Request for Discussion of Ft. Ward Park at Parks, Recreation & Open Space Committee Meeting from Judy Noritake. September 12, 2008.

From: "Judy Noritake"
To: "glenn eugster"
Cc: "Margaret McCormack" , "John and Elizabeth Kling and Sullivan" , "Allen & Nancy Jennings" , "Tom and Jeanne fulton-oleary" , "Dennis and Lynn Carroll"

Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 10:25:10 AM
Subject: RE: Request for Discussion of Ft. Ward Park at Parks & Open Space Committee Meeting

Dear Glenn and Neighbors:
Thanks for the note and attached paper. Please know that after you contacted me about these issues earlier in the year I spoke with Kirk Kincannon at length several times about the problems and possible solutions at Ft. Ward park. I also asked him to address it at our first Park and Recreation Commission meeting of the 08-09 year which was held this past Wednesday following a hearing on the renovation of the Patrick Henry Recreation Center.
At the meeting Kirk and Roger Blakeley gave the Commission copies of the “cost center” plan for the park and shared with the Commission that a draft facilities use plan will be coming to us at our next meeting. We anticipate that together these documents will begin to address the problems (and opportunities) at Ft. Ward Park which you have been raising. We understand that some significant steps have already been taken to address the management issues at the park and that more will follow. Kirk and Roger were asked about their plan to take these documents to the community located near the park, and certainly your home owner’s association. Roger said that you already have the first document and will be getting the second when it is prepared. They indicated they will reaching out more broadly to the surrounding community with this information as well. I will also ask them to share these with Vice Mayor Pepper.
At the meeting the Commission’s discussion moved beyond the specifics of Ft. Ward to a discussion and acknowledgement that what is occurring at Ft. Ward is not entirely unique, though the recent infraction of the permit (excessive numbers of people at an event) was completely over the top. The truth of the matter is that our larger parks are being used more intensely by more people. That is not entirely a bad thing. 

People should be out using public parks. The Commission has spoken before about the need for the City to look at the larger parks in our City and plan to appropriately accommodate the more intense use that is coming. We to plan to accommodate the use in an appropriate manner, limit it to what the park should bear, to spread the use to other parks in the City (where should we be putting in more picnic pavilions – Chinquapin?) and to identify any new tools that will be required to accomplish that mission. On this last point we discussed a rather hefty increase in a deposit fee to have greater assurance that the terms of permits are followed.
One of the things that you and I have discussed is that the time may have come for a corps of roving “rangers” charged with monitoring and enforcement at these more heavily programmed and used parks. While we will not be able to have full time rangers at each of these areas, a small corps of rangers could make a pretty big dent in the problems these parks experience. While we raised it last year, the Commission will be bringing this up again as a part of the budget process in the coming months. In all fairness, we are all fully aware that it is a difficult economic climate right now to be asking for these additional resources.
In addition, during the previous budget cycle the Commission identified unmet needs in the area of Parks and Recreation that do not appear in the budget out-years. One of those needs we identified at that time was a series of master plans for the larger parks in the city, those that like Ft. Ward that are getting increased visitation and use. We placed the need to do that behind some other pressing priorities (like remodeling Patrick Henry Rec Center). We have asked staff to assemble a list of those parks that would need that planning along with the order in which they most logically need to be addressed. The Commission also understands that the department currently does not have the resources to undertake any of those master planning efforts. The planning staff in the department is far over-extended currently. As you may be aware, the director of the planning division, Aimee Vosper, was recently hired away by the Northern Virginia Regional Planning Commission, further complicating the matter.
In closing I want to say that the Commission has taken this issue seriously, we have discussed it and will continue to ask for updates to monitor progress, including the facilities plan that we expect to see at the October meeting. Please stay in touch with me about issues as they arise and steps your neighborhood is taking. While we may not be able to accomplish everything needed in the immediate future (rangers, or full time park staff, master planning, etc) because of budget and staff constraints, there is much that we can do. I will let the Commission and Kirk know that I received this communication from you. I will ask Kirk to make it a part of his monthly report to the Commission, and I will send a note to Vice Mayor Pepper that we have and will continue to address the issues at Ft. Ward Park.
Thanks Glenn.
Judy Noritake

From: glenn_eugster@comcast.net [mailto:glenn_eugster@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 5:02 PM
To: Judy Noritake
Cc: Margaret McCormack; John and Elizabeth Kling and Sullivan; Allen & Nancy Jennings; Tom and Jeanne fulton-oleary; Dennis and Lynn Carroll
Subject: Request for Discussion of Ft. Ward Park at Parks & Open Space Committee Meeting
Dear Judy,
I hope this note finds you well.
Today a group of us from Marlboro Estates met with Vice Mayor Pepper to discuss concerns we have regarding the use and management of Ft. Ward Park. Ms. Pepper was most interested in the issues and problems we identified. She suggested I send you a copy of the attached briefing paper and ask you to consider addiing this topic to the agenda of the next Parks & Open Space Committee Meeting. Attached is the briefing paper.
Please let me know if you want to discuss this with us.
Thanks Judy!
Sincerely,
Glenn Eugster