Occoquan wants to name its new riverfront park

Leaders in Occoquan have begun the discussion on what to name their upcoming riverfront park.

Demolition of an old water treatment plant once operated by Fairfax Water until it was decommissioned in 2007 began late last summer. Work to remove old water tanks, as well as other structures, is expected to be completed this winter, and then construction of the new park will commence.

The park will include scenic views of the Occoquan River, a public restroom, a storage facility and possibly a pavilion.

Town officials want to come up with a name for the park. The name should be entirely new and not mirror other names of places and buildings in the town such as “Mill,” as the town already has a historic mill and a street of the same name. The park will not be named after a person, either, according town documents.

A list of proposed names for the park is being compiled by town staff. That list is expected to be made available Feb. 3 during a public meeting when residents will be able to weigh in on the new name.

Last week, the town council was scheduled to meet with its engineers to review conceptual plans for the park. Improvements to a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Occoquan River at the end of Mill Street, as well as a looped walking path, and new interpretive signage pointing out historic facts and places of interest are also being considered as part of the park project.

The new riverfront park is slated to open this year.