PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — Prince William County officials are debating whether or not to allow voters to decide on allow them to borrow $600 million for new parks and roads projects.
A total of $200,000 would be used for parks and $400,000 for roads.
At a public meeting May 21, county Chairman At-large Corey Stewart said the four parks projects – which includes an $84 million indoor track competition center, are long overdue.
“Loudoun and Stafford counties have built facilities that allow people to enjoy sports activities in all weather conditions. We haven’t. The Chinn Center [in Lake Ridge] was the last indoor rec center in eastern Prince William County and it opened in 1992,” said Stewart.
Stewart is not running for re-election to the Board of County Supervisors and has led the way on developing this road and parks bond. He’s met with fellow Supervisors individually to see what projects they would like in each of their respective magisterial districts.
The full Board will decide at its June 18 or June 25 meeting to place a bond referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot. If the referendum is put to the voters, and if they ultimately approve, it would authorize county officials to spend the cash on the projects Seth Handler-Voss, director of the county’s parks and recreation department, outlined for at the Board of County Supervisors at its May 7 meeting.
$21.6 million Community Field House Western county field house
A new field house in western Prince William County in the Brentsville District that would primarily be a practice facility for county schools.
This new field house would provide indoor turf space for multiple teams and leagues who could practice at the same time.
This could be a public-private partnership with the U.S. Tennis Association. If so, that would help offset the cost, said Handler-Voss.
The tennis association recently accounted for plans for a new corporate headquarters in the county.
The community field house would require 10 to 12 acres of land — a large amount of land, which could end up being multiple parcels cobbled together to form one large one on which to build the field house.
$6 million Howison Park improvements
Improvements to this popular outdoor soccer park which is the home to Prince William Soccer Incorporated. It would include new specter seating for the soccer fields, new trails, a new fitness facility, expansion of the restroom facility, and more parking. It would take two years to build.
The stadium seating would create a more “spectator feel” for the families who attend games there, said Prince William County Parks and Recreation Department chief Seth Handler-Voss.
$10.8 million Long Park improvements
A new left turn lane to get into the park in Gainesville, lights and irrigation at two soccer fields, new restrooms, new sewer line, and an expansion of the parking lot.
$6 million new community park
This new “dream out loud” park, as Handler-Voss put it, would be located in Dale City and would include a new amphitheater, climbing wall, skate park, playground, and a pedal-powered monorail.
The park is molded after a park in Tulsa, Okla. “With all of the amenities, it’s going to cost a lot to operate,” said Handler-Voss.
$84 million indoor sports complex
This 230,000 square-feet facility would be located in the Occoquan District and include a hydraulic six-lane track, playing courts, 3,500 seats for track meets, sporting events, as well as school events like convocations and graduations.
Handler-Voss called this project the “mac daddy” of all of the proposed projects outlined on the parks bond referendum.
The hydraulic track would be the fifth of its kind in the U.S. Officials said the events held in this center would draw crowds that would also shop in area stores, and dine in local restaurants. One of the cons of the project: It would require up to 20 acres of land to build, and in the already built-out Occoquan District, that land would be difficult to find.
“There is a void for a facility like this in the [Washington] D.C. area. There is a sense of urgency by other jurisdictions to try and corner this market,” said Handler-Voss.
$6 million Fuller Heights Park expansion
Place two new baseball fields at Fuller Heights for a total of four. The park is located off Fuller Heights Road in Triangle.
$42 million aquatics and fitness center
This new facility would be a membership-based facility akin to the Chinn Aquatics and Fitness Center and would be built in the Woodbridge area. It would include a $50,000 square-foot, 50-meter competition and leisure pool, workout rooms, classrooms, and basketball court, and community rooms for events and parties. It would take 48 months to build.
The proposed facility comes as both the Chinn Center and the Dale City Recreation Center (which also includes an indoor pool) are over capacity with users.
$23.6 million trails and open space
This would purchase land for new trails in various locations in the county.
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