NOVA Parks and the Town of Vienna are partnering for an initiative that could transform a pair of offices into a visitor center for the Washington and Old Dominion Trail.
Fresh off its 50th anniversary last year, the 45-mile trail runs from Shirlington out to Purcellville, with Vienna as its “geographic center,” NOVA Parks Executive Director Paul Gilbert said when announcing the project during an Arbor Day event at the Vienna Town Green last Friday (April 25).
In a release, NOVA Parks said the visitor center would encourage the trail’s 3 million annual users to stop and explore the town. The possibility of a visitor center for the W&OD Trail has been in discussion for years, with Loudoun County previously considered as a potential location.
“The goal of the W&OD Trail Visitor Center is to create a sense of identity for this large, regional trail, offer services to trail users, and share the story of the trail’s inspiring history,” Gilbert said. “The development of a W&OD Trail Visitor Center accomplishes one of the signature projects of NOVA Parks’ Strategic Plan, and we believe this location is ideal for trail users to meet, learn, and explore.”
The proposed visitor center could be located at 125 Church Street — which is described in the release as an obsolete office building adjacent to the trail with no existing tenants — and a former bank building turned interior-design business at 200 Dominion Road.
NOVA Parks signed an option agreement with the town last week to potentially acquire both properties.
The partnership also plans to more fully “integrate the trail” into Vienna’s historic and commercial districts and install separate pedestrian and cycling lanes through the town, expanding a “dual trails” design that can currently only be found in Falls Church City.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, who recently announced that he won’t be running for reelection, said he was able to secure $1 million in federal funding for the project.
“I’m excited to see how this project will help shape the next 50 years for the trail,” Connolly said. “It’s vital that we continue to make investments to preserve and expand our green space, and I applaud the Town of Vienna and NOVA Parks for doing just that.”
NOVA Parks said the project is still in the early stages of planning, a process expected to take up the next two years.
According to Gilbert, the regional park authority will be searching for additional funding to support the project, though a NOVA Parks spokesperson says more studies will likely be needed before a design and cost estimate can be developed.
“The Town’s partnership with NOVA Parks is a wonderful opportunity to create an attractive destination for visitors and generate more business to support the local economy,” Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert said. “This project has the potential to reshape the heart of Vienna from our Town Green through the industrial corridor on Dominion Road and through the Historic Church Street business district.”
