It's a "go" for the Fairfax County Park Authority's proposed revisions for the new Sully District Rec Center. They received final approval last week from the county Planning Commission.
The $18.5 million rec center was to be built on 28 acres just north of Westfield High, bounded by Stonecroft Boulevard and Cub Run. In addition, a field house including a 200-meter track and a place for graduations will be built next door by a private party.
However, the Park Authority recently acquired more property adjacent to the site, so it incorporated this land into the rec center plan — and the resulting changes needed the county's blessing. The Park Authority purchased 11 acres along Cub Run, to the north and east, and was therefore able to increase the square footage of both the rec center and the field house.
The additional land enabled the architects to move part of the fieldhouse onto the new acreage. It means that the site is now 37.3 acres, and 54,000 square feet more may be added to the buildings for a total of 254,000 square feet. More parking will also be added.
The rec center is anticipated to open in July 2004, and among its amenities will be two, 25-meter competitive pools, plus a separate leisure pool with slide for children. However, some local residents adamantly believed that a 50-meter pool would be preferable, and two of them spoke at the Planning Commission meeting last Wednesday, March 6.
But they definitely didn't score any Brownie points with Sully District Planning Commissioner Ron Koch. "They said they didn't want the other pool — and I think young mothers would be very upset if we took off the wading part for the kids," said Koch. "Plus, the Park Authority said the wading pool pays for itself, and the lap pools do not. In fact, the wading pool makes enough money to pay for both."