An ongoing public-private partnership will support improvements to benefit both dogs and their human companions at Westgrove Park in Groveton.
The Fairfax County Park Authority Board on Dec. 10 approved $10,084 from its Mastenbrook Volunteer Matching Fund Grant Program to cover half the cost of the planned upgrades. The Westgrove Pumphouse Association for Canine Kindness — known as Westgrove PACK — will fund the other half.
The plan calls for installation of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant engineered wood fiber surfacing and the addition of accessible picnic tables at the park, located at 6801 Fort Hunt Road.
The new wood fiber surfacing will provide improved accessibility, maintainability and aesthetics compared to existing conditions, park officials say.
The addition of ADA-compliant surface materials “will be especially beneficial for those with disabilities, for those who use wheelchairs, walkers or other assistive devices,” the organization said.
Completion of the project is expected by spring. The contractor will be Envirogro and Cunningham.
The park authority board in 2012 authorized use of a portion of Westgrove Park for an off-leash dog area on an interim basis. The following year, it was approved as a permanent use. According to the Westgrove PACK, the off-leash facility is the largest natural turf-based dog park in Northern Virginia.
Since its creation, the dog park has experienced heavy use, resulting in challenges maintaining the grassy area used by off-leash dogs, county officials say.
Park authority staff is proposing a “utilizing more aggressive and tolerant turfgrass” to meet challenges posed by the large number of dogs using the facility.
“A perennial herbaceous mix such as bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and/or turf-type tall fescue blends” is under consideration, staff said in a report to the Park Authority Board.
How the new turf holds up will be reviewed annually by the Park Authority and Westgrove PACK.
The dog park’s operation has been governed by a memorandum of understanding between the park authority and Westgrove PACK. The agreement recently was extended for three more years, with the nonprofit organization continuing to cover costs of maintenance, while ownership remains with the park authority.
Funding for the Mastenbrook grant program was approved by voters as part of a 2020 parks bond. With a grant for the Westgrove Park project approved, the remaining balance in the fund will be approximately $550,000, county staff said.
The program supports park projects with grants ranging from a few hundred dollars to as much as $20,000, with sponsoring organizations providing the remainder of the funding needed to complete a project.
Since 1999, more than $2.2 million in grants have been awarded, leveraging projects valued at nearly $17 million.
Shih tzu photo by Joe Caione/Unsplash
