Three Arlington scouts just wrapped up a series of heavy-duty trail restoration projects at Potomac Overlook Regional Park.
Sam Cruley, Michael Corso and Nicholas Fletcher — Eagle Scout candidates and long-time members of Arlington-based Boy Scout Troop 111 — spearheaded the efforts to combat erosion and upgrade some of the park’s popular walking trails.
Update on 6/10/24 — There have been more bear sightings in the Donaldson Run and Cherrydale neighborhoods.
Update at 7 p.m. — It appears that the bear — or, at least, a bear — is making its way south. An ARLnow reader sent photos of the bear from the 2200 block of N. Pollard Street, about three blocks from Dorothy Hamm Middle School.
Police are looking for a man who allegedly threatened to pull a gun on an animal control officer after being confronted over an off-leash dog.
The incident happened Saturday morning in the area of Marcey Road Park and Potomac Overlook Regional Park, in North Arlington.
Planned renovations at Marcey Road Park are up for public discussion next week.
Arlington County is scheduled to host a community meeting about the project on Thursday, October 3 from 6-7:30 at the Potomac Overlook Regional Park auditorium.
The concert series has been an annual tradition at the 70-acre park in North Arlington just off the GW Parkway, providing free outdoor performances of local and regional acts in a family setting, said Park Manager Roy Geiger.
“It’s a kick-back-and-relax time,” Geiger said. “You’ve got whole families coming down, kids in strollers, all ages up to senior citizens. So along come the blankets, lawn chairs, picnic baskets and even some dogs sitting there quietly.”
The NVRPA had floated a plan to add a tree house overlook, a youth camp ground and a small urban farm to the 67-acre park, among other additions and renovations. In response, residents who live by the park formed a group called the Potomac Overlook Preservation Association, and bombarded county and NVRPA officials with emails protesting the plan.
The plan, opponents said, would shift the park toward a more high-impact recreational use rather than the current use for nature preservation and for low-impact recreation.
The plan calls for a new stage/shelter, a new scout camping area, a renovated bird of prey structure and, possibly, a tree house overlook and a small urban farm. The initial plan, which included a zip line, a rock climbing wall and a paved parking lot, was modified after an outcry from residents.
Opponents of the plan have formed the Potomac Overlook Preservation Association, and launched a website that implores visitors to “Save Potomac Overlook Park.”
The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has released a “Version 2.0” of its Potomac Overlook improvement plan. Officials say they made changes to the plan after receiving concerns and criticism at a community meeting last week and in the comments section of an ARLnow.com article.
Elements of the plan that the park authority intends to move forward with over the next few years include:
Improvements have been proposed for Potomac Overlook Regional Park, and one of the suggestions is to add the park’s first actual “overlook.”
The park land is managed by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA), which held a meeting last night (Monday) to present the proposed improvement plans.
Good Stuff Eatery Opens Tonight — The new Good Stuff Eatery location at 2110 Crystal Drive in Crystal City will open to the general public for the first time tonight. The burger and shake restaurant will be open for dinner only today; it will start opening for lunch and dinner tomorrow. A television production crew is expected to be filming at the restaurant tonight for an upcoming episode of ‘Life After Top Chef.’
Potomac Overlook Naturalist Retiring — Martin Ogle, who is retiring next week after 27 years as chief naturalist at Potomac Overlook Regional Park, is being credited with playing a key role in a number of environmental initiatives in Arlington over the years. [Falls Church News-Press]
It’s expected to a be a beautiful, warm weekend, with temperatures reaching as high as 90 degrees. In other words, it’s the perfect weekend to head to a park, enjoy an outdoor movie, or go on a bike ride. See our events calendar for even more fun things to do.
Author talk with Novella Carpenter — The author of “Farm City” talks about her experience creating a fully operational farm on a vacant lot next to her Oakland, Calif. apartment. From 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Arlington Central Library (1015 North Quincy Street).
