News

Some local parks boosters say they are eager to work with county officials to upgrade an exhibit on Arlington’s Native American history.

Representatives of Friends of Gulf Branch Nature Center recently met with officials from the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to discuss ways to move forward at the nature center. The meeting came after two refurbished exhibits recently reopened following a multi-year restoration effort.


News

Arlington County staff are seeking another round of feedback on a master plan for Maury Park, Herselle Milliken Park and Gum Ball Park.

An open house scheduled for next Tuesday, June 16 will feature draft concepts for the Three Urban Parks Project. It follows another round of feedback last fall, during which participants shared input on changes they would like to see at the parks, all located in the Ashton Heights neighborhood near the Virginia Square Metro station.


News

Costs for the Arlington 55+ Travel program aren’t going up as much as first proposed, but they’re still rising and future increases are likely.

As part of the fiscal 2027 budget process, County Board members approved a 25% increase in fees charged by the 55+ Travel program, operated by the Department of Parks and Recreation.


News

Arlington’s first deer cull resulted in 26 deer being shot and removed from local parks, despite challenging winter conditions.

The cull — which lasted from Feb. 2 to March 20 in seven parks along Four Mile Run and near the Potomac in North Arlington — resulted in 1,500 pounds of venison donated to the Arlington Food Assistance Center after being tested and processed, according to a program update from the Department of Parks and Recreation.


News

Three possible design options for an expanded Drew Park ask respondents to prioritize between nature areas, gathering spaces and places to play and keep active.

Residents in and around Green Valley have until May 10 to submit feedback on draft concept designs for the park at 2310 S. Kenmore Street, next to Drew Elementary School. The online form asks for residents’ thoughts on each of the options — “Grow Together,” “Gather Together” and “Play Together” — along with a possible restroom facility.


News

Operational costs at Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center are projected to grow by about $2 million over the next few years as a financial partnership comes to an end.

The county government’s net operational cost, funded by taxpayers, is expected to grow from $1.13 million in fiscal 2027 to a projected $3.14 million by fiscal 2030 as its agreement with Boeing ends.


News

An overhaul of the sports fields near Kenmore Middle School is expected to begin construction later this year.

Construction could start in the fall and take about a year. In place of the existing, aging fields would rise a complex providing two baseball/softball diamonds plus rectangular fields for soccer, field hockey and lacrosse.


News

Arlington’s deer culling operations began this month with sharpshooting in parks along the Potomac River and Four Mile Run corridors.

For security reasons, the county doesn’t announce the specific dates and times of the culls in advance. However, Jerry Solomon, spokesperson for the Department of Parks and Recreation, told ARLnow that they will continue through March at eight natural land parks:


News

Construction on new tennis courts and upgraded facilities at Bluemont Park begins next week, kicking off an expected year-and-a-half of renovations.

The tennis courts and parking lot will be fenced off and closed to the public during construction, as will a small section of the Four Mile Run Trail, the Department of Parks and Recreation said in an advisory. The park’s baseball diamond, soccer field and playground will remain open.


News

Arlington County parks officials plan to renew efforts to determine how often sports leagues actually end up using the fields that they reserve in advance.

The initiative has been ongoing for nearly two years but remains “a work in progress,” said Ignacio Rodriguez, manager of sports leagues and athletic-field management for the Department of Parks and Recreation.


Around Town

Mid-winter is a good time for Arlington families to start thinking about summer camps, and a new guide aims to ease the decision-making process this year.

CampARL.com launched last fall, and founder Anne Lyons Knapp has been tweaking it as parents begin thinking about camp opportunities during spring break, teacher workdays and the summer season.


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