Around Town

The county describes Hillside Park as an “urban forest.” It spent $500,000 renovating the 1.3 acre park from spring to fall of this year. The renovations included the placement of benches, picnic tables and walking paths, as well as artistic ironwork and other decorative flourishes.

Park planners utilized design techniques consistent with the county’s sustainable goals and practices. The park features permeable paving, elevated decks to protect tree roots, improved irrigation, recycled construction materials, and low water-use plants. The existing tree canopy was preserved and negative impacts from construction were minimized.


News

At a ceremony on the grounds of the Iwo Jima memorial this morning, some 50 wounded warriors will receive brand new Segway personal transport vehicles, the reward for “graduating” from a training program sponsored by the military charity Segs4Vets.

Although two such graduation ceremonies have taken place here every year for the past couple of years, this is the first in which the Arlington Police Department is playing an integral part.


News

“This morning we gather to recognize the bond between Arlington, New York and Shanskville [Pa.],” said Arlington County Fire Chief James Schwartz.

Dozens of New York City and Arlington County firefighters were on hand for the ceremony. Music was provided by a large bagpipe corps and a youth choir from Georgia.


Events

The event should attract a large crowd. At least 500 motorcyclists are expected to escort the steel from New York City to the fire station and a middle school choir will be driving up from Georgia to participate in the ceremony.

To handle the crowds, South Hayes Street will be closed from South Fern Street to 15th Street for much of the day, and parking restrictions will be put in place in the area.


Around Town

(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) To help mark the start of construction on the new Crystal City Chick-fil-A, a groundbreaking ceremony (or, in the chain’s parlance, a ground ‘mooving’ ceremony) was held at 10:30 this morning outside 2200 Crystal Drive. Local leaders and the famous Chick-fil-A cow were on hand for the event.

Since the restaurant will be located on the ground floor of an existing office building, the gathered leaders donned hard hats and shoveled some plush cow toys in a park across the street.


News

On August 28, a 6 to 10 foot steel beam from the World Trade Center will arrive in Arlington to serve as a memorial to those who lost their lives on 9/11.

The steel is a gift from the the Fire Family Transport Foundation, an NYC-based firefighters’ charity, and members of the New York Fire Department. Two years ago a similar donation was made to Shanksville, Pa., the crash site of United Flight 93.


Events

The park is being built just north of Crystal City, adjacent to Old Jefferson Davis Highway, on perhaps the largest open, undeveloped parcel of land left in Arlington County.

Speaking before the ceremonial shoveling were Arlington County board chairman Jay Fisette, park Design Advisory Committee chairman Toby Smith, and acting county manager Barbara Donnellan. State delegates Bob Brink, Patrick Hope and Adam Ebbin were in attendance, along with Arlington board members, county staffers, and park planners.