The Long Talk Moves Toward Decisions for Fort Ward

More than four years after City of Alexandria officials agreed publicly to work with community leaders to solve problems at Fort Ward Park a city-appointed advisory group of 14 members seems to be poised to make decisions about the protection, use, interpretation and enjoyment of Alexandria’s oldest and largest park.  The Fort Ward Park and Museum Advisory Group, created in 2009 through a City Council resolution, has been working with four city departments and two consultants to develop a management plan for the park.  The advisory group, as well as a support group called the Fort Ward History Work Group, has held dozens and dozens of meetings to gather information for decision-making on park use, storm water management, historic and cultural preservation and interpretation, park management, future development, and other topics which have been identified by the public through a series of meetings held in 2009 by city leaders.

The decision to develop a new management plan for Fort Ward was the result of citizen interest and concern about past and current activities in the park.  Citizens and community leaders came together to express concern about over excessive use of the park; illegal city activities within the park; the destruction of family graves; storm water and erosion damage to the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery; and proposals to divert historic portions of the park for revenue-generating activities inconsistent with the original purpose of the historic park.

As the advisory group and city-hired consultants inch nearer to producing a draft management plan for Fort Ward Park and Museum community leaders are again looking and listening closely to what information will be shared.  According to city sources the Recreation Department and the advisory group will be announcing a series of public meetings to share information with the public and various city commissions about the recommendations of the plan.  Surprisingly, according to Department of Recreation staff, there will be only one “informal public meeting” to get feedback on the plan’s draft recommendations.

The advisory group and consultants, as well as the four city-departments assisting this effort, have generated volumes of studies and reports that are being used to shape the plan.  Some of the keystone issues that are likely to influence many, if not most, of the recommendations in the plan include:

1. How will the city find the remaining lost grave’s of Fort Ward Park?;
2. How will the city manage water runoff, or as the engineers call it--stormwater, inside and outside the park?; and,
3. What alternatives are the City Council, Park and Recreation Commission and advisory group considering for the future management of the park by another entity?

It is important  for everyone with an interest in Fort Ward Park to read and fully understand how the recommendations of the draft management plan will answer these and other questions.  

As a way to assist citizens in their review of the draft management plan the Fort Ward Observer will cover each of these questions in follow-up newsletters this month.  As the long talk begins to wind its way toward a conclusion about the past, current and future uses, protection and enjoyment of Fort Ward Park, it will be important for people to stay engaged and use whatever opportunity that the City of Alexandria will offer to provide city officials with your views on the draft recommendations.   Fort Ward was saved, and the park created, by community action over 50 years ago.  The vision for the next 50 years will be shaped during the next three to six months.   As Char Bah, a 2014 City of Alexandria, Virginia “Living Legend”, once said, “If you let this time get away from you there might not be another time”.

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. 1. Glenn Eugster
   2. Fort Ward Observer

January 7, 2014