The vice chair of the Arlington County Board is seeking a new community center somewhere along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
Vice-Chair Maureen Coffey noted at the Board’s July 21 meeting that the corridor is now home to 65,000 residents — more than one in four Arlingtonians — but lacks a dedicated government community center.
Those residents deserve to be “connected to their community,” Coffey said, but acknowledged the challenges involved.
“New facilities these days are a substantial cost. They do not happen overnight,” she said, adding:
“I am under no illusions we are going to get it soon or fast, but really [want to] ensure it is something we acknowledge and work toward in the long term — I think that’s so important.”
How far out on the horizon might such a project be? Coffey, currently in her first term, said she’d be satisfied to get it included in the tail end of a 10-year capital improvement plan by the time she eventually leaves office.
“I will view that as a significant victory,” she said.
One potential option for a community center would be co-locating it at Central Library and Quincy Park in the Ballston-Virginia Square area.
At the July 21 meeting, Board members directed staff to identify a consultant in the fiscal year beginning in mid-2028 to start considering options for Central Library. That planning would then run concurrently with existing plans to study the future of Quincy Park.
Another potential site could be a county-owned parcel just east of Washington-Liberty High School on N. Quincy Street.
Arlington currently is home to 10 community centers: Arlington Mill, Aurora Hills, Carver, Charles Drew, Fairlington, Gunston, Lubber Run, Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Walter Reed. Some are located in purpose-built facilities, while others use recycled buildings, such as schools.
Coffey may have the chance to further advocate her cause in 2027, when she is expected to chair the County Board. She is serving as vice chair under Matt de Ferranti this year.
Coffey has informally indicated that she plans to seek re-election in 2027, a year when both her seat and that of County Board member Susan Cunningham will be on the ballot.
