Fairfax City hopes to advance its master plan for the 36-acre Van Dyck Park under an updated capital improvement program (CIP) for fiscal years 2026 to 2030.
Laid out in a master plan approved back in 2018, the upgrades at Van Dyck Park (3720 Blenheim Blvd) are the most substantial investment proposed in the CIP, which is heading to the Fairfax City Council after getting the city planning commission’s recommendation on Monday (Jan. 27).
Serving as a “road map” for the park’s development into 2050 and beyond, the Van Dyck master plan calls for a skate plaza, new trail connections, a multi-age playground and other civic and recreational amenities on 15.5 acres. An additional 6.6 acres would remain untouched, as it occupies floodplain and resource-protection areas.
The CIP proposes appropriating $11 million in fiscal year 2026, which starts this July, and another $5 million in FY 2027 to implement the master plan improvements at Van Dyck Park.
However, at an earlier planning commission meeting to discuss the CIP, Fairfax City Chief Financial Officer Juan Carlos Martinez suggested pushing some of that funding back on the timetable since it won’t be needed as early as fiscal years 2026-27.
The $16 million in proposed spending on the Blenheim Blvd park represents more than half the city’s $28.9 million five-year capital projects package. The city’s share of renovation and expansion of the Sherwood Community Center takes up just over $9 million more.
Other items in the CIP include various facility maintenance and renovation projects, $1 million to install security cameras at city parks and feasibility studies related to the City of Fairfax Fire Department’s Fire Station #3, the city’s property yard and overall school conditions.
There is also a push to leverage public-private partnerships and the city’s new parks foundation in support of capital spending.
The planning commission has been reviewing capital spending options since November. The Jan. 27 vote to forward the proposal to the city council was preceded by a public hearing, but no community members turned up to provide input.
City Manager Bryan Foster will formally present the capital plan to council members at a work session on Monday, Feb. 3. A day later, the planning commission will make a presentation to the council.
Planning Commission Chair James Feather said the presentation will take a new format for 2025, though he didn’t detail the changes to expect.
“It’s going to look a little different this year, but I think for good reason,” he said, adding that “I do look forward to the discussion.”
The capital plan also will be part of Foster’s Tuesday, Feb. 25 budget presentation to council members.
