City to Residents: What Changes Do You Want in Parks and Community Activities?

Whether you've been a longtime resident, or you just recently moved to the City of Fairfax, the City wants to talk to you about local parks and recreation.

The City is getting ready to reshape the entire vision for the Parks and Recreation department and its offerings to residents - and it needs feedback to ensure they end up with something the majority of all residents are happy with.

Therefore, the City is inviting all to two upcoming workshops to do just that.

These open, public, family-friendly workshops on the Parks and Recreation Department's Strategic Plan will take place this week.

"Join your neighbors at one or both of the following public workshops as the City of Fairfax develops the future vision for its parks, recreation, trails, open space, events and cultural activities," the City said in a press release.

Attendees at both workshops will receive information on the strategic plan process and have the opportunity to share their ideas and suggestions. Both workshops encourage participation from the young and old.

There will be parks and recreation staff and volunteers on hand to engage the children’s perspective and capture adult responses in "fun and unique" ways.

A “Passport to the Future” booklet will also be given to each participant to help guide them through each workshop and collect stamps in a variety of ways for a chance to win a VIP ride in the City's 2013 4th of July Parade.

These workshops will engage current and potential residents and program, facility, event and activity participants in interactive and fun public input sessions to create a City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation vision for the future, the City said.  

The objectives of these workshops are to:

• Encourage and enable participation by all.
• Solicit input on current usage, perception and vision for the future.
• Create excitement and buy-in for a community-wide visioning process.

Below are the details of the two workshops:

Thursday, May 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Providence Elementary School
3616 Jermantown Road, Fairfax City
There will be plenty of parking available in the school parking lot, and this workshop is also accessible by taking the CUE bus Gold route and exiting at the Orchard Street stop.

Friday, May 3, 6-8 p.m. - Workshop and Fun Family Activities
10389 Main Street (Corner of Main St. and University Dr.)
FRIDAY NIGHT ONLY- In addition to the open workshop participants can enjoy the following:

• Free concert in the Kitty Pozer Garden with Mr. Skip at 7 p.m.
• Touch-a-Truck Scavenger Hunt where children solve clues about park vehicles and can climb and sit on the vehicles for a great photo opportunity.  From 6-8:30 p.m.
• Free Heritage Music Festival in Old Town Hall from 6-9 p.m.
• Get coupons for many of the downtown businesses and restaurants

Free Parking options are available throughout Old Town Fairfax. A parking map can be found online here.  

This workshop is also accessible by taking CUE Bus Gold or Green Route and exiting at corner of Main Street and University Drive stop.

Sign language, Spanish and Korean interpretation will be available at both sessions.

For those unable to attend, the City offers a multilingual online engagement website on the entire visioning process.  Log on today at www.ourparksourfuture.com.

For more information on the process and workshops, call the City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation Dept. at 703-385-7858 or e-mail parksrec@fairfaxva.gov.

"These are our parks and our future, and we want you to have the chance to let your voice be heard by contributing to this process as we shape a progressive and responsive park and recreation system," said the City's press release.

Will you help the City reshape its vision for the future of Parks and Recreation? Do you have a suggestion or idea for the reshaping, or something you'd like to see change? Tell us in the comments.

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