newcomers & community guide - ellington...

Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton Connection ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2016-17 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.comLocal Media Connection LLC

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Fairfax Station ❖ Clifton ❖ LortonFairfax Station ❖ Clifton ❖ Lorton

Families from around Fairfax County visit BurkeLake Park to enjoy diverse activities. The carouselis particularly popular. Among the many attrac-tions of the park are playgrounds, a miniaturelocomotive, mini-golf, disc-golf, a driving range, agolf course, hiking and biking trails, sand volley-ball, a marina, campgrounds an ice cream parlorand quite a few Pokémon that wander the park.

Families from around Fairfax County visit BurkeLake Park to enjoy diverse activities. The carouselis particularly popular. Among the many attrac-tions of the park are playgrounds, a miniaturelocomotive, mini-golf, disc-golf, a driving range, agolf course, hiking and biking trails, sand volley-ball, a marina, campgrounds an ice cream parlorand quite a few Pokémon that wander the park.

Newcomers &

Community Guide

Newcomers &

Community Guide2016-20172016-2017

2 ❖ Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton Connection ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2016-17 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

A healthy body starts with a healthy mouth!

X-rays not included. Not valid withinsurance submission.

5803 Rolling Road, Suite 211Springfield, VA 22152

703-912-3800 • www.smiles4va.comMonday–Thursday 8 A.M.–5 P.M.; Friday* 8 A.M.–1 P.M. *Once monthly for sedation appointments

At Peter K. Cocolis, Jr. and Associates, we believeoptimum oral health is key to total body health andwell-being. These days, going to the dentist is notjust about taking good care of your teeth; it isabout taking good care of your health. Problemsin your mouth can be signs of trouble elsewherein your body. Your oral exam reveals importantearly warning signs for many total-body condi-tions including diabetes, oral cancer and highblood pressure.

Whether your family seeks general preventivemaintenance, cosmetic, or advanced restorative andimplant dentistry to transform your smile’s function andappearance, Drs. Cocolis and DaSilva are renowned bypeers and patients alike for exceptional personalized care in afriendly, safe and state-of-the-art-environment.

Consistently named “Top Dentist” inNorthern Virginia magazine and among the“Best Dentists in the Metropolitan Area” in

Washingtonian magazine, Drs. Cocolis andDaSilva exceed industry standards in the

time they dedicate to continuing edu-cation and service. Our skilled andcompassionate team pairs patienteducation with the latest dentaltechniques and technology, offer-ing an extensive array of dentalservices including digital x-rays,injection-free laser procedures,

CAD-cam same-day porcelaincrowns, tooth whitening, Invisalign, and

veneers. We offer a variety of sedationoptions including oral sedation and nitrous oxide

(sleep dentistry) and are dedicated to easing all aspects ofyour dental experience.

Visit us on the Web or give us a call to discover what ourpatients are saying and to make your appointment.

Our Services:• Routine cleanings and

check-ups• Fillings and sealants• Sedation “sleep” dentistry• Nitrous oxide• Crowns, bridges, inlays,

onlays • Extractions

• TMJ/TMD therapy

• Endodontic (root canal) therapy• Periodontal (gum) therapy

including scaling androot planing

• Custom partial and full dentures• Custom occlusal and

sport guards• Implants• Bonding and veneers• In-office professional whitening• Invisalign (clear braces without the wires)

Peter K. Cocolis, Jr., DMD& AssociatesPeter K. Cocolis, Jr., DMD, MAGD

Emily A. DaSilva, DDS, FAGD

DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE SCHOOL YEAR AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMSDesigned to provide a complete, happy, safe learning environment

in harmony with the needs of the child.

CHILDREN AGES 2-5Full (6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.) and half day (9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.) programs

FULL DAY SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM AGES SIX TO ELEVEN YEARSProgram is organized into weekly themes packed with FANTASTIC FIELD TRIPS,

A SENSATIONAL OVERNIGHT CAMP OUT, DAILY SWIMMING, SPORTS, DANCING,MUSIC, AND AN END-OF-THE-SUMMER “SMASH” MUSICAL PRODUCTION

BY OUR CAMPERS FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMSAGES SIX-ELEVEN YEARS

GRADES 1-6Transportation provided to Terra Centre,

Fairview, White Oaks, Orange Hunt, Sangster,Hunt Valley and Cherry Run Elementary Schools.

Emphasis on special events, sports, time forhomework, and student’s choice of activities.

KINDERGARTENRegistrations are now being accepted for the2017-2018 School Year. Two Virginia certifiedteachers per classroom. Program emphasizes

language arts, math, computer literacy, science,social studies, social development, art, music

and physical development.

SPECIAL FEATURESDevelopmental Curriculum • Degreed Teachers • Registered Nurse • Music Director • Nutritious

Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks • Heated Swimming Pools • Spacious Shaded Playgrounds• Planned Orientations and Presentations for Parents • State Licensed

KIDDIE COUNTRY9601 Old Keene Mill Rd.

Burke, Virginia 22015703-644-0066

Come See OurAward-Winning Facility!

Winner of American Instituteof Architects Award www.kiddiecountry.com

Burke, Springfield,Fairfax, LortonFairfax Station

DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING CENTER

Find Your Children Safe & Sound

KIDDIE COUNTRYREGISTERNOW!

Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton Connection ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2016-17 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Sharon Bulova

Chairman, Fairfax County Board of

Supervisors

Welcome to Fairfax County,one of the greatest placesin the nation to live,work, play and raise a

family. Fairfax County is home to a thriv-ing business community, vibrant enter-tainment and shopping destinations, aworld class university, beautiful parks, anda diverse population of engaged residents.Whether you are a long-time resident or arenew to the county, I hope you’ll take sometime to visit some of our most popular spotsto enjoy what Fairfax County has to offer.

Tysons Corner and Fair Oaks Malls, RestonTown Center, Fairfax Corner, SpringfieldTown Center and the Mosaic District aregreat places to shop, eat and spend timewith friends. For cultural destinations,George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estateand Wolf Trap National Park for the Per-forming Arts are two of my favorites. Andfor enjoying the arts along with communitygatherings like Springfest and Brewfest, theWorkhouse Arts Center in Lorton is a must.For fresh air and exercise, I recommend ourextensive network of trails, parks andRECenters.

While there are a lot of fun things to doin Fairfax County, our community is notori-ous for our “work hard, play hard” ethic.Time Magazine has described us as the epi-center of the Washington region’s job boomand one of the great economic success sto-ries of our time. Fairfax County is home toeight Fortune 500 company headquarters,more than 8,400 technology firms, and over116.2 million square feet of office space.

Fairfax County has one of the best publicschool systems nationwide with a gradua-tion rate topping 90 percent. Our schoolsystem is the 10th largest in the countrywith nearly 187,000 students and 196schools and centers. After high schoolgraduation, George Mason University and

Northern Virginia Com-munity College are lo-cated just down the roadfor affordable highereducation opportunitiesin many different subjectfields. Our business-friendly economy en-sures career opportuni-ties for both our olderand younger residents.

On the local government level, the FairfaxCounty Board of Supervisors is constantlyhard at work to ensure quality public ser-vices for our residents. Our 10-memberBoard of Supervisors strives to maintainpositive community engagement, whilestrategically planning for the future withland use and infrastructure decisions.

Some recent accomplishments includeupdating many of our police policies, es-tablishing a Diversion First program forpeople with mental illness who become in-volved with law enforcement, and success-fully extending Metrorail to Tysons andReston, with Phase 2 of the Silver Line cur-rently under construction all the way toDulles Airport and into Loudoun County.

Fairfax County offers opportunity andquality services for residents of all ages.People from all over the globe have madeFairfax County their home, enriching ourcommunity with their diverse cultures andentrepreneurship. Please visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov or www.fxva.com tolearn more about what Fairfax County hasto offer you and your family.

As chairman of the Board of Supervi-sors, I am elected at-large by FairfaxCounty residents. My office is here toserve you. If you have any questions orconcerns, please email me [email protected] or give myoffice a call at 703-324-2321. I hope youwill sign up to receive my monthly BulovaByline newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on what is happening in your com-munity! Welcome to your new home.

By Gerald L. Gordon

President and CEO, Fairfax County

Economic Development Authority

If you are new to Fairfax County, wel-come to one of the world’s most interesting places to live and work. If

you are new to the county and are inter-ested in being part of our dynamic busi-ness community, here is an “insider’s tip”that you will want to know: The FairfaxCounty Economic Development Authority

(FCEDA), works with everyone who wants tostart or expand a business in the county.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, we host “En-trepreneurship 101: Starting a Business inFairfax County” workshops almost everymonth. Some 4,000 people have attendedone of these workshops since 2003 and youwill find a wealth of local, state and federalresources to help you map out starting abusiness here. If you need office space, theFCEDA helps businesses find the office spacethey need so they can grow in the county.

We have a complete databaseof office space options in everypart of the county, and we canhelp you navigate that processso you become an establishedpart of the business community.

Why do we do this? The Fairfax CountyBoard of Supervisors charged the FCEDAwith building a business community — helpcompanies create jobs and fill office space— to build the commercial tax base. Thisgenerates revenue that the Board of Super-

By Dr. Karen K. Garza

Superintendent, Fairfax County

Public Schools

Welcome to the 2016-17school year in FairfaxCounty Public Schools.

With each new school year, we havethe wonderful opportunity to buildupon our previous successes and con-tinue to improve our work with ourstudents.

We are continuing to look to our Por-trait of a Graduate and our strategic planin shaping our future work. Our mostpressing challenge is making this visiona reality for every child in our system.How do we refine what we do to ensurethat all of our students graduate well-prepared for this rapidly changingworld? We acknowledge that this is adaunting challenge, but there is noschool system in the United States morewell-prepared and well-equipped to ef-fectively respond to these important is-sues.

The goals of education can no longersimply be to provide the basic literacyskills for the majority of the students,while reserving the teaching of skills forhigher order 21st century thinking for aselect few. As we learn more about theskills our students will need for successin this changing world, we recognize theneed to innovate — to consider new and

different ways to design instructionalpractices to support the development ofthese essential skills.

We are also working to define contem-porary teaching and learning practiceswhile better integrating technology. For

example, through apilot program we arecalling FCPSOn —this year we beginevaluating how digi-tal resources can bestscaffold that model —and how we provideteachers and studentswith the tools andpolicies needed to fa-cilitate the use of that

technology.One change you will see this school

year is a new central website and a newFCPS logo. Our new website will betterserve everyone — it is mobile responsive,features more modern design — andsearch will work. As we modernized ourwebsite, we also believed it was time toreimagine the FCPS logo. While the pre-vious logo has served us well for 40 years,we heard from many that it was time totransform our logo to one reflective ofwho we are now and who we aspire tobe in the years to come.

Our new logo includes a tie to ourlegacy, while representing our role as acatalyst — sparking curiosity, learningand excellence for our students, employ-ees and community.

I wish all students, teachers, parentsand the entire FCPS community a verysuccessful and fulfilling school year inFCPS where all are engaged, inspired,and thrive.

visors uses to fund the fullrange of high-quality publicservices for which FairfaxCounty is well-known. Buildingthe commercial tax base meansthat residents don’t have topick up all the costs of provid-ing those services.

The FCEDA has been work-ing for more than 50 years with

entrepreneurs and owners of businessesof every size to enlarge the commercialtax base and make the Fairfax Countyeconomy one of the strongest anywhere.Visit www.fairfaxcountyeda.org to seehow the Economic Development Author-ity can help you.

Fairfax County Economic Development Authority helps instarting or expanding business in the county.

‘Insider’s Tip’ to New Businesses

Courtesy photo

Gerald L.Gordon, Ph.D.

What’s new atFairfax CountyPublic Schools.

County Schools:Teaching for 21st Century

Welcome to Fairfax County

Newcomers & Community Guide



As your local, weeklynewspaper, the Connection’s mission

is to deliver the local news youneed, to try to make sense ofwhat is happening in your com-munity, to gather informationabout the best things in andaround your community, to ad-vocate for community good, toprovide a forum for dialogue onlocal concerns, and to celebrateand record achievements, mile-stones and events in the com-munity and people’s lives.

Here in our Newcomers andCommunity Guide, we’ve in-cluded an updated version ofour award-winning Insider’sGuide to the Parks, plus detailsof how to vote in the upcomingelections, information on localgovernment, nonprofits andbusiness organizations, plustips and tidbits from the com-munity.

We invite newcomers andlong-time residents alike to letus know how we’re doing andlet us know what is going on inyour part of the community. Ifyou have questions or ideas,send us an email or call us, con-tact us on Facebook or send usa tweet. We invite you to sendletters to the editor or to sendan email with feedback aboutour coverage.

We want to know if someonein your family or your commu-nity published a book, started abusiness, became an EagleScout, raised money for a goodcause, accomplished some featlike running a marathon, sup-porting a cause or having art in-cluded in an art show. We pub-lish photos and notes about per-sonal milestones and commu-nity events, including births, en-gagements, weddings, anniver-saries, awards and obituaries.

We are also interested inevents at your church, mosque,synagogue, community center,

pool, school, club, etc. Email usa note about the event, beingsure to include when and wherethe photo was taken and thenames of all the people who arein a photo.

We also publish notes aboutnews and events from localbusinesses. Notes about open-ings, new employees and anni-versaries are welcome. It is es-pecially important to us to letpeople know about eventsahead of time in our calendarof events. We appreciate gettingnotice at least two weeks aheadof the event, and we encouragephotos.

Your community Connectionnewspaper is one of 15 paperspublished by the independent,locally owned Local Media Con-nection LLC, serving the sub-urbs of Metropolitan Washing-ton in Northern Virginia andPotomac, Md.

Our flagship paper, the Alex-andria Gazette Packet, is one ofthe oldest continuously publish-ing papers in the country, be-ginning publication in 1784.

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[email protected],

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About the Connection

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Call 703-778-9431

See Homelessness, Page 5

New Hope HousingLocation: Alexandria and Fairfax CountyExecutive Director: Pamela L. MichellContact info: 703-799-2293 –

[email protected] Budget: $5,900,000How to get involved: Contact Nicole Dillon to learn

about volunteering opportunities at shelters & hous-ing programs or to take a tour:[email protected]

New Hope Housing provides homeless families andindividuals shelter, housing, and the tools to build abetter life. It operates shelters and housing programsthat serve more than 350 people each day in Alex-andria, Fairfax County, Falls Church, and Arlington.Last year, more than 400 people moved fromhomelessness to housing through one or more of itsprograms.

Northern Virginia FamilyService

Location:Multiple all over Northern Virginia; Headquarters

– Oakton .Executive Director: Stephanie Berkowitz (CEO/

President)Contact info: 10455 White Granite Drive, Suite

100, Oakton, VA 22124, 571-748-2500,[email protected]

Annual Budget: $33.35 millionHow to get involved:Volunteer: NVFS is committed to engaging volun-

teers in meaningful opportunities that encourageinnovative ideas, unique perspectives and special-ized expertise. Visit nvfs.org/volunteernow to searchfor current opportunities and greatest needs.

Shop bargains that benefit NVFS: When you shopat our Centreville, Falls Church or Manassas ThriftShops, all proceeds benefit NVFS. Donations of gen-tly used clothing and household items are welcomeat any of these locations. For hours and directions toits Thrift Shops, visit nvfs.org/thriftshops.

Become a foster parent: Many children in the com-munity need a loving, safe home. NVFS’s experiencedcaseworkers carefully match each child to a trainedfoster family to ensure each child reaches his/herfull potential. Learn more at nvfs.org/fostercare.

Through its comprehensive, holistic approach toservices, Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS)helps more than 34,000 individuals and their fami-lies each year find housing and emergency services;health and mental health services; early childhoodeducation and child placement services; interventionand prevention programs; job training; and legal ser-vices. More than half of NVFS clients live below thenational poverty level ($24,260 annual salary for afamily of four). NVFS’s needs vary greatly, depend-ing on programs and locations. Visit nvfs.org to learnmore about the organization, as well as nvfs.org/wishlist for a full list of donation requests.

Homestretch, Inc.Location – Fairfax CountyExecutive Director – Christopher FayContact info – Christopher Fay, direct 703-992-

9584, email [email protected] Budget - $2.5MHow to get involved – Visit Homestretch’s website

or call 703-237-2035 to become involved. Home-stretch has a vast number of volunteer opportuni-ties.

The mission of Homestretch is to empower home-less families to secure permanent housing and to at-tain the skills, knowledge and hope to achieve last-ing self-sufficiency. Homestretch provides an inten-sive array of services designed to provide a compre-hensive and personalized approach to helping home-less parents with children to undertake the processof securing housing, increasing income, reducingdebt, acquiring skills, building savings, enrolling inand completing education, and restoring health.Homestretch has earned many awards and regularlyproduces outcomes that lead the nation in terms offamilies’ ability to escape homelessness forever.

Shelter HouseLocation - Serves all of Fairfax CountyExecutive Director & CEO - Joe MeyerContact info - (703) 935-1542 /

[email protected] Budget - $5.6 millionHow to get involved - Individuals or groups can

donate time, items and/or money. visitshelterhouse.org for more information

Shelter House is a private non-profit organizationserving homeless families and victims of domesticviolence. Currently, Shelter House operates two fam-ily shelters and the only 24/7 crisis shelter for vic-tims of domestic violence. Most of Shelter House’swork is done “outside” of the shelter where it pro-vides financial support and services to families leav-ing the shelter and sometimes preventing familieswho are at-risk of becoming homeless. Its currentneeds that support the Ten Year Plan to EndHomelessness — willing landlords to rent to home-less families. Also, household items that will furnishhomes for families ending their homelessness afterleaving our shelters.

Alternative House -Abused and HomelessChildren’s Refuge

Location: Northern VirginiaExecutive Director: Judith DittmanContact info: 703-506-9191Hotline on runaway/homeless youth: Call 1-800-

SAY-TEEN or text TEENHELP to 855-11.

Nonprofits around Northern Virginia help withchronic homelessness, homeless families, victims ofdomestic violence, homeless youth and more.

Helping to End andPrevent Homelessness

is produced by

Connection Newspapers

www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Local Media Connection LLC

For more information,

call 703-778-9431 or email

[email protected]

& Community Guide

Newcomers

Fairfax Station,Lorton & Clifton


COME EXPERIENCETHE DIFFERENCE

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From Page 4

Newcomers &

Community Guide

www.thealternativehouse.orgAnnual Budget: $3.3 millionHow to get involved: Alternative

House relies heavily on donationsand volunteer support to meet thecritical needs of at-risk children,youth and families. You can makea monetary contribution, volun-teer, or donate goods or services.You are strongly encouraged toattend an Open Door InformationSession held the second Tuesdayof each month at our EmergencyTeen Shelter in Vienna. Learnmore on its website,www.thealternativehouse.org.

Alternative House’s vision is ofa community in which all youngpeople are safe, live in a nurtur-ing environment and have the op-portunity to reach their full poten-tial. Founded in 1972, AlternativeHouse transforms the lives of chil-dren and youth, helping them staysafe, make positive decisions,achieve educational success, andovercome personal crises. It offerschildren, youth and families hopefor brighter futures by providingcounseling, shelter and neighbor-hood-based support. Its hotlineserved 2,000 callers last year, and

Homelessness

See Homelessness, Page 13



Rev. Thomas Costa, portraying the Rev. Lee Massey,the second colonial rector of Pohick Church on aFirst Saturday tour.

Rev. Tom and Susan Costa as the Rev. Lee and Eliza-beth Massey of Pohick Church in the 1770s.

This historic colonial Pohick Church is still an activeEpiscopal congregation of families, seniors andsingles.

History PreservedAt Pohick ChurchD

uring the Colonial pe-riod, Pohick Churchwas the congregation

of many of the country’s mostprominent families, includingthe Washingtons, Masons andFairfaxes. This historic colonialchurch has been restored backto the days when George Wash-ington and George Mason weremembers of the vestry, and isstill an active Episcopal congre-gation of families, seniors andsingles.

On Sundays after the 9 and11:15 a.m. services, as well ason the first Saturdays of everymonth, members of the DocentGuild lead free guided tours onthe history of the church, in-cluding architecture, preserva-tion, and colonial church his-tory. Members of the commu-

nity are welcome to join theDocent Guild as well, withtraining workshops providedtwice a year. Other communityevents throughout the year in-clude the Crab Feast Dinnerand Country Fair in September,the Christmas Mart in Novem-ber, George Washington Birth-day Service and Breakfast inFebruary, St. Patrick’s Day Din-ner in March, Sounds of PohickMusic Concert in June, and asummer Vacation Bible School.

For more information call thechurch office at 703-339-6572or visit our website at http://www.pohick.org . PohickChurch is located at 9301 Rich-mond Highway in Lorton, atthe corner of U.S. 1 & Tele-graph Road, close to MountVernon and Gunston Hall.

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George Mason’sGunston Hall is look-ing for volunteerswho love history and

would enjoy sharing that passionwith young people. Volunteer do-cents at Gunston Hall in Lortonlead school tours about Mason andhis ideas, as well as life in the 18thcentury.

Docents become part of theGunston Hall Docents’ Association,a dedicated group of volunteers.Visitors to the museum step backin time as they discover the his-tory of Virginia and one of thecountry’s founders. Volunteers dis-cuss topics such as the AmericanRevolution, the writing of the Con-stitution, the fight for a Bill ofRights, and George Mason’s mas-terwork, the Virginia Declarationof Rights. Plus, they help studentsinvestigate the lives of people wholived on a Virginia plantation, fromthe gentry to the people who wereenslaved.

This historic site is located insouthern Fairfax County in a beau-tiful wooded setting, just minutesfrom I-95 and US Route 1. Docentshelp young people learn aboutthese important and fascinatingtopics by being enthusiastic,friendly, committed to historicalaccuracy, available on weekdaysduring the school year. Trainingstarts in October. For more infor-mation or to receive an applica-tion, call 703-550- 9220 x238 orwrite [email protected] Mason’s Gunston Hall,jointly administered by the Com-monwealth of Virginia and TheNational Society of The ColonialDames of America, is a site dedi-cated to the study of George Ma-son, his home and landscape, andlife in 18th-century Virginia.

Gunston Hall’s mission state-ment is “to utilize fully the physi-cal and scholarly resources ofGunston Hall to stimulate continu-ing public exploration of demo-cratic ideals as first presented byGeorge Mason in the 1776 VirginiaDeclaration of Rights.”

2016-2017 Events atGunston Hall

❖ Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Naturalization Ceremony.George Mason’s Gunston Hall, 10709Gunston Road, Lorton. Welcome peoplefrom all over the globe as they are sworn

History Revisited at Gunston HallGeorge Mason’shome hostsevents on life inthe 18th century.

Gunston Hall, in Lorton, was the family home of FoundingFather George Mason, author of the Virginia Declarationof Rights.

in as American citizens at this historiclocation. Admission until 1 p.m. is com-plimentary. Visit www.gunstonhall.org.

❖ Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Archaeology Day. Become anarcheologist for the day as you screenfor artifacts, piece together objects, andlearn about recent discoveries from theGunston Hall archaeology team. Attenda talk on the region’s native inhabitants;learn about archaeology careers. In-cluded with regular admission. Visitwww.gunstonhall.org.

❖ Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 22-23, 201610 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Open HearthCooking Class Level I. Learn to cookusing 18th-century techniques and reci-pes with Gunston Hall’s veteran hearthcooks. Visit www.gunstonhall.org fordetails and to register.

❖ Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016, 6 p.m-8p.m. Candlelight and Cocktails.Enjoy an evening at Gunston Hall dur-ing this special after-hours event. Sip onperiod cocktails as you learn to make18th-century mixed drinks and snacks inthe hearth kitchen. Experience the se-renity of Mason Neck during anexclusive candlelight tour. Register atwww.gunstonhall.org.

❖ Thursday, Nov. 3. Symposium.Join Gunston Hall for its annual explo-ration of decorative arts and materialculture. $95 registration fee includes thespeaking program, a guided tour, lightbreakfast, and box lunch. Visitwww.gunstonhall.org. to register andfor further details.

❖ Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, 2 p.m.-7p.m. Christmastide at GunstonHall. Experience a historic holiday!Learn about the holiday traditions ofyears past as you visit with costumedcharacters and explore the grounds bycandlelight. Keep warm by the fire,sample period food in the hearthkitchen, and try craft activities for all

ages. $15 adults; $5 children ages 6-18.Visit www.gunstonhall.org.

❖ Saturday, April 1, 2017, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Kite Festival. Come fly a kitein our pastures. Chat with charactersfrom the past. Write with a quill pen.Sample delicacies cooked in the hearthkitchen. Hear music of the Revolution.Bring a picnic or buy one here. Bring akite, build a kite, or buy a kite. Visitwww.gunstonhall.org.

❖❖ Sunday, April 30, 2017, 9:30 a.m.

-3 p.m. Britain on the Green. See thepasture transformed into a show fieldfor Capital Triumph Register’s annualcar show. Explore the grounds, tourGunston Hall, and enjoy hundreds ofTriumphs, MGs, Austin Healeys,Bentleys, Lotuses, and many more. Visitwww.gunstonhall.org.

❖ Saturday-Sunday, May 20-21, 9:30a.m.-5 p.m. Revolutionary WarWeekend. Smell the gun smoke asPatriots and Redcoats square off in the“Battle of the Deer Park.” Visit Continen-tal and British troops in theirencampments and watch the infantryand artillery drills. Visitwww.gunstonhall.org. Saturday,

❖ June 10, 2017, 10 a.m. -4 p.m.George Mason Day and Natural-ization Ceremony. Celebrate the1776 ratification of the Virginia Decla-ration of Rights. Welcome people fromall over the globe as they are sworn inas American citizens. Tour the houseand grounds. Free admission all day.Visit www.gunstonhall.org.

❖ Saturdays in June, July, and Au-gust, 2017, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.Summer Saturdays. Kids and theyoung at heart should visit every Satur-day, in June, July and August forunique, hands-on adventures. No RSVPrequired. FREE with admission. Visitwww.gunstonhall.org for program up-dates.

Patriots andRedcoatssquare off inthe ‘Battle ofthe DeerPark’ duringthe Revolu-tionary WarWeekend atGunstonHall.

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By Tim Peterson

The Connection

The Connection keeps a runninglist of land use projects beingplanned, under constructionand nearing completion in the

community. The list is updated quarterly.Burke Lake Golf Course — 7315 Ox

Road: A new clubhouse and expanded driv-ing range and parking lot highlight up-grades to the Burke Lake Golf Course inFairfax Station that’s more than 40 yearsold. The clubhouse will be more thandoubled in size to 4,000 square feet. Con-struction is expected to begin Oct. 3, 2016.May 2017 is the expected re-opening datefor the driving range. The new clubhouseshould be completed by October 2017,though it will be open during construction.

Ox Road Estates — Adare Drive andOx Road: An infill project of ten single-fam-ily homes is under construction.

Park Pointe subdivision — East sideof Gambrill Road, near the Fairfax CountyParkway: Project development for 18 single-family homes on 7.7 acres is mostly com-plete, including wrapping up a bond at therear of the site. Homes are being sold, withtwo constructed so far.

Corbet Manor — Around 7717Gambrill Road: Seven single-family homes

by Christopher Companies are going into4.5 acres of what were previously uncon-solidated parcels of land. Construction be-gan in July 2016. The first model is expectedto be completed early in 2017.

Laurel Hill Adaptive Reuse Area —Liberty Crest at Laurel Hill 8400 LortonRoad: Phase I of transforming the the 80-acre former reformatory property — sched-uled to be completed in Spring 2017 — in-cludes setting up 165 apartments in former

prison cells and common spaces, buildingout 107 homes and modernizing the infra-structure. Phase II will add more apart-ments, condos and 110,000 square-feet ofretail space.

Monopole in Clifton — Around 12895Clifton Creek Road: The Clifton Creek sub-station of Dominion Virginia Power alreadyhas a monopole on a 95-acre site around12895 Clifton Creek Road, however Domin-ion and Verizon Wireless have applied to

move the pole to a different location withmore height. The plan was approved by theBoard of Supervisors in July 2015.

Springfield Town Center — 6500Springfield Mall: Next to open at the 1.35million square-foot revitalized shoppingcenter will be the Saks Fifth Avenue OFF5TH discount fashion clothing store. Laterstages of redevelopment planning for thearea include residential, office and hotelspace — the timing of which is all market-dictated.

Vulcan Materials Graham Quarry— 10000 Ox Road: Fairfax Water is plan-ning to reconfigure the quarry as a reser-voir in two phases: Phase I will establishstorage of around 1.8 billion gallons 2035,while Phase II should add another 15 bil-lion gallons of storage capacity by 2085.

Woodglen Lake Dredging — South-east of Sideburn Run and Zion Drive: Theproject began with fish relocation to LakeAccotink in November 2014 and is nowcomplete. The contractor added vegetativeplugs to the bottom of the lake that willsupport a new fish population. Over thesummer, the Department of Game and In-land Fisheries will began restocking the lakewith fish, the first in a three-year cycle.

Sources: Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock)and land use aide, Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) and land use aide, Supervisor JeffMcKay (D-Lee) and land use aide.

Neighborhood Development Outlook Update

A site plan shows the footprint of the new Burke Lake golf course club-house and driving range.

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By Supervisor

Pat Herrity

(R-Springfield)

There are so many quality placesto visit in the Springfield Dis-trict, it is hard to pick the “topones.” Here is my attempt.

Burke Lake Park is the most visited parkin Fairfax County’s Park system, and aftergoing there you will see why. The park con-tains a trail that goes around the lake andis great for walking, with or without yourdog, running and cycling. There is also fish-ing, boat rentals, camping, disc golf, mini-golf, an 18 hole golf course, a driving range,volleyball courts, a miniature carousel, andminiature train. There’s something for ev-eryone. Burke Lake Park is located at 7315Ox Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039

Make sure to catch your fill of FridayNight Lights! The Springfield District hassome of the best high schools both academi-cally and athletically in the country. As aWest Springfield High School alumnus,there’s few things I enjoy more than get-ting to a football game in the fall wherethere’s a buzz in the air and a little snap ofcold from the changing seasons. So cheeron your local high school team at WestSpringfield, Lake Braddock, South County,or Robinson.

The newly opened Children’s ScienceCenter Lab in Fair Oaks Mall is a fantasticmuseum that allows children, and their par-ents, to get hands on experience with STEMconcepts (Science, Technology, Engineeringand Math). Education is so important, andthis museum which is designed for kids be-tween 2 and 12 years old does an excellentjob of challenging and shaping youngminds. Be sure to stay and shop and/ or eatat one of the best malls in the area. TheFair Oaks Mall is located at 11948 Fair OaksMall, Fairfax, VA 22033.

Attention history buffs: Ox Hill Battle-field Park is the site of the only major CivilWar engagement in Fairfax County. Inter-pretive kiosks at the park present informa-tion about the battle and its significance andoffer insights into some of the men whowere wounded on this land. The park doesa great job quickly orienting visitors andexplaining where they stand in relation tothe events that occurred on the battlefield.Ox Hill Battlefield Park is located at 4134West Ox Rd, Fairfax, VA 22033.

Perfect for a cyclist, kayaker, hiker, ormini-golf enthusiast, Fountainhead Re-gional Park is the best place to escapefrom the hustle and bustle of Northern Vir-ginia. Bikers at all ability levels will enjoy

Places to See in Springfield DistrictSupervisor PatHerrity recommendssome of the manyplaces worth visitingin his district.

Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield), center, leads the first of many PokéQuests Aug. 5 in Burke LakePark at a ‘Pokémon GO’ safety awareness event he co-sponsored with Fairfax County Police.

ContactOffice of Supervisor Pat Herrity, Springfield Dis-

trict , Fairfax County Board of Supervisors islocated at 6140 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA22152, Phone 703-451-8873,

[email protected]/springfield

the loops and features of the mountain biketrail and kayak, power boat, and canoe rent-als are available. Don’t forget your fishingpole! The reservoir is regularly stocked andis home to largemouth bass, catfish, crap-pie, perch, and bluegill. FountainheadRegional Park is located at 10875 Hamp-ton Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039.

One of our most visited “one-stop shops”is South Run RECenter. Not only does itfeature a two-story fitness center withheated indoor pool and pool side spa, butthe surrounding park offers soccer and base-ball/softball fields, two tennis courts, twooutdoor basketball courts, a field house withnewly installed athletic turf playing surface,accessible playground, and an off-leash dogarea. South Run RECenter is located at7550 Reservation Dr, Springfield, VA 22153.

Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot is a fam-ily owned and operated business in HistoricClifton. And, let me tell you, they servesome of the best gourmet ice cream inNorthern Virginia. While you’re there, makesure to pick up a Pat Herrity Root Beer SodaShake – it’s not your usual ice cream float!Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot is located at7150 Main St, Clifton, VA 20124.

Acres of undisturbed woodland, quiettrails, splashing streams and a tranquil pondare just a few of the reasons to visit Hid-den Pond Nature Center. The naturecenter, which is accessible to everyone, fea-tures exhibits and live displays which ori-ent you to the park and the natural worldof Fairfax County. In addition, the centerhas a small sales area featuring books andother items for the nature enthusiast andnature study areas for group visitors. Hid-den Pond Nature Center is located at 8511

Greeley Blvd., Springfield, VA 22152.Don’t miss Fairfax’s own little slice of

paradise: the award-winning ParadiseSprings Winery. The land the winery wasbuilt on has remained in the same familysince Lord Fairfax granted it to them in1716. Head down on Friday nights between5 and 9 pm to hear live music and best winein Fairfax County. Paradise Springs Winery13219 Yates Ford Rd, Clifton, VA 20124.

One of the region’s largest shopping des-tinations in Fairfax, Fair Oaks Mall fea-tures a collection of 200 shops, services anddining establishments in an enclosed, two-story retail center. The mall offers one ofthe most diverse and compelling retail anddining collections under one roof and is theperfect destination on a sweltering or rainyweekend afternoon. Fair Oaks Mall is lo-cated at 11750 Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, VA22033.

Fairfax Station Railroad Museumis Fairfax County’s “Little Gem”. It was thelast operating railroad station in FairfaxCounty, closing in 1973. It was built prima-rily to transport farm products to thePotomac River area. Museum displays andevents help preserve the local history. Comeand explore the fascinating story of our lo-cal community. The Museum may also berented out to hold special events. FairfaxStation Railroad Museum is locatedat 11200 Fairfax Station Rd, Fairfax Sta-tion, VA 22039.

Learn valuable collaboration skills atHemlock Overlook Regional Park, afully equipped Outdoor Education Center.Take your family, friends, or co-workers tonavigate the challenging rope course andzip line. Designed to bring school groups,

office teams and community groups aliketogether to collaborate and solve real lifechallenges in the outdoors. Hemlock Over-look Regional Park is located at 13220 YatesFord Rd, Clifton, VA 20124.

Any golfers in your family? Twin LakesGolf Course offers golfers the opportunityof a full day of golf with two 18-holecourses. The Oaks’ par 71 and 6,715 yardschallenge all golfers with multiple tees toensure a fair test for all playing abilities.Every hole except one is tree-lined on bothsides of the fairway, making accuracy theprimary goal off the tee. The Lakes Coursefeatures a par-72 and 6,695-yard experiencethat requires more distance off the tee, butis much more forgiving than the OaksCourse. Twin Lakes Golf Course is locatedat 6201 Union Mill Rd, Clifton, VA 20124.

Most importantly, if there is ever anythingmy office can do for you, do not hesitate toask. I have always agreed with ThomasJefferson’s notion that government closestto the people is best, and you cannot getmuch closer to the people than being a Su-pervisor. Our jobs are multi-faceted; I wouldgo as far to say that somewhere around 80percent of an individual’s contact with gov-ernment at any level is at our level. Whetherit’s land use, transportation, public safety,or taxation related, my staff and I are al-ways here to answer your questions.

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Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton Demographics

Zip code: 20124Population: 14,875Race: White-11,536 (77.6%), Black/African American-489 (3.3%), Ameri-can Indian and Alaska Native-24(0.2%), Asian-2,095 (14.1%), His-panic or Latino (of any race)-749(5%)Total housing units: 4,950Owner-occupied housing units: 4,555(92.6%)Households with individuals under 18years: 2,095 (42.6%)Households with individuals 65 years andover: 878 (17.9%)Median household income: 163,520Mean family income: 194,486Population 5 years and over who speaks alanguage other than English at home:15.9%

Zip code: 22039Population: 18,364Race: White-14,985 (81.6%), Black/African American-742 (4%), Ameri-can Indian and Alaska Native-46(0.3%), Asian-1,964 (10.7%), His-panic or Latino (of any race)-766(4.2%)Total housing units: 6,283

Owner-occupied housing units: 5,793(96.4%)Households with individuals under 18years: 2,461 (40.9%)Households with individuals 65 years andover: 1,459 (24.3%)Median household income: 196,549Mean family income: 237,603Population 5 years and over who speaks alanguage other than English at home:18.6%

Zip code: 22079Population: 32,059Race: White-14,699 (45.8%), Black/African American-7,534 (23.5%),American Indian and Alaska Native-95 (0.3%), Asian-6,240 (19,5%), His-panic or Latino (of any race)-4,423(13.8%)Total housing units: 11,063Owner-occupied housing units: 7,730(71.3%)Households with individuals under 18years: 4,983 (46%)Households with individuals 65 years andover: 1,439 (13.3%)Median household income: 96,056Mean family income: 129,580Population 5 years and over who speaks alanguage other than English at home:44.4%

Source: U.S. Census 2010; American CommunitySurvey 2012


See How to Vote, Next Page


While the Presidential election will taketop billing, every seat in the U.S. Congressis on the ballot, with one hotly contestedrace in Northern Virginia.

In Fairfax County, voters will decidewhether to enact a four percent meals tax,a topic voters will hear a lot more about incoming weeks.

The Town of Herndon will have its firstNovember election, moving from May inpast elections, with the office of Mayor andsix Town Council seats on the ballot.

Fairfax County voters will decide on threebond questions, including $120 million intransportation bonds for Metro; $107 mil-lion in bonds for parks; and $85 million forbuilding and renovating senior and commu-nity centers, and homeless shelters. Moreat http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/bond/

Absentee Voting inPerson in FairfaxCounty

Voting begins Sept. 23, and with recordturnout possible, voting early if you qualifyis a good choice.

There are 19 valid reasons to vote absen-tee in Virginia, including working and com-muting to and from home for 11 or morehours between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Elec-tion Day. Check the Virginia Department ofElections list to see if you are eligible. http://elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/ab-sentee-voting/index.html

There are two ways to vote absentee, in-person and by mail. To do either, you shouldfirst check your voter registration status tomake sure it is up-to-date. Then you willneed to apply for an absentee ballot. Note:If you vote absentee in-person you will fillout the application when you arrive at thein-person absentee location (see locationsbelow). Voting absentee by mail? Read be-low for the process of applying for yourmail-in ballot.

You can now apply for an absentee ballotonline with the state’s new Citizen Portal.You will need your Social Security Numberand information on your Virginia Driver’sLicense to complete the application. Infor-mation is also provided on how to apply ifyou do not have a driver’s license.

Absentee Voting Begins Sept. 23Fairfax County Government Center, Con-

ference Room 2/3,12000 Government Center Parkway,

Fairfax, 22035Weekday Schedule:❖ Sept. 23 to Oct. 14, Monday, Tuesday,

Wednesday and Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.;Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Closed, Mon-day, Oct. 10, Columbus Day.

❖ Oct. 17 to Nov. 4, Monday - Friday, 8a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday Schedule: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29and November 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 5 isthe last day to absentee vote in-person.

Absentee Voting at Satellite Locations

Saturday Schedule: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29and Nov. 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Weekday Schedule: Oct. 17 to Nov. 4,Monday - Friday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Satellite Voting Locations:❖ Providence Community Center - 3001

Vaden Dr., Fairfax, 22031❖ Franconia Governmental Center - 6121

Franconia Rd., Alexandria, 22310❖ McLean Governmental Center - 1437

Balls Hill Rd., Community Room, McLean,22101

❖ North County Governmental Center,1801 Cameron Glen Dr., CommunityRooms, Reston, 20190

❖ West Springfield Governmental Center- 6140 Rolling Rd., Springfield, 22152

❖ Mason Governmental Center - 6507Columbia Pike, Annandale, 22003

❖ Mount Vernon Governmental Center -2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, 22306

❖ Sully Governmental Center - 4900Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly, 20151

❖ Lorton Library - 9520 Richmond Hwy.,Lorton, 22079 SATURDAYS ONLY (ClosedWeekdays)

Ballot Question,Meals Tax

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/mealstax/Fairfax County voters will vote yes or no

on establishing a 4 percent meals tax. TheConnection will publish stories and lettersin coming weeks on both sides of this issue.

QUESTION:State law authorizes counties, cities, and

towns to levy a tax on prepared food andbeverages, commonly called a “meals tax,”subject to certain restrictions. Most coun-

ties, including Fairfax County, may levy ameals tax only if the voters approve the taxby referendum.

The question presented in this referen-dum asks Fairfax County voters whether theBoard of Supervisors should be authorizedto levy a meals tax, at a rate not to exceedfour percent of the amount charged for thetaxable food and beverages.

70 percent of the net revenues would bededicated to Fairfax County Public Schools;30 percent of the net revenues would bededicated to County services, capital im-provements and property tax relief.

The question also states that the Boardof Supervisors’ reason for seeking author-ity to impose a meals tax is to reduce thecounty’s dependence on real estate taxes.Currently, nearly 65 percent of FairfaxCounty’s General Fund budget relies uponreal estate taxes. State law limits what thecounty can tax and how it may otherwiseraise revenue. Almost 90 percent of FairfaxCounty non-property tax revenues arecapped, limited, or controlled by the state.A meals tax would give the County a newsource of revenue, which would help diver-sify the County’s revenue base. At the maxi-mum four percent tax rate, a meals taxwould generate an estimated $99 millionper year, with a significant percentage paidby non-county residents.

A number of area jurisdictions alreadyimpose a meals tax, including ArlingtonCounty, the cities of Alexandria, FallsChurch, and Fairfax, and the towns ofHerndon and Vienna.

Four Bond Questionshttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/bond/

TRANSPORTATION BONDS, Yes or NoShall the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax

County, Virginia, contract a debt, borrowmoney and issue bonds, in addition to bondspreviously authorized for transportationimprovements and facilities, in the maxi-mum aggregate principal amount of $120million to finance Fairfax County’s share,under the Washington Metropolitan AreaTransit Authority Compact, of the cost ofconstructing, reconstructing, improving andacquiring transportation improvements andfacilities, including capital costs of land,transit facilities, rolling stock and equip-ment in the Washington metropolitan area,and to finance improvements to primaryand secondary State highways and ancil-lary related improvements and facilities?

PARKS AND PARK FACILITIES BONDS,Yes or No

Shall the Board of Supervisors of FairfaxCounty, Virginia, contract a debt, borrowmoney and issue bonds, in addition to bondspreviously authorized for parks and parkfacilities, in the maximum aggregate prin-cipal amount of $107,000,000: (i)$94,700,000 principal amount to financethe Fairfax County Park Authority’s cost toacquire, construct, develop and equip ad-ditional parks and park facilities, to preserveopen-space land, and to develop and im-prove existing parks and park facilities; and(ii) $12,300,000 principal amount forFairfax County’s contribution to the North-ern Virginia Regional Park Authority to ac-quire, construct, develop and equip parksand park facilities?

HUMAN SERVICES/COMMUNITY DE-VELOPMENT BONDS, Yes or No

Shall the Board of Supervisors of FairfaxCounty, Virginia, contract a debt, borrowmoney and issue bonds in the maximum ag-gregate principal amount of $85,000,000to provide funds to finance the cost of hu-man services facilities and community de-velopment facilities, including the construc-tion and reconstruction of community cen-ters and shelters and the acquisition of landand equipment or interests therein?

❖ Replace the Sully Senior Center and abuild new Lorton Community Center ($37million)

❖ Renovate, expand or replace four emer-gency shelters for people who are home-less: Patrick Henry, Embry Rucker, EleanorKennedy, and Bailey’s ($48 million)

Virginia Voter IDVirginia has a stringent voter identifica-

tion requirement, plan to bring photo iden-tification with you to vote, whether that isabsentee or on Election Day.

Among accepted ID: valid VirginiaDriver’s License or Identification Card; validVirginia DMV issued Veteran’s ID card; validU.S. Passport; other government-issuedphoto identification cards issued by the U.S.Government, the Commonwealth of Vir-ginia, or a political subdivision of the Com-monwealth; valid college or university stu-

Upcoming DeadlinesOn Election Day Polls are open from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.To determine whether you are eligible and registered to vote in this election,

visit the Virginia Department of Elections website at http://elections.virginia.gov/ or call Fairfax Elections office at 703-222-0776.

❖ Sept. 23: In-Person Absentee Voting Begins http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/absentee.htm

❖ Oct. 17: Voter Registration Deadline - In-Person: 5 p.m., Onlinewww.vote.virginia.gov 11:59 p.m.

❖ Nov. 1: Last Day to Apply for an Absentee Ballot by Mail, Fax, Email orOnline: 5 p.m.

❖ Nov. 5: Final Day for In-Person Absentee Voting❖ Nov. 8: Absentee Ballot Return Deadline: 7 p.m.For more information on voting in Fairfax County:Voter Registration: 703-222-0776, TTY 711Absentee Fax: 703-324-3725Email: [email protected] Officer Info: 703-324-4735, TTY 711

ON THE BALLOT in Fairfax County:❖ President and Vice President❖ U.S. House of Representatives, 8th, 10th, or 11th District❖ Meal Tax Referendum❖ Three Proposed County Bond Questions❖ Two Proposed Constitutional Amendments

Every year is election year in Virginia; mechanicsand details of voting require attention to detail.How to Vote


Water Fitness ClassesAvailable

From Page 6

Newcomers &

Community Guide

dent photo identification cardfrom an institution of higher edu-cation located in Virginia; validstudent ID issued by a publicschool or private school in Virginiadisplaying a photo; employeeidentification card containing aphotograph of the voter and issuedby an employer of the voter in theordinary course of the employer’sbusiness.

Any registered voter who doesnot have one of the required formsof identification can apply for afree Virginia Voter Photo Identifi-cation from any general registrar’soffice in the Commonwealth. Vot-ers applying for the Virginia VoterPhoto ID complete the VirginiaVoter Photo Identification CardApplication, have their picturetaken, and sign the digital signa-ture pad. Once the application isprocessed, the card will be maileddirectly to the voter.

A voter who does not bring anacceptable photo ID to the pollswill be offered a provisional bal-lot.

Provisional Ballot Processfor Voters Who ArriveWithout Identification

If you arrive at your pollingplace on Election Day without anacceptable form of photo identifi-cation, don’t panic or give up. Youwill be given the opportunity tovote a provisional ballot. Aftercompleting the provisional ballot,the individual voting will be givenwritten instructions from the elec-tion officials on how to submit acopy of his/her identification sothat his/her vote can be counted.

A voter will have until noon onthe Friday following the electionto deliver a copy of the identifica-tion to the local electoral board orto appear in person to apply for aVirginia Voter Photo ID Card. Vot-ers may submit a copy of their IDvia fax, email, in-person submis-sion, or through USPS or commer-cial delivery service. Please notethat the copy of the ID must bedelivered to the electoral board bynoon on Friday, or the provisionalballot cannot be counted.

Also by noon on Friday follow-ing the election, the voter may

appear in-person in the office ofthe general registrar, in the local-ity in which the provisional ballotwas cast, and apply for a VirginiaVoter Photo ID Card. At thecompletion of the application pro-cess, the voter may request a Tem-porary Identification Document.This document may be providedto the electoral board to suffice theidentification requirement.

ConstitutionalAmendments

Two proposed Virginia Constitu-tional Amendments will also be onthe ballot:

Ballot Question 1: Should Ar-ticle I of the Constitution of Vir-ginia be amended to prohibit anyagreement or combination be-tween an employer and a laborunion or labor organizationwhereby (i) nonmembers of theunion or organization are deniedthe right to work for the employer,(ii) membership to the union ororganization is made a conditionof employment or continuation ofemployment by such employer, or(iii) the union or organization ac-quires an employment monopolyin any such enterprise?

The proposed amendmentplaces the provisions of Virginia’sright to work law into the Consti-tution of Virginia. While Virginialaw may be amended by any fu-ture General Assembly, a constitu-tional prohibition can only bechanged by a future constitutionalamendment approved by the vot-ers.

Ballot Question 2: Shall theConstitution of Virginia beamended to allow the General As-sembly to provide an option to thelocalities to exempt from taxationthe real property of the survivingspouse of any law-enforcementofficer, firefighter, search and res-cue personnel, or emergencymedical services personnel whowas killed in the line of duty,where the surviving spouse occu-pies the real property as his or herprincipal place of residence andhas not remarried?

How to Vote



By Jim Corcoran

President and CEO, Northern

Virginia Chamber of Commerce

I am pleased to welcome you toNorthern Virginia on behalf of theNorthern Virginia Chamber ofCommerce (Northern Virginia Cham-

ber) and the regional business community.The Northern Virginia Chamber is The

Voice of Business in Northern Virginia,representing nearly 700 member companies whichin total employ more than 500,000 members of ourregional community.

While our direct actions are targeted towards ourbusiness members, we always have this wonderfulcommunity in mind. Our strong economy provides abase on which families may flourish.

Northern Virginia is one of our country’s greatestsuccess stories, and without a thriving business com-munity, we would not have the flourishing retail cen-ters, competitive real estate, or world-class educa-tion system that our region proudly boasts. Becauseof this, Northern Virginia attracts the nation’s lead-ing businesses, including nine Fortune 500 headquar-ters and 125 Inc. 5000 companies.

Our business community is not only successful inkeeping our economy healthy, but also in working tobetter our community and quality of life. Between2014 and 2016 the Chamber made more than$60,000 in direct cash donations to nonprofitsthrough the collective power of our members anddistributed more than $60,000 in scholarships to fam-ily members of our first responders. It is exciting tosee companies step up and support the many wor-thy causes across our region.

The Northern Virginia Chamber advocates for is-sues that impact businesses, workers, and residentsalike, specifically transportation improvements. We

are the leading advocate for innovative solutions ourregion’s connectivity challenges.

The Northern Virginia Chamber was and contin-ues to be a supporter of Metro expansion via the Sil-ver Line and safety improvements system wide. TheChamber was also a long-time supporter of the I-

495 HOT Lanes and I-95 Express Lanes.Whether you use these or not, their avail-ability has reduced congestion. Bothprojects were funded through uniquepublic-private partnerships, bringing to-gether government and business to solveregional transportation issues. We areexcited to watch the same public-privatesolutions be applied to I-66 in the com-ing years. We were proud to advocate forthese improvements in Richmond, andwe stand ready to end the gridlock and

unlock I-66 in our growing region.And grow we shall. There is much to look forward

to in Northern Virginia. We continue to attract anddevelop emerging industries, particularlycybersecurity, bioscience, and hospitality. Businessesand academia that have been strongholds in the areaare expanding and innovating in their own indus-tries. For example, the new Inova Center for Person-alized Health will explore human genomics andGeorge Mason University’s Center for Innovation andEntrepreneurship provides students and alumni ex-periential learning opportunities to create value inthe business world.

While Northern Virginia’s economy has grown overthe past few decades as compared to other majormetropolitan regions, we have trailed over the lastfive years due to cutbacks in federal spending. Inorder to regain our region’s standing as a leadingeconomy, we must see the private, academic, non-profit, and government sectors innovate. Our futuregrowth lies in our ability to cooperate as a region.

If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to visitwww.novachamber.org to learn more about whatwe’re doing to build up the business community andbetter our region.

I look forward to working with you to ensure North-ern Virginia remains a great place to live with sup-port from an exceptional business community.

Northern Virginia Chamberof Commerce welcomesnewcomers to the area.

Welcoming Business Community

League of Women VotersThe League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area

(LWVFA) is a volunteer organization composed ofmen and women who are dedicated to makingdemocracy work. It encourages active participa-tion by citizens, but it does not support or endorsecandidates. It conducts studies of important com-munity issues, has monthly meetings during whichmembers discuss these issues, and uses educationand advocacy to influence public policy, at the local

level, in the interest of the public. It conducts can-didate forums so that citizens can ask the candi-dates questions, candidates can answer those ques-tions and also interact directly with the public.LWVFA also registers voters and provides themwith unbiased information about the voting pro-cess, issues of interest, and elections. To learn moreabout this organization or to join, see www.lwv-fairfax.org.

Keep in Touch with The Connection❖ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Email to [email protected] or submit online atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/contact/letter/❖ Digital replica editions of this week’s papers are available at www.ConnectionNewspapers.com/PDFs❖ Past issues of the Connection back to 2008 are available at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/❖ Advertising information, Special Section details here www.connectionnewspapers.com/advertising❖ Sign up for a free digital subscription at www.ConnectionNewspapers.com/subscribeCall 703-778-9431

Be a part of ourWellbeing pages, the firstweek of every month.

Delight in ourHomeLifeStyle sections,the second week of everymonth. Peek at the topreal estate sales, glimpseover-the-top remodelingprojects, get practical sug-gestions for your home.

Celebrate students,camps, schools, enrich-ment programs, collegesand more in our A-plus:Education, Learning, Funpages, the third week ofevery month.

Questions? [email protected] call 703-778-9431


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From Page 4

Newcomers &

Community Guide

its emergency shelter housednearly 200 youth in crisis. Alter-native House always welcome thesupport of our community.

FACETSLocation – Main office located

at - 10640 Page Avenue, Suite 300Fairfax VA 22030

Executive Director – MargiPreston

Contact info – 703-352-5090/www.FACETSCares.org

Annual Budget – $3,300,466How to get involved: Every

other month FACETS offers an in-formation session and tour to in-dividuals interested in learningmore about our impact in the com-munity. For more information andto RSVP, visitwww.FACETSCares.org or contactJosh D’Antonio [email protected].

FACETS works to prevent andend homelessness in FairfaxCounty by offering a variety of ser-vices and supports for people whoare homeless, unstably housed, orexperiencing poverty.

Many volunteers opportunitiesexist with FACETS, including help-ing families at an emergency shel-ter in Alexandria. Here FACETSvolunteers work at the front deskand pantry, assist with childcare,and provide a transportation sup-port for program participants en-rolled in FACETS’ employmentreadiness program. In addition, asit gear up for the holiday season,FACETS relies on volunteers toprovide neighbors in need withpositive holiday memories. Volun-teering at a holiday party, or do-nating Thanksgiving Baskets orholiday gifts. For details on volun-teer and in-kind opportunities,visit www.FACETSCares.org orcontact FACETS’ Volunteer andEvents Manager, D’Ivonne Holmanat [email protected] or703-865-4251.

Homelessness



By Colonel Edwin C.

Roessler Jr.

Chief of Police

Dear Community

Members:The Fairfax County

Police Department wasestablished on July 1, 1940 and to-day we have an authorized strengthof 1,406 sworn law enforcement of-ficers. Our greatly engaged community ex-ceeds 1.1 million residents which continuesto assist us in preventing and fighting crime,increasing the culture of safety to preservethe sanctity of life for all, and to keep pacewith rapid urbanization.

Your Police Department proactively un-dertook an independent review of its useof force training, and related policies andprocedures conducted by the Police Execu-tive Research Forum. A further review gen-erating additional change recommendationshas been conducted by the County’s Ad HocPolice Practices Review Commission. Thecore theme of change is adopting the phi-losophy of the sanctity of life in all we do.As I have discussed in multiple public fo-rums to include the Public Safety Commit-tee of the Fairfax County Board of Supervi-sors, your police department embracesreengineering the law enforcement profes-sion and we are proud to be national lead-ers truly engaged with creating change withan engaged community.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisorshas endorsed our reengineering of the poli-cies governing the use of force which valuethe sanctity of human life. The Police De-partment has adopted policies and practiceswhich utilize the Critical Decision MakingModel to ensure that all actions are pro-portionate, lawful, accountable, necessary,and ethical. Your Police Department hasmandated annual in-service training on useof force critical decision-making because theessential knowledge and skills are consid-ered “perishable,” therefore rendering train-ing on an annual basis a necessity.

The final report issued by the Ad Hoc Com-mission included recommendations made byits Independent Oversight and InvestigationsSubcommittee. These recommendations, thesubject of current deliberation by the Pub-lic Safety Committee of the Fairfax County

Board of Supervisors, proposethe creation of a Police Auditorposition and establishment of aCivilian Review Panel. The Po-lice Department welcomes im-mediate implementation of bothas they maximize accountabil-ity through transparency, andwill lead to higher levels of pub-lic trust and confidence in thePolice Department.

The Police Department is committed toenhancing its transparency at all levels andwe have established policies and proceduresin coordination with the Board of Supervi-sors to achieve maximum communicationwith the communities we serve. Through-out the remainder of 2016 and into 2017we will continue to reengineer our profes-sion in many operational and administra-tive areas to achieve effective change whileincreasing community engagement.

In 2014 the Police Department began aself-assessment process to align its policiesand procedures to comply with 484 nationalstandards established by the Commissionon Accreditation for Law EnforcementAgencies (CALEA). The required on-siteassessment was conducted by assessorsfrom outside Virginia in early 2016, andCALEA accredited status was awarded onJuly 30, 2016.

The Police Department, along with theCommunity Services Board, other publicsafety agencies, and mental health advo-cates partnered to implement the DiversionFirst program which provides a viable jaildiversion alternative for those in mentalhealth crisis. Our police officers receive Cri-sis Intervention Team (CIT) training to pre-pare them to recognize when persons areexperiencing a mental health crisis and howbest to de-escalate such initial encounters.Our CIT-trained officers now have theMerrifield Crisis Response Center, as wellas two Mobile Crisis Units, enabling themto offer persons in crisis the mental healthservices they may require.

Welcome to Fairfax County and we en-courage you to engage with your PoliceDepartment as we all continue to make ourCounty a great place to live, work, play, andgrow old. To learn more about the FairfaxCounty Police Department, please visit

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/

Greater Transparency in Policing

Looking for ways to keep Fairfax Countyyouth and young adults safe, healthy anddrug free? Then check out getting involvedwith the nonprofit Unified Prevention Coali-tion of Fairfax County (UPC).

UPC will hold its school year kickoff meet-ing on Monday, Sept. 26. Come to “Taste ofUPC” and learn about the programs offeredby UPC to educate parents and youth aboutthe issues of underage and binge drinking,marijuana and prescription medicine abuseas well as the growing problem of heroin inthe community. Refreshments will be servedat 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7p.m. at the Fairfax County Public Schools’Gatehouse Administration Center (First Floor

Café), 8115 Gatehouse Road in Falls Church.High school youth are invited to learn more

about the UPC Youth Council, which aims toinclude two representatives from each highschool. Youth Council members help createyouth-directed prevention activities, developleadership and advocacy skills and gain vol-unteer and service hours by becoming activeand helpful members of the community.

UPC partners with more than 60 organiza-tions and needs your help to make a differ-ence. For more information, contact UPC at703-938-8723 or check out the group’s websiteat www.unifiedpreventioncoalition.org. Dona-tions are appreciated and can be made onlinevia the group’s website.

Keeping Youth Safe, Healthy and Drug Free

Photo by Michelle Miller

Members of the Youth Council of the Unified Prevention Coalition ofFairfax County joined students from around the state in July at theannual Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project (YADAPP) atLongwood University. This is the fifth year UPC has sent its students tothe annual leadership conference.

By John Cook

Supervisor (R-Braddock)

Thank you for choos-ing to make FairfaxCounty your new

home! As you will quicklyfind out, there is no shortageof activities here, and let mebe the first to tell you what’sgoing on around town.

As summer winds down, and we allmake the long trip back from the beach,you’ll notice that there are a ton of eventsthroughout September in which to takepart. Personally, one of my favorite eventsin the Braddock District is the annualBurke Centre Festival, set this year forSept. 10 and 11. Admission is free, andthis year’s festival will feature a massivearts and crafts show, karaoke, Fire andRescue displays, live dance, musical en-tertainment, and much, much more. Thisevent is incredible (and incredibly huge)so you owe it to yourself to come outand enjoy it.

As much as I love talking with my con-stituents and neighbors, I also enjoy tak-ing some time to relax with nature. Thereare more than 900 miles of trails here inFairfax County, and I am a particularlylucky Supervisor in that I represent a dis-trict with some fantastic parks and trails.One of my favorite spots is Lake Accotink,which boasts a carousel, bike rentals, agreat snack bar, and mini golf. Accotink

has a sand volleyball andbasketball court that you cantake full advantage of, and,on some Saturday nights,Accotink even hosts camp-fires and gatherings. Eventslike these, focused on com-munity involvement andinterconnectedness, helpmake the Braddock Districtand Fairfax County the best

places to be.Yes, summer is almost over, but that

doesn’t mean the fun has to be. Grab yourfriends, the family, and head out toMount Vernon, Ox Hill Battlefield Park,or another famed historical site in theCounty and soak it all in. You can barelyget around here without stumbling uponsomething with historical significance,and most of these treasures are totallyfree.

There are great sites, great restaurants,and a ton of things to do and see in mydistrict.

Grab a bite to eat over at Fairfax Cor-ner or head into Fairfax City for the day.The possibilities are truly endless.

Take full advantage of everythingthe Braddock District, and FairfaxCounty, has to offer with your friendsand family. In these next few weeks, Ichallenge you to get out there and findout what you love to do in our com-munity- just don’t be overwhelmedwith all the options!

Take full advantage of everything theBraddock District, and Fairfax County,has to offer.

Welcome Neighbors!


Give Your Family The Best…TBS!

Upcoming Events:

Amy R. Perlin, D.C. – Senior Rabbi

Laura Rappaport, D.D. – Assistant Rabbi & Educator

For membership or any other information about our temple, contactLynn Richmond at [email protected].


National CapitalFood Bank

A group of food banks serving all of NorthernVirginia seek monetary donations and general vol-unteers. 703-541-3063 orwww.capitalareafoodbank.org.

Lorton CommunityAction Center

Operates the Act ll Thrift Shop at 9506 Rich-mond Highway, Lorton. Sales from the shopgenerate funds for LCAC and clients also shopthere. LCAC is seeking monetary donations, volun-teers and collecting gift cards and food baskets forThanksgiving, gifts and food baskets for Christmas,and warm coats. 703-339-8611 orwww.lortonaction.org.

South County CaresSouth County Church congregation members

and south county area community members worktogether on local and international projects likeNational Night Out, Operation Christmas Child,and local and international aid efforts.www.southcountycares.org.

Assistance League ofNorthern Virginia

An all-volunteer organization that clothes, feeds,educates and nurtures those in need. Workingthrough six elementary schools and Inova FairfaxHospital, Assistance League touches the lives ofsome of the most needy in Northern Virginia. The

schools involved include Dogwood Elementary inReston, Lynbrook Elementary and Garfield Elemen-tary in Springfield, Cora Kelly Elementary inAlexandria and Pine Spring Elementary in FallsChurch Volunteers and donors are always needed.Contact [email protected] orwww.northernvirginia.assistanceleague.org

Lamb CenterA day center for the homeless, currently seeking

donations and general volunteers. 703-691-3178or www.thelambcenter.org.

Fairfax City Area FISH -Friendly ImmediateSympathetic Help

Working with the Office of Coordinated ServicesPlanning and Fairfax County Department of Hu-man Services, FISH helps local citizens who are intemporary need of life’s basic necessities such asfood, clothing and financial assistance for rent,mortgage payments, utilities and medical treat-ments. FISH also provides limited transportationfor doctor appointments and food delivery. 703-222-0880 or http://fairfaxfish.org/.

Comfort for America’sUniformed Services -CAUSE

Ensures that recuperating service members haveopportunities for recreation and social interactionand receive concrete signs of appreciation for allthat they have done. 703-591-4968 or cause-usa.org.

Area Nonprofits: Making Community Work

For a free digi-tal subscriptionto one or allof the 15ConnectionNewspapers,go towww.connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

Be the first toknow – get yourpaper before ithits the press.

Complete digitalreplica of theprint edition,including photosand ads, deliv-ered weeklyto your e-mailbox.

Questions?E-mail:[email protected]


National ParksGF Great Falls National Park

9200 Old Dominion Drive, McLeanwww.nps.gov/grfaGreat Falls Park is open daily from 7 a.m. until dark. The Visitor Center

and bookstore are open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily, springthrough fall seasons. Picnic, hike along the Potomac River.Swimming and wading in the Potomac are prohibited.

GW George Washington Memorial Parkway

www.nps.gov/gwmp703-289-2500The GW Parkway includes more than 25

sites, ranging from historic homes towildlife preserves. Join a ranger for a freeprogram or explore sites independently. Some parksites, including Turkey Run Park, TheodoreRoosevelt Island, Great Falls Park, etc., close atdark. The Parkway itself remains open 24 hoursa day to vehicle traffic.

WTWolf Trap National Park

for the Performing Arts1551 Trap Road, Viennawww.nps.gov/wotr/The only national park dedicated to

presenting the performing arts.From May through September,multiple amphitheaters in the parkpresent musicals, dance, opera, jazz,and popular and country music. Explorethe park without the crowds from October- April. The Barns at Wolf Trap offer indoorentertainment through the winter months.

State Park

pool. The park alsofeatures a deluxe miniaturegolf course, a nine-stationbatting cage, picnic shelters, anda special events pavilion.

CHCarlyle House Historic

Park121 N. Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314www.nvrpa.org/park/carlyle_house_historic_park/703-549-2997The historic Carlyle House was completed in 1753

by British merchant John Carlyle for his bride,Sarah Fairfax of Belvoir, member of one of themost prestigious families in colonial Virginia.Their home quickly became a center of socialand political life in Alexandria and gained afoothold in history when British GeneralBraddock made the mansion his headquarters in1755. On the National Register of HistoricPlaces, Carlyle House is architecturally unique inAlexandria as the only stone, 18th-centuryPalladian-style house. Daily tours of the house,programs for schoolchildren, special events,exhibits and lectures explore the life and timesof John Carlyle in pre-Revolutionary Alexandria.The site may be rented in the evenings forprivate functions and weddings.

FHFountainhead Regional Park

7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Stationwww.nvrpa.org/park/fountainhead/703-250-9124The observation deck of the Marina Building at

Fountainhead commands a spectacular view ofthe widest point of the Occoquan Reservoir.Summer activities include catfish tournaments,children’s fishing tournament, paddleboat toursand more.

HOHemlock Overlook Regional Park

13220 Yates Ford Road, Cliftonwww.nvrpa.org/park/hemlock_overlook/800-877-0954; 571-281-3556;Hemlock Overlook Regional Park offers a variety of

outdoor and environmental education. Programsat Hemlock Overlook are open to the public andgroups by reservation. Only the hiking and horse

trails maybe usedwithout priorarrangement.

MBGMeadowlark

Botanical Gardens9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court,

Viennawww.nvrpa.org/park/

meadowlark_botanical_gardens/703-255-3631This 95-acre complex of large

ornamental display gardens andunique native plant collections isopen year round and includewalking trails, lakes, more than 20varieties of cherry trees, irises, peonies, anextensive shade garden, native wildflowers,gazebos, birds, butterflies, seasonal blooms andfoliage. The Atrium’s indoor tropical gardensetting is a popular meeting, reception, weddingand workshop location. Interpretive displaysaccompany a restored 18th-century cabin.

OROccoquan Regional Park

9751 Ox Road, Lortonwww.nvrpa.org/park/occoquan/703-690-2121This park offers 400 acres of recreational space and

a touch of the past with its historic brick kilnsand the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial. Parklands, trails and associated waters are part ofthe Fairfax Cross-County Trail. Kayak rentals.One hour Tour Boat Rides on the OccoquanRiver to Belmont Bay and back. OfferedSaturdays noon-5 p.m., Sunday 1- 8 p.m., April2 through Nov. 27. $10 adults, $5 children 12and under, under age 4 are free.

PBPohick Bay

Regional Park &Pirates Cove

Waterpark6501 Pohick Bay Drive,Lortonwww.nvrpa.org/park/pohick_bay/www.piratescovepohick.com703-339-6102

Pohick Bay is located on thePotomac River, 25 miles south of the

nation’s capital. The boat launch facility isone of only three public access points to thePotomac River in northern Virginia. Pohick Bayoffers canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and jonboats for rent on the weekends, as well as familyand group camping, hiking, picnic areas and alarge play area for children. The park offers oneof the largest, outdoor freeform pools on theeast coast. Pohick Bay Regional Park, located onMason Neck Pennisula is an ecologically fragileland that shelters an abundance of wildlife,including the bald eagle. Pirates Cove Waterparkis located at Pohick Bay Regional Park. Visitorscan cool off under the 300-gallon dumpingbucket, fire the water cannons and splash downthe waterslide or search for buried treasure atBuccaneer Beach sand play area. Pirates Cove

An Insider’s Guide to

Major Parks in the AreaParks

MN Mason Neck State Park

7301 High Point Rd. Lortonwww.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/

mas.shtml#703-339-2385 or 703-339-2380 (visitor center)[email protected] park’s visitor center was expanded in 2010 to

include a new exhibit room, gift shop andmeeting room. There are several exhibits in thecenter, and with a view of Belmont Bay. Visitorcenter staff can answer questions and provideinformation on park trails, facilities and localpoints of interest. Pond study, bird watching,canoe trips, nature walks and talks, and GPSadventures are just a few of the excitingprograms offered by park rangers.

Regional ParksBR

Bull Run Marina Regional Park &Atlantis Waterpark7700 Bull Run Drive, Centrevillewww.nvrpa.org/park/bull_run/www.atlantisbullrun.com/703-631-0552Main park open all year for picnicking, hiking and

family camping. Bull Run Public ShootingCenter open all year. Group Camping open dailyJan. 7 though Nov. 11. Mini and disc golf openApril through October. Hours vary. AtlantisWaterpark features pools, a giant dumpingbucket, waterslides, and fun-filled activities forall ages. Atlantis is open from Memorial Dayweekend through Labor Day, and is a member ofthe Northern Virginia Regional Park Authorityfamily of Waterparks. Neptune Reef snack barsells food, beverages and sweets.

CRCameron Run Regional Park/Great

Waves Waterpark4001 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandriawww.nvrpa.org/park/cameron_run/www.greatwaveswaterpark.com/703-960-0767Cameron Run Regional Park offers a variety of

recreation facilities in an urban area, includingGreat Waves Water Park. Catch a wave in thewave pool, twist and turn down four-story waterslides, take a plunge down speed slides, playwith friends in the shallow waters of the play

Sources: National Park Service, Northern Vir-ginia Regional Park Authority, Virginia StateParks and Fairfax County Park Authority. Mapcourtesy of Fairfax County Park Authority. De-signed & compiled by Jean Card and LaurenceFoong. Photos by Renée Ruggles.

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also features picnic pavilions, a deck for sunningand playing, as well as plenty of shade.Captain’s Galley snack bar features food,beverages and sweets. Pirates Cove is open fromMemorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

PBPohick Bay Golf Course

10301 Gunston Road, Lortonwww.nvrpa.org/park/pohick_bay_golf_course703-339-8585This scenic golf course is located on the Mason

Neck Peninsula in Lorton. Pohick Bay’s practicefacility features a driving range with practiceputting and chipping greens, and lessons fromPGA pros. A full-service pro shop features anarray of name-brand golf clubs, equipment andapparel. Other services include club making,custom club fitting, regripping, reshafting andtournament coordinating.

POPotomac Overlook Regional Park &

Nature Center2845 Marcey Road, Arlington, VA 22207www.nvrpa.org/park/potomac_overlook/703-528-5406On the Potomac Palisades in north Arlington,

Potomac Overlook offers 70 acres of peacefulwoodland, trails, educational gardens, a smallpicnic area and a Nature Center. The NatureCenter features brand new exhibits called the“Energerium,” offering visitors a fun andaccessible way to learn energy basics and waysthey can help create sustainable energysolutions. The Nature Center also houses liveanimals and natural history exhibits.

SRSandy Run Regional Park

10450 Van Thompson Road, Fairfax Stationwww.nvrpa.org/park/sandy_run/703-690-4392The park is open to the public for the purpose of

education, training, practice, and racing forcompetitive and recreational sculling androwing. Only shells and other boats authorizedby the Northern Virginia Regional ParkAuthority may be launched from the docks orshoreline of Sandy Run. Sandy Run offers afacility for team training and competition forOlympic, college, high school and club canoe,kayak and crew athletes.

UHUpton Hill Regional Park & Ocean

Dunes Waterpark6060 Wilson Blvd., Arlingtonwww.nvrpa.org/park/upton_hill/www.oceanduneswaterpark.com/703-534-3437 or [email protected] Hill Regional Park offers visitors a wooded

oasis in the heart of the most densely populatedarea of Northern Virginia. A large outdoorwater-park complex is a sparkling attraction inthis wooded, urban park, which straddles theboundary line between Arlington and Fairfaxcounties. The deluxe miniature golf courseboasts one of the longest mini golf holes in theworld; the batting cages include nine baseballand softball cages. The park is open every dayfor hiking, picnicking, playing on the playgroundand enjoying the outdoors. Located withinUpton Hill Regional Park, Ocean Dunes isloaded with fun features for adults and children.

Arts CenterLAC Workhouse Arts Center

9601 Ox Road, Lortonwww.lortonarts.org703-584-2900The Workhouse Arts Center consists of seven studio

buildings, the main galleries and the recentlyopened Youth Arts Center. Visitors areencouraged to interact with artists. In additionto visual arts, the Workhouse Arts Center ishome to performing arts, including theater, filminstitute, musical and dance performances. Theeducation department supports both the visualand performing arts, offering classes andworkshops in a variety of disciplines. Futureplans for the Workhouse include an eventcenter, amphitheater, Workhouse Theatre,restaurants, apartments, music barn andgarden/horticultural area. Other buildings onsite, yet to be renovated, may provide for otheractivities such as a visitors center, a blacksmithshop, theatre scene shops and rehearsal space.

Major FairfaxCounty ParksBLP Burke Lake Park & Golf Course

7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Stationvolleyball, driving range, 18 hole, par 3, minigolf,

trails, playground, campgrounds, fishing883.4 acres, multiple resource park

CJP Clemyjontri Park

6317 Georgetown Pike, McLeanfitness, picnic areas and playgrounds18.6 acres, special purpose park

ELP Ellanor C. Lawrence Park

5040 Walney Road, Chantillybaseballl, soccer/football (unlit), basketball (unlit),

community center, nature center, amphitheater,trails

650 acres, multiple resource park

FPF Frying Pan Farm Park

2717 West Ox Road, Herndonhistoric structure, biking/equestrian/hiking trails,

open areas, playground135.3 acres, multiple resource park

GSG Green Spring Gardens

4603 Green Spring Road, AlexandriaCommunity Center, historic structure, biking/hiking

trails, open areas, gardens30.9 acres, special purpose park

HPP Hidden Pond Park

8511 Greeley Boulevard, Springfieldtennis (lit), nature center, amphitheater, hiking/

nature trails, playground, fishing25.6 acres, community park

HMP Huntley Meadows Park

3701 Lockheed Boulevard, Alexandrianature center, historic structure, biking/hiking/

nature trails, observation tower, boardwalk1444.8 acres, natural resource park

LAP Lake Accotink Park

7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfieldbasketball, volleyball, minigolf, trails, picnic448.1 acres, multiple resource park

LFP Lake Fairfax Park

1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Restonsoftball (lit), soccer/football (unlit), amphitheater,

carousel,campground, tour boat, picnic shelters479 acres, multiple resource park

FRA Lee District Park

6601 Telegraph Road, Franconiasoftball, soccer/football, tennis, basketball,

volleyball, trails, treehouse, sprayground,accessible playground

138 acres, district park

MDP Mason District Park

6621 Columbia Pike, Annandalesoftball (lit), soccer/football (unlit/lit), basketball

(lit), tennis (lit), shuffleboard, dog park,amphitheater, biking/hiking/fitness

121.2 acres, district park

NWP Nottoway Park

9537 Courthouse Road, Viennabaseball (lit), soccer/football (lit),basketball (lit),

tennis (lit), trails, picnic90.9 acres, district park

RBP Riverbend Park

8700 Potomac Hill Street, Great Fallsnature center, historic structure, biking/equestrian/

hiking trails, picnic areas, craftroom411.2 acres, multiple resource park

SRN Scotts Run Nature Preserve

7400 Georgetown Pike, McLeanhistoric structure, historic/hiking/nature trails,

fishing384.3 acres, natural resource park

SRD South Run District

7550 Reservation Drive, Springfieldbaseball, soccer/football, basketball, tennis,

recenter, equestrian, playground, swimming196 acres, district park

WFP Wakefield Park & RECenter

8100 Braddock Road, Annandalesoftball, soccer/football, basketball, tennis,

recenter, biking, fitness trail, skate park292.6 acres, multiple resource park


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Map NumberPark Name

AddressCity

Property Class

1 Carney ParkGovernment

Center Pkwy, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

2 Willow Pond13101 Autumn Willow Drive, FairfaxCommunity Park

3 Woodglen Lake10617 Zion Drive, FairfaxCommunity Park

4 Silverbrook9351 Silverbrook Road, Fairfax Sta-

tionCommunity Park

5 Newington Heights8590 Heller Road, LortonDistrict Park

6 Laurel Hill8515 Silverbrook Road, LortonCountywide Park

7 Old Colchester Preserve10646 Old Colchester Road, LortonCultural Resource Park

8 Lorton West9800 Ox Road, Lorton

9 Lower Potomac9515 Richmond Highway, Lorton

10 Waples Mill Meadow11329 Waples Mill Road, OaktonMultiple Resource Park

11 Lake Braddock9200 Burke Lake Road, BurkeCommunity Park

12 Silas Burke5815 Parakeet Drive, BurkeCommunity Park

13 Burke Station6031 Kerrwood Street, BurkeCommunity Park

14 Burke Ridge9719 Burke Lake Road, BurkeNeighborhood Park

15 Rolling Valley West6512 Sydenstricker Road, BurkeCommunity Park

16 Fair Oaks3901 Fair Ridge Drive, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

17 Brentwood11903 Appling Valley Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

18 Random Hills11550 Random Hills Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

19 Dixie Hill4540 Dixie Hill Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

20 Villa D’este3120 Northwood Road, Fairfax

ParksA Guide to Fairfax County Parks in the Burke,

Fairfax & Fairfax Station/Lorton/Clifton areas

Photos by Renée Ruggles, featuring Silas Burke

Park, Giles Run Meadow and Brentwood Park

Map by Lawrence Foong; Design by Jean Card


21 Mosby Woods9813 Five Oaks Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

22 East Blake Lane9540 Bel Glade Street, FairfaxCommunity Park

23 Villa Lee2901 Hunter Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

24 Hideaway2900 Glenvale Drive, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

25 Towers9350 Arlington Boulevard, FairfaxCommunity Park

26 Armistead8900 Arlington Boulevard, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

27 Eakin (Mantua Section)8928 Glenbrook Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

28 Smokewood4120 Whitacre Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

29 Ashford East4300 Guinea Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

30 George Mason9700 Braddock Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

31 Rutherford4710 Guinea Road, FairfaxCommunity Park

32 University10200 Braddock Road, FairfaxCommunity Park

33 Olde Forge4604 Twinbrook Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

34 Surrey Square4819 Twinbrook Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

35 Country Club View10609 Henrico Street, FairfaxCommunity Park

36 Crooked Creek9910 Commonwealth Blvd., FairfaxCommunity Park

37 Royal Lake5344 Gainsborough Drive, FairfaxCommunity Park

38 Rolling Woods Estates5208a Marvell Lane, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

39 Twinbrook Road5124 Twinbrook Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

40 Middleridge5425a Governor Yeardley Drive,

FairfaxNeighborhood Park

41 Greenfield5349 Guinea Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

42 Monticello5315 Guinea Road, FairfaxCommunity Park

43 Kings Park West5216 Pommeroy Drive, FairfaxCommunity Park

44 Lakeside5216 Pommeroy Drive, FairfaxCommunity Park

45 Herzell Woods5328 Guinea Road, FairfaxNeighborhood Park

46 Fairfax Hills4304 Holly Lane, AnnandaleNeighborhood Park

47 Fair Ridge12300 Meadow Field Drive, Fairfax

Neighborhood Park48 Ox Hill Battlefield

4134 West Ox Road, FairfaxCultural Resource Park

49 Poburn Woods6325 Wendy Ann Court, Fairfax Sta-

tionCommunity Park

50 Brimstone6600 Ox Road, Fairfax StationNeighborhood Park

51 Burke Lake & Golf Course7315 Ox Road, Fairfax StationMultiple Resource Park

52 Lake Mercer9500 Silverbrook Road, Fairfax Sta-

tionMultiple Resource Park

53 Levell W Dupell6812 Newington Road, LortonCommunity Park

54 Mount Air Historic Site8600 Accotink Road, LortonCultural Resource Park

55 Southgate7438 Pohick Road, LortonNeighborhood Park

56 Pohick Estates7450 Pollen Street, LortonCommunity Park

57 Newington Commons8915 Hooes Road, LortonNeighborhood Park

58 Mason Neck West10418 Old Colchester Road, LortonCommunity Park

59 Tattersall3405 Miller Heights Road, OaktonCommunity Park

60 Oak Marr3200 Jermantown Road, OaktonMultiple Resource Park

61 Borge Street3030 Borge Street, OaktonNeighborhood Park

62 Blake Lane School Site10033 Blake Lane, OaktonCommunity Park

63 Briarwood2830 Zimpel Dr., FairfaxCommunity Park

64 Patriot12111 Braddock Road, FairfaxDistrict Park

65 Mountain Road District15620 Braddock Road, Fairfax

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