Voters decide fate of Reston park upgrades

Reston residents face a decision on Tuesday that could determine whether South Lakes Drive Park receives major renovations. The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking to overhaul the 13.9-acre space, which county staff describe as suffering from aging equipment and poor accessibility. This project is part of a larger package of improvements funded by a proposed $180 million park bond measure on the current general election ballot.

The proposed changes address specific physical shortcomings in the park, which was developed in the 1980s. A memo to the Board of Supervisors notes that the original decentralized sports court and playground are surrounded by trees, limiting visibility from the road and placing them far from the main parking area. To fix this layout, the authority plans to replace the current playground and basketball court and relocate them to a central area near the parking lot.

The renovation plan includes several specific construction projects. The authority intends to refresh the turf on the existing 195-by-360-foot athletic field and install a new irrigation system. It also proposes adding a 28,200-square-foot multipurpose community lawn with a pavilion. A paved, ADA-accessible loop trail would link these new amenities to existing neighborhood footpaths. The existing baseball diamond would be removed, with resources shifted to upgrade another field located within four miles of the park.

Funding for the project relies on a combination of local and federal sources. The county applied for a grant from the National Park Service’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program. The authority is seeking more than $1.9 million from this program, which has $120 million available in the current cycle. If approved, the federal funds would supplement the bond proceeds. If the grant is denied, the full estimated cost of $3.9 million would come from the bond.

Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who represents the Hunter Mill District, said the combined funding would allow the park to improve its layout and create new recreational opportunities. The federal grant requires matching funds from the bond, which must first be approved by voters. The National Park Service is expected to announce its award decisions in May.

The timeline for construction depends on the grant application process. If the federal award is granted, the park authority must complete an environmental compliance review that could take six to 12 months. Alcorn’s office indicated that funds might not be available until May 2028. The county would then have a five-year deadline to finish the work. The park authority is currently in the early planning stages and has not yet announced a schedule for community engagement.