Advisory Group Considers Significant Recommendations for Recreation Use at Fort Ward. November 14, 2012

Advisory Group Considers Significant Recommendations for Recreation Use at Fort Ward

On November 14, 2012, at the Fort Ward Park & Museum Advisory Group, Bob Moir and Ripley Forbes shared a “Draft Recreation Chapter, “Recreational Use: Issues and Recommendations” for Fort Ward Historic Park.  The draft report called for:

1. Creation of a natural walkway 
2. Removal of the playground to another area
3. Removal of the cement surrounding the arborist memorial
4. Improvements in the roadway loop
5. Removal of the dog park
6. Commitment of resources to maintenance, 
7. Restoring the gate between the athletic field and passive recreation area, and 
8. Strengthening the picnic procedures.

Mr. Forbes presented the chapter on recreational use of the park. He noted that there is no comprehensive plan for the park; rather it evolved over time in piecemeal fashion. Fort Ward was established to preserve the Civil War fort and formally opened as Fort Ward Historic Park and Museum however over time a playground, dog park, picnic area, arboretum, and soccer and tennis fields/courts were added to the park. This was accomplished in an ad hoc manner. 

The park is the major passive recreation venue for the residents in the west end of Alexandria. After presenting the background and current situation, the authors of the chapter included eight significant recommendations. These recommendations include creation of a natural walkway, removal of the playground to another area, removal of the cement surrounding the arborist memorial, improvements in the roadway loop, removal of the dog park, commitment of resources to maintenance, restoring the gate between the athletic field and passive recreation area, and strengthening the picnic procedures.

Public input will be attained before any changes in the uses/amenities of the park are made. 

Members of the advisory group engaged in a discussion of some of the recommendations. There is a hierarchy of uses of the park, with some uses seen as essential to the mission of the park. The members expressed various opinions regarding the recommendations and raised additional questions such as whether there should be a playground or a dog run in the park at all. The playground is not ADA accessible and in the direct path of run‐off and, at the very least, will need to be relocated.

Members were asked to please send any comments about the report to Mr. Forbes.  Mr. Forbes and Mr. Moir are also members of the City of Alexandria Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee.