As summer winds down, the Fairfax County Park Authority is gearing up to give some of its swimming pools thorough cleanings.

The pools and spas at the Cub Run, Providence and Franconia recreation centers will all be closed starting Monday (Aug. 21) for “deep system cleaning and necessary maintenance,” the park authority recently announced.

The closures will coincide with the first week of classes for Fairfax County Public Schools and continue through Labor Day. This period from late August to early September tends to see less pool usage “than at any other point throughout the year,” FCPA Regional Operations Branch Manager Kimeshia Junkins said in a press release.

“The Park Authority appreciates the patience and understanding of pool patrons as we conduct this work as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Junkins said.

The closure schedule is below:

Cub Run Rec Center (4630 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly)

• Leisure and Competition Pools and Spa Closed: Aug. 21
• Competition Pool Reopens: Sept. 5
• Leisure Pool and Spa Reopen: Sept. 16

Providence Rec Center (7525 Marc Drive, Falls Church)

• Pool and Spa Closed: Aug. 21
• Pool and Spa Reopen: Sept. 6

Franconia Rec Center (6601 Telegraph Road, Alexandria)

• Pool and Spa Closed: Aug. 21
• Pool and Spa Reopen: Sept. 9

The park authority typically follows a two-year cycle to deep clean the pools at each of its nine rec centers. The George Washington Rec Center pool in Mount Vernon has been closed for maintenance since July 24 but is scheduled to reopen this Sunday (Aug. 20).

“The Park Authority is coordinating this needed work to minimize any inconvenience and deliver an improved experience for Rec Center members,” the FCPA said. “Projects include deep cleaning of the pools and pool decks, retiling in showers and addressing other improvements throughout each center.”

Photo via Google Maps

Updated at 5:35 p.m. — The storm has been deemed “destructive” for Clifton, Burke and Annandale, with the National Weather Service warning of “considerable damage to trees and power lines” and that “your life is at significant risk if outdoors.”

Earlier: A storm bringing intense winds and potentially even hail or a tornado is bearing down on the D.C. area.

In anticipation of the weather, the Fairfax County Park Authority closed several outdoor facilities at 4 p.m., including the Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, the Martin Luther King Jr. Pool in Gum Springs and Our Special Harbor Spray Park in Groveton.

All golf courses and driving ranges, marinas and park amusements, like carousels, have also been shut down. Outdoor classes and activities have either been canceled or moved indoors.

With the line of storms moving eastward, the northwestern part of the county is expected to get hit first. The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 5:15 p.m. for that area, including Reston, Herndon and possibly Tysons.

The alert warns of 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail.

“Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall,” the NWS said. “This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.”

The storm is expected to arrive during the afternoon rush-hour around 5-7 p.m., prompting local federal government offices and other many workplaces to send employees home early.

Metro is “deploying additional resources to respond to weather-related issues” that may affect its service, activating its Emergency Operations Center.

“Severe delays, disruptions, and detours in Metro bus, rail, and paratransit service are possible due to extremely high winds, road conditions and other hazards,” Metro said in a news release.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Centreville VA, Reston VA and Linton Hall VA until 5:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/Ai5Wnyfgbu

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) August 7, 2023

(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) Autumnwood pool in Reston is temporarily offline due to electrical issues.

According to Reston Association, the pool’s electrical system failed again despite repairs to the electrical system that powers the filter pump earlier this month.

“Last week, the system failed again, and is unable to be repaired by RA staff, or a contracted vendor. Staff are working to find replacement parts as soon as possible,” RA wrote in a statement.

Because of the issue, RA has extended the hours of operation at North Hills (1325 N Village Road) through Aug. 6.

The pool will be open on weekdays and weekends from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with lap and swim fitness on Tuesday between noon and 9 p.m. The pool will be closed on Tuesdays and Thursday.

This week brought other pool service interruptions that have since been resolved.

The Lake Audubon bath house resumed regular hours this week after a “plumbing emergency” at the facility’s bath house.

“We understand that pool service interruption is frustrating, and we are working diligently to return each pool to operating status,” RA wrote in a statement.

The exact timeline for repairs is unclear, but RA Chief Operating Officer Peter Lusk told FFXnow that a contractor visited the site this afternoon (Friday).

“Once the contractor has completed their assessment, we will act as soon as possible to repair the electrical failures at the pool,” Lusk said.

The Autumnwood pool is located at 11950 N Walnut Branch Road. It’s typically open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Photo via Google Maps

A virtual theater launched by South Lakes High School alumni is officially closing its curtains.

Walking Shadow Readers Theatre announced the company’s closure in an email on Monday (July 17). The company closed due to lack of capacity, a team member said.

The theater will officially go dark on July 31.

“When we began during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, our aim was to help keep theatre alive while the world shut down,” Walking Shadow Readers wrote in the announcement. “With your support, our virtual platform proved to be a resounding success, more than we imagined! The successes we’ve experienced make it that much more difficult to announce we have decided this past 2022-2023 season was our last.”

The model was established in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. It kicked off in June 2020 as a casual reunion of South Lakes drama alumni before organizing virtual readings and performances.

The theater celebrated its first season with a One Acts Festival, which featured eight short plays in the summer of 2021. The program was streamed on YouTube.

Since it was founded, the theater presented developmental readings of 26 new plays — some of which became published works or were presented in person once theaters reopened. It offered new and up-and-coming playwrights a chance to have their work reviewed and experienced.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to help establish and participate in this new theatrical medium these past three years,” the company wrote. “Working with playwrights as their stories evolve, and hearing artists give voice to the characters the world has yet to meet, has been an incredible adventure.”

The team thanks its playwrights, guest artists and audience members for their support. In a response to a request for information to FFXnow, the team declined comment.

Train service will be back at the Vienna and Dunn Loring Metro stations, starting Monday (July 17).

The two stations at the western end of the Orange Line have out of commission since June 3 so Metro crews could replace a 40-year-old rail and install fiber-optics cables. The project also affected the West and East Falls Church stations, which reopened on June 26.

“Replacing this section of rail was critical to ensuring the Orange Line is safe and reliable for years to come,” Metro Chief of Infrastructure Andy Off said, announcing the project’s completion. “We appreciate our customers’ patience while we completed this important work to improve our system.”

The rail between the Vienna and Ballston stations was some of the oldest in the Metro system and needed to be replaced “to improve safety and reliability,” according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

During the second phase of the project, workers replaced nearly 25 miles of rail and removed over 97,000 linear feet of vegetation around the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations. Another 15.5 miles of rail and 42,000 linear feet of vegetation was addressed during the first phase focused on the Falls Church stations.

“Overgrown plants and brush…could cause an obstruction during a storm,” Metro said in its press release.

After the Orange Line stations reopen, the transit agency will shift its construction efforts east to the Green Line between Fort Totten in D.C. and Greenbelt, Maryland:

Summer construction will now move to the Green Line beginning July 22, when Metro will install fiber-optic cable, replace platform edge lighting, and replace power cables and switch machines. Upgrading the switch machines and installation of the new cables will ensure reliable service for years to come.

Green Line stations between Fort Totten and Greenbelt will be closed from Saturday, July 22, to Monday, September 4. Green Line service at Fort Totten will be unavailable July 22 and July 23. Red Line service will remain available at Ft. Totten. Frequent free shuttle buses will replace trains between the affected stations. Customers are advised to allow extra time for their travel. In addition to prominent signage and announcements in the stations and on trains, additional Metro staff will be available to assist customers at the affected stations.

Metro’s train service runs from 5 a.m. to midnight on Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday, 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday, and 7 a.m. to midnight on Sunday.

This weekend, free local shuttles between the Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations will continue to be available during those hours, along with express service between Vienna and West Falls Church.

Dunn Loring riders won’t be entirely free of construction next week. Work to replace two escalators at the station has been underway since mid-March and is expected to continue until the end of October.

Some good news is on the horizon for local Metrorail riders: the West and East Falls Church stations are set to reopen on Monday (June 26) after a 23-day closure.

The bad news? The Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will remain closed through July 16.

Orange and Silver line service at the four stations ceased on June 3 so Metro crews could replace a 40-year-old steel rail. The transit agency is also using the closures to install fiber optic cables and clear vegetation along or near the train tracks.

After laying down nearly 1,800 tons of rail and removing “more than 42,000 linear feet of trees, bushes, grasses, and invasive vines,” the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority says it will advance to the project’s second phase next week.

“Our team has made great progress on this work so far. As of last week, our team has replaced 15.5 miles of track, installed nearly 36 miles of fiber-optic cable, replaced two diamond interlockings, and installed 13 new switch machines,” Metro Chief of Infrastructure Andy Off said. “They are working to keep the system safe and reliable, and we thank our customers and visitors to the area for their understanding and patience.”

The extended shutdown has been a source of frustration for many commuters in Northern Virginia, despite Metro’s efforts to minimize disruptions by providing free shuttles.

After getting reports of long lines and wait times for the shuttles, particularly at the Vienna and Ballston stations, WMATA said on June 7 that it would add more buses, coordinate with police to ensure free movement through traffic and reevaluate routes through the more congested areas of Rosslyn.

However, the transit agency noted that wait times could still reach 20 minutes during peak rush hours “based on the volume of customers at these stations.”

Some waiting should still be expected at the Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations going forward, Metro says, advising riders “to allow extra time for their travel,” especially during rush hour.

From June 26 through July 16, free shuttles will be provided with stops at those three stations, arriving every 10 to 20 minutes. There will also be an Orange Line Express with service between Vienna and West Falls Church every eight to 15 minutes on weekdays.

Standard buses from Metro and other transit services, including Fairfax Connector, will be available as well: Read More

The last train out of the Vienna Metro station for the next month will depart at 12:20 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday).

After that, the Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church and East Falls Church stations will all shut down, as the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority begins to replace a 40-year-old steel rail extending to Ballston.

All four stations will be closed through June 25. At that point, the Falls Church stations will reopen, but the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will stay closed through July 16.

“Replacing some of the oldest tracks in our system is critical to safety and reliability, and crews will work 24/7 to complete this project as quickly as possible so we can get back to normal service,” Metro Chief of Infrastructure Andy Off said in a news release earlier this week. “We make every effort to minimize impacts to our customers, and we thank them for their patience while we continue to build a safe and modern Metro to serve the entire region.”

In addition to the rail replacement, the maintenance project will include upgrades of fiber-optic cables at the stations “to modernize communications and allow for more efficient maintenance in the future,” WMATA says.

Though the shutdown will primarily affect Orange Line travelers, the East Falls Church station in Arlington will also be closed to Silver Line trains, so anyone looking to transfer or travel between the McLean and Ballston stations will need to take one of the free shuttles provided by Metro.

The shuttle schedule during the shutdown’s current phase to June 25 is below:

Orange Line Shuttle: Local service between Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church, East Falls Church, and Ballston-MU stations during normal Metrorail operating hours.

• Every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
• Every 10 minutes all other times, including weekends.

Silver Line Shuttle: Local service between McLean, East Falls Church, and Ballston-MU stations during normal Metrorail operating hours.

• Every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6- 9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
• Every 10 minutes all other times, including weekends.

Orange Line Express: Express service between Vienna and Rosslyn stations.

• Service every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
• Service every 10 minutes during non-rush hours. (9 a.m.-3 p.m., 7-9 p.m.)

Silver Line Limited: Limited-stop service between Washington Dulles International Airport, McLean, and Rosslyn.

• Service every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
• Service every 10 minutes during non-rush hours. (9 a.m.-3 p.m., 7-9 p.m.)

The Silver Line Limited shuttle will be the fastest option for riders going to or from Dulles Airport, which accounts for about one-third of all trips on Metro’s Silver Line extension, according to WMATA.

The tennis courts at Rutherford Park in Wakefield area will be closed for about two weeks, starting around Memorial Day.

The park’s three tennis courts are set to undergo resurfacing work from approximately Monday, May 29 until June 12, the Fairfax County Park Authority announced today.

Unfortunately for local pickleball players, no changes will be made to the programming or layout of the facility at 4710 Guinea Road.

“Rutherford Park is not a candidate for pickleball courts and will not receive any pickleball lining,” the FCPA said.

Instead, the project will consist of “pressure washing…cleaning and filling existing cracks, resurfacing, color coating and lining for tennis, and installing new net posts,” according to the news release.

About $38,000 has been allocated to the resurfacing project in the county’s current fiscal year 2023 budget.

(Updated at 12:15 a.m. on 4/27/2023) Preliminary construction activities will kick into gear this weekend on a long-gestating project to move part of an electric transmission line underground in the Spring Hill area of Tysons.

Starting this Friday (April 28) evening, Dominion Energy will close the Vesper Trail from Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) to Vesper Street so its crews can install a manhole needed for the project, spokesperson Peggy Fox said. The trail closure will last until Tuesday (May 2).

“This closure is necessary to keep community members safe while we install a manhole,” Fox told FFXnow.

Replacing an existing above-ground line, the new 230-kilovolt transmission line will span approximately half a mile from Dominion’s Tyco Road substation to the vicinity of a planned Spring Hill substation just southwest of Leesburg Pike and Spring Hill Road.

An underground line will be safer and less visually obtrusive, while helping Tysons meet the demand for electricity as the area continues to develop, Dominion has said. Removal of the existing overhead line will also “facilitate” construction on The View, a mixed-use development planned next to the Spring Hill Metro station, according to documents filed with the State Corporation Commission.

The project was endorsed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in March 2020 and approved by the SCC on June 24, 2021.

Dominion notified residents in the area on April 14 that construction on the power line would begin this month, noting that the county has waived noise restrictions for the project until Oct. 31 since some work will occur at night.

“To limit traffic impacts on major roadways, particularly Leesburg Pike, construction will be performed at night,” the utility company said. “This allows our crews to obtain necessary lane closures to complete the work safely and efficiently.”

Split into five phases, the project includes the installation of two manholes, which will occur throughout the day and night so they can be completed “as expeditiously as possible.”

“There will be more impacts to the trail in fall 2023 when we begin installing the underground line in this area, and outreach will take place prior,” Fox said by email. “No impacts to electric service are anticipated as a result of this work.”

Including the addition of a transition pole at the end of the new line and removal of the old overhead line, the project is expected to finish in late 2024. At that point, Dominion says it will begin construction on the Spring Hill substation, which will occupy a 1-acre site near Raglan Road Park.

The new substation will support customers south of Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and outside of I-495, according to Dominion.

Metro will assemble an armada of shuttles this summer to support travelers during its multi-week shutdowns of several stations on the Orange, Silver and Green lines.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced yesterday that free shuttle buses will be available throughout the closures, which will begin on May 12 and roll out to Fairfax County’s Orange Line stations starting June 3.

During the closures, the agency will conduct maintenance work at each of the stations and modernize their facilities.

“Continued maintenance work is essential to safe and reliable rail service,” WMATA Chief of Infrastructure Andy Off said in the press release. “We are working strategically to target maintenance locations and minimize the impacts on customers as we conduct this critical work to upgrade systems, improve reliability, and modernize station facilities.”

In Fairfax County, the closures will take place in two phases.

First, the Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church and East Falls Church stations will close from June 3 to 25 so that Metro can replace the 40-year-old train rails and add fiber-optic cables.

“Replacing the track in this section is a top priority to ensure safety and increase reliability,” WMATA said.

A combination of local, express and limited-stop shuttle service will be offered:

Orange Line Shuttle: Local service between Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church, East Falls Church, and Ballston-MU stations.

• Local service between McLean, East Falls Church, and Ballston-MU stations.
• Every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6- 9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)

Orange Line Express: Express service between Vienna and Rosslyn stations.

• Service every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
• Service every 10 minutes during non-rush hours. (9 a.m.-3 p.m., 7-9 p.m.)

Silver Line Limited: Limited-stop service between Washington Dulles International Airport, McLean, and Rosslyn.

• Service every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
• Service every 10 minutes during non-rush hours. (9 a.m.-3 p.m., 7-9 p.m.)

Silver Line riders will need to take a shuttle to bypass the East Falls Church transfer station. Trains between Ashburn and McLean will run every eight minutes, except after 9:30 p.m., when they will operate every 10 minutes.

Both of the Falls Church stations will reopen on June 26, but the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will stay closed through July 16 to finish the rail replacement and cable installation.

Free local shuttle service will be provided betwen the Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations, operating every 5 to 10 minutes on weekdays and every 10 minutes on weekends while Metrorail is open.