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Amy Meehan. (In addition to other assorted law enforcement duties in Arlington, the Sheriff’s Office runs the jail.)
The new pickleballers came from three rehabilitative programs in the jail: the Addictions, Corrections and Treatment program, the Community Readiness Unit and the inmate work program.
“Participants learned, practiced and played for three days, reviewing the rules and demonstrations from Parks and Rec, culminating in a pickleball tournament where they had the opportunity to form teams and compete in doubles matches,” Meehan said.
After the tournament ended, Sheriff Jose Quiroz attended the championship match and shared a small presentation, she noted.
Quiroz first floated the idea of a pickleball court while campaigning for Sheriff ahead of the Democratic primary this June, to improve the health of inmates and stave off burnout among sheriff’s deputies.
“Participation was great and each morning when staff arrived, the individuals were already practicing and playing,” Meehan said. “Equipment was provided for individuals who want to continue playing and several not only thanked staff for providing them this opportunity but also were given locations where they will be able to play in Arlington upon release.”
Arlington County will continue with plans to build dedicated pickleball courts at the Walter Reed Community Center.
The county had mulled pausing the project, putting the question to community members in a survey this spring.
“Respondents were slightly more in favor of continuing the project, though it should be noted that respondents who identified as players are more in favor of continuing and those self-identifying as neighbors were more in favor of pausing,” Dept. of Parks and Recreation planning director Erik Beach told the Board on Tuesday.
DPR will forge ahead because the sport has health benefits and the center needs renovations either way, he said.
“The county firmly believes in the benefits of providing places for its residents to receive the physical and mental health benefits of being outside, recreating and socializing,” Beach said. “DPR has observed in real-time and validated through professional literature the opportunity provided by pickleball to be a catalyst for those physical and mental benefits.”
The county has selected designs that would:
- increase the distance between future courts near 16th Street S. and residential homes to a distance of about 170 feet
- add acoustic fencing to both sets of courts and landscaping in between
- add a deck to protect a large existing tree and provide respite space
- improve circulation for people with disabilities
- increase parking spaces by four
- resurface the basketball courts
An online survey about the proposal is open now through Dec. 8 and could inform tweaks DPR makes before selecting a contractor by the third quarter of 2024.
Columbia Heights Civic Association President Ron Haddox, meanwhile, is skeptical of the most recent survey. In a letter to the Board, he said the survey circulated in pro-pickleball online forums nationally and internationally, attaching screenshots.
He says pickleballers recommended people submit responses multiple times across platforms and identify as county or 22204 residents, “even if they were not.”
“This obviously concerns us and calls into question the genuineness of at least some portion of the feedback received,” he said.
Beach told the Board that DPR tried to improve the quality of the data by removing several hundred comments from people at least 10 miles away from the community center. In the age of virtual private networks, Haddox says, this may not have done much.
“The use of DPR’s anonymous survey methodology and subsequent efforts to enhance its usefulness have very likely resulted in skewed results that have limited usefulness other than to let the county know that nearly EVERYONE on BOTH sides of this issue is against the idea of permanent courts at WRCC,” he said in a letter to the County Board.
Starting this Saturday, Lubber Run and Madison Community Centers are set to become a haven for young bounce house enthusiasts.
Sponsored by the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, the event, dubbed “Open Bounce,” runs every Saturday through April 6 — except for the Saturday before Christmas.
The event makes its grand return after being paused for several years due to the pandemic. The cost is $5 per child between the ages of 3-9 and adult supervision is required.
The first Saturday of each month will take place at Lubber Run, with the remaining Saturdays hosted at Madison, according to the parks department’s website.
Registration is required and tickets go on sale at midnight two weeks prior to each event. The sale ends at 8 a.m. on the day of the event.
Lubber Run Community Center
Located at 300 N. Park Drive, Lubber Run Community Center plans to host three one-hour sessions on the first Saturday of every month.
- Session one is 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- Session two is 10:45-11:45 a.m.
- Session three is 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Madison Community Center
Madison Community Center at 3829 N. Stafford Street will offer one general public session from 10:45-11:45 a.m. on the remaining Saturdays of the month.
Madison also provides specialized party packages. These two-hour sessions cost $200 and include a private bounce house and party room for up to 15 children. A $15 fee applies for each additional child, up to a maximum of 25.
- Party Option 1: 9:30-11:30 a.m. in Room 2
- Party Option 2: 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Room 4
- Party Option 3: 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Room 5 (Note: the party room use is during the first hour and the bounce house during the second.)
Spooky season is upon Arlington and the county parks department has a few family-friendly activities in store.
Next week, families can gather around the campfire for ghost stories and s’mores or take slightly spooky evening nature walks.
First up is the Virginia Ghosts Campfire at the Fort C.F. Smith Park fire ring, held next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 5-6 p.m.
“The whole family is invited to join us at the Fort C.F. Smith Park fire ring for lots of old-fashioned fun and of course, s’mores,” the county says.
Around the campfire, storytellers will narrate Algonquin legends, Virginia witch trials and ghosts of the Civil War, among other ghost stories, a county spokeswoman said.
There is a $5 fee to register and the parks department requires registration by 4 p.m. the day before the event. As of publication, there is a waitlist for next Friday’s time slot.
Next Sunday (Oct. 29) afternoon and evening, the Long Branch Nature Center will host a Nature Spooktacular from 3:30-5 p.m. and 5-6:30 p.m.
“Join us for a ‘Spooktacular’ evening of fun learning about nighttime animals and cultural festivities surrounding nature this time of the year,” the county says. “[The] later time will be just as fun and a little bit spooky for families with older children.”
The parks department suggests that families with young children sign up for the earlier slot, which promises to be “more fun and less spooky.” As of today, there were open spots for both available time slots. Registration is required and comes with a $7 fee.
Other family-friendly Halloween events this month are sold out or have waitlists.
Registration is closed for this weekend’s Trunk or Treat at the Lubber Run Community Center. People can add themselves and their pets, meanwhile, to the waitlist for the Halloween Animals Campfire next Saturday at the Long Branch Nature Center.
Photo (1) via Arlington County/Facebook
Starting tomorrow, Long Bridge Aquatic Center will limit its pool hours due to a lifeguard shortage.
On Monday, Arlington County announced that, beginning Thursday, the 50-meter competition pool would operate on a “revised schedule” on Thursdays and Fridays due to a “national lifeguard shortage.”
“We are aiming to minimize the impact as much as possible by closing the competition pool on Thursdays from 12-4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 4:30-10 p.m. through the months of October and November,” Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) spokesperson Jerusalem Solomon told ARLnow.
There are no planned activities during these adjusted hours and the leisure pool will be open for lap swimming, she added.
Below is the new schedule for the pool provided by the county.
Thursdays:
- The competition pool will be closed from 12-4:30 p.m., followed by regularly scheduled closures for aquatic programming from 4-5:45 p.m. The pool will reopen at 5:45 p.m.
- The leisure pool will be open for “family play time” and lap swimming from 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Fridays:
- The competition pool will be closed from 4:30-10 p.m.
- The leisure pool will be closed for classes between 4:30-10 p.m.
The shortage is partially because many students who lifeguard during the summer have returned to school, Solomon said.
She also acknowledged the county has had trouble finding applicants who meet the “necessary requirements” for the job.
“Lifeguards must successfully complete a lifeguard certification. In the past, DPR has required that all applicants already be certified, but DPR now offer certification courses free of cost to new hires in an effort to widen our applicant pool,” Solomon said.
For the aquatic center to be fully operational, Solomon says there needs to be ten lifeguards on duty at all times. To meet that standard, she noted the county would need to hire between five and 10 permanent part-time and temporary lifeguards.
DPR currently has an online job listing for “multiple permanent part-time and temporary Lifeguards” at the aquatics center, which opened in 2021.
The lifeguards would “work shifts as primary guards in the facility and monitor two bodies of water, including a 50-meter pool and a leisure pool with a water slide and other play features,” the job listing says. The listed hourly pay is $17.00-$23.44.
A trio of family-friendly activities put on by Arlington’s parks department are slated to take place next weekend.
Among the events are two festivals, one offering the chance to make autumnal crafts pilgrim-style and another celebrating Latin American culture.
Fall Heritage Festival
Next Saturday, Oct. 14, from 1-5 p.m., the county is set to hold its annual Fall Heritage Festival, this time at Fort C.F. Smith Park in the Woodmont neighborhood.
“Step back into history and try your hand at some old-time games and crafts, make a corn husk doll, churn butter, dip candles and work the cider press,” the county website says. “Bring your old pants and shirt to make a scarecrow — child sizes work best.”
Tickets are $7 for residents and non-residents. Admission is free for children under the age of three.
The cutoff date to register for the event is Friday, Oct. 13 at 4 p.m.
Festival Latinoamericano
The Festival Latinoamericano will be held the next day, Sunday, from 1-5 p.m. at the Arlington Mill Community Center.
“The festival welcomes hundreds each year and will include a full array of live music and dance, great local vendors, interactive children’s entertainment, delicious food, and exciting community spirit,” the county website says.
The full programming line-up will be posted soon, the website suggests.
Saturday Teen Nights
The next Saturday Teen Night will take place Saturday, Oct. 14, from 7-10 p.m. at Lubber Run Community Center.
Attending teens can play basketball, life-size foosball, esports and boardgames, show off art projects and hang out with animals, per the county website. Admission is free for Arlington Public Schools students enrolled in a local middle or high school.
Teen Nights occur on select Saturdays and are scheduled through April.