Reston Association has granted its Lakes Equity Working Group (LEWG) more time to complete its report on lake usage and accessibility until next summer.
The RA Board of Directors’ liaison to the group, Irwin Flashman, said at the board’s July 11 meeting that although the group has made progress, they needed more time to gather comprehensive data.
“The original one-year time limit, which was set in the [Oct. 26, 2022] resolution, was a shot in the dark,” he said. “No one knew what we were going to be dealing with except on a theoretical level. We’re now looking at the hard facts and think we need the time.”
Though it needs more time to collect additional data, the group shared initial recommendations as part of a draft proposal to give the board an idea of how it plans to boost accessibility for residents with disabilities at several Reston lakes.
- Lake Thoreau: add an ADA-accessible boat launch, alter the viewing platform for accessible fishing and using covered storage for rental boats
- Lake Audubon: improve accessible parking and picnic areas, modify the boat launch, confirm accessibility of walking paths and add an accessible fishing platform
- Lake Anne Plaza: add ramped access to the lake, modify the boat launch and install an accessible fishing platform
Although these findings might be part of LEWG’s final report, the group emphasized in a status report that the recommendations are preliminary.
“These recommendations, still in their draft state, subject to further review and refinement, and not meant to be comprehensive, represent a potential part of the LEWG’s final report,” the group said.
Established in December 2022, the LEWG is tasked with assessing how lakes Anne, Thoreau, Audubon and Newport are used and identifying ways to improve access for all residents.
The RA board directed the group to develop a report with a vision for how Reston’s lakes should be used, including an assessment of demographic data related to current usage and recommendations for changes to policies and infrastructure to improve inclusivity.
Since starting their work, Flashman says the group — which is made up of several volunteers, including Chair Nyaradzo Longinaker and Vice Chair Surekha Sridhar — spent the first six months organizing their objectives in early 2024 and began evaluating needs and collecting data shortly after that.
In their initial survey, the group heard from 1,739 of about 23,000 Reston households, or 7.56%. The report noted that most feedback came from high-income earners and stressed the need for more input from lower-income and non-English-speaking residents.
“We are still in the trenches of collecting data and performing analyses,” one of the group’s volunteers told the board.
To address these gaps, the LEWG has conducted a barriers survey, set criteria for evaluating lake access, and attended lake events to gather qualitative data. They have also walked all four of Reston’s lakes, documenting discrepancies and taking over 400 photos to aid their analysis.
Moving forward, the group’s strategy includes further analysis of data from a community survey that RA conducted last year, assessments of lake access, GIS analysis and community engagement. Flashman and other group members say an extension will allow them to gather data throughout all seasons, providing a fuller picture of lake usage and access.
The group initially faced a December 2024 deadline, one year after its first meeting on Dec. 6, 2023. However, they have requested an extension until Aug. 31, 2025, to give volunteers more time to collect data, make policy recommendations and create documents that will inform future decisions on lake equity.
RA’s board voted 7-1, with one abstention, to grant the group an extension — with the condition that the group provide quarterly updates on its progress.
“I think you guys are doing great work, and I just want to make sure that the community, which is seemingly bought into something, gets additional information on top of that, to help reflect the equity moves that are necessary by the board,” said Trevor Grywatch, at-large representative and vice president of the board.
The first quarterly update is scheduled for October.
