Prince William County’s proposed $200 million parks bond ‘on life support’

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — If you ask Supervisor Jeanine Lawson, it’s not looking good for the plan to spend $200 million on new parks.

“It’s on life support right now,” said Prince William County’s Brentsville District Supervisor.

She and seven other Supervisors must decide this month whether or not to place up to two bond referenda on the November 2019 ballot.

1. A $200 million parks and recreation bond that would see the construction of a $84 million indoor sports facility, complete with a hydraulic track in the eastern side of the county, a new adventure park with pedal-power monorail, and a new sports practice facility in western Prince William County.

2. A $400 million roads bond that would bring improvements to some of the worst intersections in the county, including a new $70 million grade-separated interchange at Prince William Parkway at Minnieville Road in Woodbridge that would carry Minnieville Road over the parkway.

“I’m more confident in the roads part of it,” said Lawson. “Overall, it’s too aggressive of a plan with all of the parks projects included.”

Improving transportation has long been a priority in the county. While building new parks has not been, she said.

Of the 11 total projects, which will require building 50 new lane miles of roadway, some of them will be eligible for partial funding from federal and state sources. It’s possible the county won’t need all of the $400 million it could ask permission to borrow.

The parks projects, however, won’t be, meaning that all of the debt for new parks facilities would fall on county taxpayers. And then there’s the cost of maintaining the new facilities with upkeep and staff.

Lawson and Supervisor Peter Candland in the neighboring Gainesville District have both expressed concerns about ongoing maintenance costs for the new park facilities.

Occoquan District Supervisor Ruth Anderson told Potomac Local she’d be more likely to support a roads bond over a parks bond despite the fact that the proposed $84 million indoor track facility would be located her magisterial district near Interstate 95.

Supervisors on June 18 or 25th should vote whether or not to send one our both referenda to voters in November.