The Prince William County Parks and Recreation Department has updated its tourism master draft plan for 2020, a document focused on projecting community needs in the next 10-15 years.
The plan discusses in part how historic sites are assets for tourism and looks into how to utilize these sites to boost economic gains.
The plan, which is apart of the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Systemwide Master Plan, now includes the mergers of Prince William County’s Historic Preservation Division and Office of Tourism into the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.
The Historic Preservation Division has been a part of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism for almost two years, but this is the first time the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Systemwide Master Plan includes historic sites in the planning process.
The expansion of the Master Plan to include tourism and historic preservation comes If the department is folded into parks and recreation, it would come three years after the department took on the role of tourism promotion after county leaders voted to dissolve “Discover Prince William/Manassas,” a partnership between the county and Manassas City that aimed to promote the region to visitors.
The tourism plan now under consideration addresses improving visitor experiences at the county’s parks, recreational facilities, historic sites, and promoting heritage and sports tourism. It also focuses on securing public and private partnerships as well as private development investments that benefit county residents and the economy.
Heritage tourism focuses on showing the history and heritage of an area through experiences, structures and historic sites. Prince William County has 15 historic sites managed by the Historic Preservation Division. Some sites are open daily, while others are open by appointment only, and others are currently closed to the public. In 2019, almost 150,000 people visited the county’s historic sites, with 35% of visitors being from out of the county.
Sports tourism draws visitors from across the east coast to the county’s 472 sports venues that host sports events and tournaments. This includes youth, amateur, collegiate, professional, minor league, and motorsports. It also offers 11 public golf courses, 2 indoor Olympic pools, an ice arena, and fields for softball, baseball, and soccer.
Furthermore, the county currently owns 63 developed parks, which offer a number of activities for visitors, including:
- Two 18-hole golf courses
- One 9-hole leisure golf courses
- 116 sports fields
- Two waterparks
- 6 outdoor pools
- 2 aquatics and fitness centers
- A skate park
- A marina
- A dog park
“The plan provides an opportunity to fully realize the synergies created by the mergers such as incorporating new historic interpretive storytelling into the Department’s recreation program and developing outdoor recreation, sports tourism, culture, history, heritage, agri-tourism opportunities and more,” said Ann Marie Maher, Director of Tourism in Prince William County.
Due to changes in consumer travel patterns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the state and Office of Tourism’s COVID-19 recovery plan now includes a primary marketing focus on the local and drive markets.Â
“The plan is based on the level of service standards outline in the plan and is designed to address the needs of the community,” said Brent M. Heavner, the Communication Services Division Chief of the Prince William Department of Parks and Recreation.
The planned budget for the Office of Tourism this year is $1.5 million, funded by the county’s hotel tax. Budget spending will focus on supporting the coronavirus tourism industry’s economic recovery efforts.
The tourism discussions are master plan is part of the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Systemwide Master Plan.
“The plan is based on the level of service standards outline in the plan and is designed to address the needs of the community,” said Brent M. Heavner, the Communication Services Division Chief of the Prince William Department of Parks and Recreation.
The draft is available to the public online at pwcgov.org/parks.
Prince William County’s tourism economy currently ranks 9th in the Commonwealth in total visitor spending, and in 2018, over 6,662 hospitality and tourism professionals were employed in Prince William County.Â
The Prince William County School Board is making plans to reopen schools, a process teachers at a recent rally have claimed is lacking transparency.
With the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, and the new school year starting August 25, the Prince William County School Board has been holding meetings to discuss how to safely reopen schools.
So far, they assembled a 90-person panel and a task force to discuss plans for reopening schools. The task force consists of principals, assistant principals, and lead teachers.
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On July 30, 2020, Stafford community business leaders are invited to join the county’s interactive town hall.Â
This meeting will discuss the New Entrepreneur Development Initiative launching in Stafford County and the Greater Fredericksburg Region. The Initiative is designed to encourage business expansion and formation, particularly around technology use.
“With our virtual town hall, we can ask entrepreneurs about their business needs and opportunities to grow their business. An important part of this is that it’s not just start-ups, although it is start-ups. It’s also for existing businesses to consider new ventures or ways to do business differently,” said John P Holden, Director of Economic Development and Tourism.
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The Rappahannock Area Health District will hold a drive-thru testing event on July 7 to test community members for the coronavirus.
This is in partnership with Stafford County Fire and Rescue, the Virginia National Guard, and Mary Washington Healthcare.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot near the intersection of Hospital Boulevard and Courthouse Road in Stafford County. Signs will be posted to direct participants to the location. Individuals seeking testing are advised to seat near their vehicle’s window and wear a mask.
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Boater Alex Pirowski won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event by bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 17 pounds 3 ounces. The event was held at the Potomac River on June 28.
As a reward for his victory, Pirowski earned $5,337. In addition, he also earned the $658 Boater Big Bass award with his biggest fish, a 6 pound 4 ouncer.
“It was tough for most of the day, but I couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out. I ran south and fished main-river docks and wood. The bite was pretty hit-or-miss, so I rolled into Potomac Creek for a little bit and managed to pick one up there as well,” said Pirowski.
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At the end of March, House of Mercy started a mask-making initiative to make 5,000 masks to donate to healthcare workers. Now, they have met and surpassed that goal with 5,308 masks made.
House of Mercy is a non-profit organization working to provide food, clothing, education, and prayer to those in need. Each month, they work with over 500 families through their food pantry and thrift store to supply their basic needs. The mask initiative was a response to the shortage of medical supplies for healthcare workers at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. After reaching out to all their volunteers, supporters, donors, and friends, House of Mercy received support from all of Northern Virginia. People came forward to donate and cut fabric, teach volunteers how to make masks, and organize volunteers from their own communities, specifically the Heritage Hunt Community. Â"We were able to help healthcare workers and front-line employees better protect themselves while they are taking care of our sick neighbors. So, a huge thank you to everyone who supported us throughout this endeavor, and thank you to all of our heroes still tirelessly working on the front lines to protect us," said House of Mercy in a press statement.House of Mercy delivered masks to several departments including:
- NOVANT Hospital
- Manassas City Police Department
- Manassas City Public Works
- Manassas City Treasurer’s Office
- Manassas City Traffic Control
- Manassas City Finance Department
- Manassas City Department of Revenue
- Manassas City Department of Social Service
- Nokesville Fire Department
- MedStar Hospital in D.C.
On June 22, 2020, the Prince William Humane Society (PWHS) announced the launching the Adopt Shop Co-Op.
The Adopt Shop Co-Op is an affiliate program that supports local animal welfare organizations and is managed by Advocates for Abused and Abandoned Pets (A3P). It will help the PWHS increase pet adoption rates, expand outreach efforts to existing and potential pet owners, and improve the well-being of the region’s pets.
“A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us in the past. With the community’s continued support of our new alliance we will be able to bring a larger audience to otherwise invisible and undeserved animals,” said Lori Leary, PWHS President.
The Adopt Shop Co-Op will use its social media and web presence to expose PWHS followers to pet-related content such as affiliate rescuers and their adoptable pets. In addition, they will also host periodic adoptions at 17983 Dumfries Shopping Plaza in Dumfries.Â
The PWHS will also maintain its other programs and initiatives such as the PAWS Fund.
“By expanding our mission to help other small rescues and forming the Adopt Shop Co-Op, we will be saving more lives and finding even more forever homes. We hope the public we serve will agree and will join us in this new endeavor as we travel this pathway to a no-kill society,” said Leary.
A3P is currently on-site with cats and kittens available for adoption. The public can call the number 703-634-0880 to schedule an appointment to meet the pets.
The Prince William Humane Society is a non-profit organization and Community Partner with the Prince William County Animal Shelter. It opened its adoption center, the Adopt Shop, in Dumfries, Virginia to facilitate adoptions for shelter animals. It is also responsible for programs and initiatives including Fur-ever Together, Poor Animal Surgical and Welfare (PAWS) Fund, Warrior Buddies, and Seniors 4 Seniors.Â
Girls on the Run Piedmont welcomes a new member to its programs.
Erin Barker will be joining the board of directors of Girls on the Run Piedmont.
“As an educator, I believe in the importance of developing the social-emotional well-being of my students. Girls on the Run provides a fun, yet research based program, that teaches our young girls how to learn and celebrate their own unique gifts, develop healthy relationships, and build self-confidence and the strength to know that they can do and be anything they want to be. I had the opportunity to bring this program to my school and serve as a coach for 4 seasons. As a board member, I am able to support the growth of this amazing program to make it available to as many girls as we can. I believe in the mission and have seen firsthand the impact that the curriculum has in developing self-confidence and resilience in young girls,” said Erin Barker, Board Member
Girls on the Run is also extending their program to Stafford and Spotsylvania counties. It also has programs in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties.
Because of school closures and social distancing measures, Girls on the Run is introducing a new program, POWER UP, an interactive at-home Activity Kit.
Girls on the Run is a youth development program dedicated to helping girls develop life skills. It is physical activity-based and available to girls in 3rd through 8th grade.
More information about Girls on the Run Piedmont is available on their website at gotrpiedmont.org.Â
With the 4th of July approaching, Stafford County shared its plans for events, openings, and cancelations.
The county is currently in Phase II of Governor Ralph Northam’s reopening plan for Virginia following the coronavirus pandemic, however, the coronavirus has impacted many of the county's plans for summer events and programs.Â
Due to social distancing still being in place along with public health concerns, a number of events have been canceled. This includes Stafford’s Fourth of July celebration and fireworks and the summer music series at Celebration Stage.Â
