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
Big Blue Swim School is ready to make another splash in Fairfax County.
The school is slated to open at Springfield Plaza this Saturday (Aug. 5). A grand opening ceremony is slated for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 7202 Old Keene Mill Road.
A barbecue food truck will be on-site, and arts and crafts are planned inside the school. Registration is open online.
Tom Dolan, a franchise partner of the school, told FFXnow that the company chose the location because of the market demand in the area.
“The shopping center has fantastic retailers and with three grocery stores, it is a highly sought after destination for Springfield and the greater Fairfax County families,” Dolan said.
The school offers lessons for children ages 3 months and up. Currently, the school will be open on Monday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. On the weekend, the school is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Customers can schedule multiple kids of different levels and ages during the same 30-45-minute timeframe.
Competitive swimmer Chris DeJong founded the business in 2009 in Wilmette Illinois. The Springfield location is the 29th in the country and the fifth in Northern Virginia, joining sites in Fairfax, the Fair Oaks area, Falls Church, and Dulles.
(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
Pool-goers will have to wait another pool season to enjoy Reston Association’s renovated Lake Thoreau and Shadowood pools.
In an announcement on Monday (July 3), RA said the Lake Thoreau pool (2040 Upper Lake Drive) will not reopen this season due to “unforeseen” repairs, site conditions, and delays associated with permitting and weather. The pool is expected to open next year, with anticipated grand reopening in the start of the new year.
The new, roughly $3.5 million facility will include a pool with six lap lanes, a ramp to provide ADA access, a redesigned deck, a larger 25-space parking lot, an overlook with a pollinator garden, and expanded bathhouses, which have been moved away from the spa.
“We regret this announcement as much work has been done and we were excited to share it with the membership,” RA wrote in a statement.
Work on Shadowood pool (2201 Springwood Drive) is expected to continue through the fall and winter. The project was delayed because of “unanticipated repairs” after the main pool was demolished, along with weather-related delays, according to RA.
The pool, first built in 1976, has been re-plastered several times. Major changes planned with the renovation include refurbishment of the pool, squaring, repairs to the bathhouse roof, flooring and exterior lighting, and the conversion of a wading pool into an interactive splash pad.
Construction costs hover around $1.1 million.
A spokesperson for RA did not immediately return a request for comment from FFXnow.
Local residents are asking Reston Association to change the name of Shadowood pool once again.
The effort — which previously came up over a decade ago — is primarily underway in order to tackle the assumption that the pool is only for the use of the Shadowood Condominium Association instead of for all RA members.
Residents want to rename the area to South Lakes Recreation Area, which includes the pool and tennis courts at 2201 Springwood Drive, according to materials for the RA Board of Directors meeting on Thursday (June 22).
They argue the name change would improve usability and encourage access for all paying members.
“The Shadowood Pool name change issue has been dragged ad nauseam, but is not going away and it will not go away,” Connie Fiorito, secretary of the Colonial Greene Cluster, wrote in a 2011 memo. “Why? Because even if some may think that it is a mundane issue, it is a real issue for the members whose use Shadowood pool, as shown by the signatures of support.”
The issue first arose in 2009 and 2010 when some residents approached RA for a name change. The board ultimately voted against a change in 2011, citing a lack of the required number of signatories for a petition.
A new official name change request was submitted by Alan Nathanson in December. Staff recommended reviewing the issue soon — but not on an expedited timeline.
“As staff does not believe this item is a high priority in the midst of the park and recreation staff’s busy season, staff recommends the Board take this issue up in the fall and winter in advance of next year’s aquatics season,” staff said in the meeting materials.
Several RA members petitioned the board to approve the name change at a May 25 meeting.
The request comes as Shadowood pool undergoes major renovations. In the first phase of the project, refurbishment and squaring is planned before the facility reopens in the middle of the summer.
The remainder of the work — including a wading pool conversion — will happen in the off season. The pool is expected to then reopen before the 2024 swim season. First built in 1976, the pool has been replastered several times because surrounding trees drop debris that stain the white plaster surface.
Since then, RA’s board approved $1.1 million for construction-related costs. Renovations include chipping out the tile and coping. A gas line will also run from South Lakes Drive to allow the installation of heaters to heat the main pools.
Repairs to the bathhouse roof, flooring and exterior lighting are also planned, and the wading pool will be converted into an interactive splash pad with a recirculating filtration system to save water.
Reston Association’s pool season has officially kicked off, although the opening date of Lake Thoreau pool is not yet known for this season.
The complete pool schedule — which is divided into five seasons — is available online.
RA says it has hired 85% of its lifeguard staff, overcoming labor shortages that often plague these positions. Last year, two pools were temporarily closed when staff members contracted COVID-19, but staffing was generally not an issue.
“Seasons four and five toward the end of the summer continue to be the most challenging for aquatics staff recruitment and retention as students return to school and start fall activities,” RA spokesperson Mike Leone said. “We continue to recruit lifeguards.”
North Shore’s heated pool and spa and Ridge Heights heated pool opened first on May 13. RA is actively hiring for more lifeguards online.
It’s still unclear if and when Lake Thoreau Pool, which is undergoing major renovations, will open this year.
Leone said the decision will depend on the timing of the project’s completion and approval from RA’s Board of Directors.
“At this point, the pool is close to 70% completed and we anticipate an early September completion,” he said.
The massive renovation of Lake Thoreau’s pool is likely to be completed by late August or early September.
Reston Association spokesperson Mike Leone told FFXnow that the renovation is on track to finish later in the summer. If it’s completed by early September, RA’s Board of Directors will determine if the pool will reopen this year, since only a few weeks would remain in the pool season.
“It is a timing issue,” Leone wrote in a statement.
So far, the project is roughly 65% complete, according to a recent Reston Today video, which is produced by RA.
The new, roughly $3.5 million facility will include a pool with six lap lanes, a ramp to provide ADA access, a redesigned deck, a larger 25-space parking lot, an overlook with a pollinator garden, and expanded bathhouses, which have been moved away from the spa.
The pool has been closed since 2020 and was scheduled to break ground two falls ago. In the latest update to the RA board, staff reported that the pool was roughly one month behind schedule.
Chris Schumaker, RA’s capital projects director, said work on ADA-compliant areas is underway. An ADA ramp will lead to the main area, and the future elevated deck will extend from the edge of the pool and overlook the lake area.
Schumaker also said an issue with the retaining wall prompted a relocation of the new spa — a move that allowed the area to become ADA-accessible and cover a larger footprint.
“Due to retaining wall issues on the site, we had to relocate the spa,” Schumaker said.
The bathhouse has also been fully gutted, leading towards the 400-square-foot addition’s completion. It will also include a family bathroom.
In the fifth and last phase of RA’s pool season, only three pools are open from Sept. 5 through Sept. 24.
The renovation of Lake Thoreau Pool is roughly one month behind schedule, according to Reston Association staff.
At an RA meeting on March 23, capital projects coordinator Chris Schumaker said the delay is approximate due to unforeseen conditions.
“We are forecasting four-week delay due to site conditions,” Schumaker said.
So far, the project is roughly 50% complete. The pool base, retaining walls, propane tank and concrete structural supports have been completed.
Construction on the structural steel component of the deck, the storm drain, and parking is in progress.
Schumaker also said the addition to the bathhouse is on hold due to a problem with a sanitary sewer connection in the area.
Despite the unforseen delay, Schumaker said the pool’s reopening is still slated for sometime in the summer.
“We still hope to have an opening sometime in the last summer of this year,” he said.
Lake Thoreau’s pool has been closed since 2020 for the renovation project, which was originally scheduled to break ground two falls ago.
The new facility will include a pool with six lap lanes, a ramp to provide ADA access, a redesigned deck, a larger 25-space parking lot, an overlook with a pollinator garden, and expanded bathhouses, which have been moved away from the spa.
The project is expected to cost roughly $3.5 million.
A substantial renovation to Reston’s Lake Thoreau pool is 25% complete, putting the multi-million dollar project on track for opening by the 2023 pool season.
Demolition, regrading and structural support for the elevated deck are officially complete, according to Chris Schumaker, Reston Association’s capital projects director. At a Dec. 15 board meeting, Schumaker said the planned addition to the bathhouse will begin shortly after the New Year.
“We’re currently holding on schedule and anticipate opening sometime during the 2023 pool season,” he said.
Fine grading, structural steel work and concrete work is in progress for the pool basin, he told the board.
The project could see delays due to weather impacts — but currently no delays are anticipated.
On-site work at 2040 Upper Lake Drive began over the summer. The facility has been closed since 2020 for the renovation project, which was first set to break ground in the fall of 2021.
The renovated facility will include six lap lanes and a ramp to provide ADA access, a redesigned deck, a larger 25-space parking lot, an overlook with a pollinated garden, and expanded bathhouses.
The project is expected to cost roughly $3.5 million.
The Mount Vernon RECenter is closing at the end of the month for a two-year, $74 million renovation project.
The nearly four-decade-old recreation center right off Belle View Blvd is set to close at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31 to allow for a massive expansion and renovation.
The plan is to add about 75,000 square feet to the rec center, which is set to include a two-story fitness center, building upgrades, an indoor track, a remodeled pool, and a second “NHL-sized” ice rink. The project is expected to take two years, with a reopening scheduled for the early part of 2025.
The Fairfax County Park Authority’s board officially approved the upgrades to its “oldest and most popular” facility back in March.
The recreation center, which opened in 1974, has had a myriad of problems in recent years, requiring workarounds and hundreds of thousands of dollars in short-term fixes. That includes renting ice chillers and dehumidification systems as well as fixing a failing roof.
While closing the entire facility for two years was a “tough” decision, it was the best option of several the county considered, FCPA director Jai Cole said in a press release:
The decision to close the entire facility for two years was a tough one; but it is the best option when it comes to delivering the most desirable outcome and limiting the impact of the closure on our customers. We have worked very hard to create a schedule that has enabled the facility to remain open for as long as possible prior to construction and to condense the closure period as much. While we understand that the temporary closing is challenging, we very much look forward to delivering a top-notch, state-of-the-art facility that will serve this community well into the future.
The total project is set to cost just over $74.4 million, an 83% increase over the proposed 2021 budget. Last year, county officials set the budget at $40.7 million, but it became clear that number was unrealistic.
According to a May 2022 presentation, bids came in much higher due to supply chain delays, building infrastructure challenges, and “complex construction phasing with market uncertainty.”
Even in the six months since then, the budget has risen again by another $7 million.
“The total project budget is $74,431,381 — an increase of $33.73 million over the original 2021 budget,” FCPA spokesperson Ben Boxer wrote FFXnow in an email. “The cost increase has been driven by ongoing supply chain challenges and inflation. The cost increase is consistent with construction cost increases across the board on all projects.”
The 24-month closing of the facility is also expected to cost the county $1.3 million in revenue.
The additional money needed for the project will come from a reallocation of other bond funds that had been marked for other projects as well as $25 million from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that was provided to the county, per Boxer.
Residents who have countywide rec center memberships will be able to use it to access the county’s eight other eight centers. The George Washington Rec Center near Mount Vernon High School will expand its hours on Jan. 2, 2023 to accommodate the closure of the Mount Vernon center.
