Fort Ward Park & Museum Advisory Group Needs Vacancies Filled. April 8, 2013

Fort Ward Park & Museum Advisory Group Needs Vacancies Filled

April 8, 2013

The advisory group that the Alexandria City Manager created nearly three-years ago continues it's work to implement the recommendations that were made in January 2011. The grou

p members, which are intended to represent various "stakeholder" and community interests, appears to be struggling to sustain their work. Recent meetings have been cancelled, or held without public notice, and nearly one-third of the positions on the advisory group are vacant. Interestingly three-key community positions( Seminary Hill Association, Inc. Citizen-at-large, and Citizen living within 1-mile) are vacant. Two of these positions have been vacant for more than a year. 

Decades ago community interests rallied against proposals for high density development to save this area and create a historic park. As the Recreation Department and the Office of Historic Alexandria assist the group, and a consultant hired by the Recreation Department, to prepare a management plan the need for citizen involvement in this effort is as important as it ever was. Long-standing problems at the park, including lost graves, storm water, illegal development, backlog maintenance, and over use, will never be solved to everyone's satisfaction unless community leaders are at the table and have input into decision-making.

It's time for the City Manager to fill the Advisory Group's vacancies and create some urgency to get the management plan don.

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