parks department | ARLnow.com

Arlington’s Park Amenities Earn More High Marks

Published August 22, 2018 at 10:45AM

New playground equipment will be installed at the park, including interactive structures

Arlington is earning more high marks for its high-quality parks, this time winning the spotlight for its large number of amenities like playgrounds and nature centers.

A new report from the Trust for Public Land released today (Wednesday) ranked the county eighth in the country among large localities when it comes to park acreage per 1,000 residents. With 1,767 acres of parks in the county’s 26 square miles, Arlington has about 7.75 acres of parks for every 1,000 people, better than major cities like San Francisco and New York.

Events

‘Extreme’ Bike Ride Planned Through North Arlington Tomorrow

By Melanie Pincus

Published August 10, 2018 at 4:45PM

This ride will be more challenging than other Champion Trees Bike Rides, taking participants through “some of the hilliest, most calorie-burning, bike-safe roads of North Arlington,” per an event description.

Riders should bring their own bike, water, snacks and repair kit and plan to meet in Fort C.F. Smith Park‘s parking lot for a 9 a.m. start. The ride will go until noon.

News

Construction on McCoy Park Upgrades Set to Get Started

By Alex Koma

Published June 20, 2018 at 1:45PM | Updated June 20, 2018 at 2:13PM

A rendering of improvements to McCoy Park near Rosslyn (via Arlington County)

County workers now have the green light they need to kick off an overhaul of McCoy Park near Rosslyn and Courthouse.

The Arlington County Board agreed to rezone the park at its meeting Saturday (June 16), allowing work on a series of improvements to the 1.1-acre property at 2121 21st Street N. to move forward. Parks officials have been working on plans for a renovation to McCoy since 2016, after the company behind the mixed-use development that’s home to the nearby MOM’s Organic Market (2145 Lee Highway) agreed to help fund the project.

News

County Hoping to Start Work on Mosaic Park Overhaul in Ballston Next Year

By Alex Koma

Published June 7, 2018 at 1:45PM

Mosaic Park design (via Arlington County)

Arlington County is now hoping to kick off construction work on an overhaul of Ballston’s Mosaic Park early next year, following years of delays prompted in part by cost overruns.

County officials are planning to finish renovations at the park, located at 538 N. Pollard Street just behind the Gold’s Gym parking lot, by the end of 2019. Planners unveiled an updated timeline for the park’s renovations at a community meeting last Wednesday (May 30), along with detailed designs for new features like a playground, plaza and athletic courts.

News

Arlington Parks Ranked Fourth Nationally, Just Behind D.C. in Third

By Alex Koma

Published May 23, 2018 at 9:45AM

Arlington has the fourth-best park system in the entire country, just behind our neighbors across the Potomac, according to a new set of rankings from the Trust for Public Land.

The county climbed two spots in the California-based group’s rankings from a year ago, earning a “ParkScore” of 81.6 out of 100. D.C. was just slightly ahead of Arlington at 81.6. Minneapolis took the top spot nationally with a score of 84.2, with its twin city St. Paul, Minnesota placing second with 82.4.

News

County Board to Put Oakgrove vs. Oak Grove Park Debate to Rest

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published April 17, 2018 at 2:45PM

The County Board is set to consider formally changing Oakgrove Park’s name to Oak Grove Park, after Cherrydale residents fought to resurrect the park’s older spelling.

Arlington’s Park and Recreation Commission and the County Manager’s office is recommending the naming clarification, which Harry Specter, a Cherrydale resident who argued in favor of the change, called “a typographical error that was never corrected.”

Around Town

Non-Native Plants Removed Near Quincy Park

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published March 29, 2018 at 1:45PM | Updated March 29, 2018 at 10:43PM

A small patch of trees and shrubs have been cut down on a traffic island near Washington-Lee High School but replacement plantings are planned.

The spot alongside the intersection at Washington Boulevard and N. Quincy Street previously had several trees, including an older tree and several shrubs.

Around Town

Video: Chainsaw Artist at Work at Oakgrove Park

By ARLnow.com

Published March 13, 2018 at 9:15AM

Andrew Mallon carving a tree at Oakgrove Park (photo via YouTube)

When a grand old oak tree died just prior to construction on an improvement project at Oakgrove Park, landscape architect Kathy von Bredow knew what she had to do.

Schools

APS Opening on Two Hour Delay Due to Icing Concerns

By ARLnow.com

Published February 7, 2018 at 7:45AM | Updated February 7, 2018 at 8:46AM

`(Updated at 8:40 a.m.) Very spotty frozen precipitation fell overnight in Arlington, leading to some slick spots but no serious issues.

Concerns about an icy commute, however, led Arlington Public Schools to delay the start of school.

News

Board to Consider ‘Short Bridge Park’ Name for Potomac Yard Park

By Chris Teale

Published January 26, 2018 at 1:45PM

Short Bridge Park proposal - aerial view

The Arlington County Board will debate whether to name a park near Potomac Yard “Short Bridge Park,” after it being known informally as “South Park” for over a decade.

The county’s Parks and Recreation Commission recommended the name for the park between Potomac Ave and U.S. Route 1, along Four Mile Run. Arlington County and the City of Alexandria both own portions of the park.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 26, 2018 at 8:15AM | Updated January 26, 2018 at 9:56AM

Rosslyn Vying for Amazon HQ2 — Rosslyn is being pitched as a possible destination for Amazon’s second headquarters, alongside Crystal City and other Northern Virginia locales. Rosslyn’s main downside is a lack of space for Amazon’s growth ambitions, but the neighborhood does have a sizable office development pipeline, close proximity to Georgetown and D.C., monumental views and numerous transit options. [Washington Business Journal]

Metro Approves Service Guarantee — “Metro’s Board of Directors today approved the Rush Hour Promise program, a first-of-its-kind service guarantee for Metro customers. Beginning with tomorrow morning’s rush hour commute, on Friday, January 26, if a Metrorail or Metrobus customer using a registered SmarTrip card is delayed by 15 minutes or more, Metro will credit the customer’s SmarTrip card for future travel.” [WMATA]

Around Town

Cherrydale Residents Fight for Proper Spelling of Park

By Anna Merod

Published January 24, 2018 at 2:55PM

Cherrydale residents are seeking to reclaim the original spelling of a neighborhood park as it goes through a second phase of renovations.

In a presentation at an Arlington Parks and Recreation Commission meeting yesterday (Tuesday), neighborhood resident Harry Spector said he wanted to clarify the spelling of Oak Grove Park as two words and not one word.