Dear Neighbor,

As Memorial Day Weekend begins, I want to take a moment to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country. We owe them and their families a debt of gratitude.

Altho ugh Memorial Day is observed to honor those who died while serving in the military, we are living in challenging times, and I would also like to thank the individuals who have made sacrifices working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. To all the healthcare professionals, essential service providers, grocery store and pharmacy clerks, letter carriers, delivery drivers, and so many more, a special “Thank you" for all you are doing to help keep our community safe and healthy!

In this email, I have included updates about facility openings and summer program cancellations. I have also included information about an upcoming virtual job fair, a public input opportunity for proposed changes to Fairfax Connector bus routes, and resources from the County's Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination.

Please share this email with your friends and neighbors and do not hesitate to contact my office if we can be of assistance; email [email protected] or call 703-356-0551.

Sincerely,

John

Parks

Park Authority parks and parking lots are open, including some amenities such as golf, fishing, open park space, disc golf, tennis courts, skate parks, and outdoor equestrian rings. Open space may be used for responsible recreation (groups of less than 10, following social distancing guidelines).

The following park amenities will remain closed at this time:

The Park Authority will not open its outdoor water attractions this summer due to COVID-19. This includes the Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, Our Special Harbor Spray Ground at Lee District Family Recreation Area, and Martin Luther King Jr. pool.

Pools

Community swimming pools (private and public) will not be permitted to open for Memorial Day weekend. This applies to all community pools, including those operated by apartment and condominium complexes, recreation centers, homeowner’s associations and swim clubs.

When the Northern Virginia region enters Phase 1 of the Virginia Forward plan, outdoor pools may open for lap swimming only. Northern Virginia is currently scheduled to remain in Phase 0 until May 29.

FCPS Facilities

Just in time for Memorial Day Weekend, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is following the Fairfax County Park Authority’s phased reopening process and will be allowing individuals to exercise on high school tracks and tennis courts beginning Friday, May 22. 

All visitors are urged to practice health department safety guidelines, including social distancing, and to keep groups to ten people or less. Some high school facilities have construction underway. Visitors are asked to obey onsite signage and note that all facilities close at sundown in accordance with Park Authority rules.

No scheduled or organized team activities are permitted at this time. Playgrounds, basketball courts, and athletic fields are to remain closed in alignment with the Park Authority until further notice.

Earlier this week, the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA), and the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) announced the cancellation of 2020 summer camp programs due to the COVID-19 crisis. Included in these cancellations are all FCPA sponsored summer camp programs, REC-Pac programs held at local schools, summer camp programs sponsored by NCS and SACC programs.

Collectively, these programs represent childcare and recreational opportunities for thousands of families across Fairfax County. However, after careful consultation with local health officials, school representatives, other regional recreation providers and local government officials, the decision was made to cancel these programs.

Impacted NCS programs include RECQuest, SACC summer programs, Therapeutic Recreation Camp, Value in Prevention Camp (V.I.P), and Teens in Action.

Senior Centers and Adult Day Health Care Centers remain closed to all participants until further notice. Additionally, community centers, neighborhood centers, resource centers and teen centers are closed to participants.

For more information, visit Neighborhood and Community Services or contact NCS at 703-342-4600 or via email at [email protected]. For more information about the Parks, visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/coronavirus or contact the Park Authority at 703-324-8700 or via email at [email protected].

As a response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is working to connect job seekers with hiring companies in Northern Virginia by presenting virtual career fairs.

The first virtual career fair will take place on May 28, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, for enrolled college students and recent college graduates. Click here to learn more and to register for the fair.

At least 11 employers will participate in the New-Grad Virtual Career Fair including Northrop Grumman, NTT Data Federal, Boost LLC, Strategy and Management Services (SAMS), and Sparksoft. Participants will be able to browse companies in a virtual lobby, enter companies’ booths, view open positions specifically curated for recent grads and chat with HR representatives in real-time – all from the comfort of their homes. 

With more than 30 top-ranked colleges and universities within a four-hour drive of Northern Virginia and more than 50,000 current job opportunities in the region, the FCEDA is creating virtual career fairs to serve as a bridge between open positions and job seekers.

The FCEDA has more fairs on the horizon, each one for a different pool of candidates. The next virtual career fair, slated to take place in June (date to be determined) will be targeted at seasoned, mid-level tech professionals in industries including IT, cybersecurity, defense and aerospace, software engineering, and data analytics.

For more information about the FCEDA, visit https://www.fairfaxcountyeda.org/.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is seeking public input on Fairfax Connector proposed service changes for fall 2020 that aim to enhance customer service.

FCDOT normally conducts several community input meetings on proposed changes to Fairfax Connector service, but as a result of current public gathering restrictions due to COVID-19, transit staff recorded a presentation which is available online for viewing instead. The public is encouraged to provide feedback on the proposed changes via an online survey, email, mail, or phone.

 

Highlights of Proposed Changes

Route 334: DLA Circulator (Peak and Off-Peak) – Directly serves the TSA facility via Springfield Center Drive and Metropolitan Center Drive with weekday service between the Franconia Springfield Metrorail Station, the Defense Logistics Agency, and Army Museum on John Kingman Drive. Buses will serve the TSA facility on both northbound and southbound trips every 30 minutes during peak service and hourly during off-peak.

Routes 340/341: Patriot Ridge-Saratoga – Includes minor route adjustments to maintain efficiency for Routes 340/341.

Route 350: Springfield Circulator – Replaces weekday service after Metrobus route elimination of the TAGS S80. Route 350 will operate with 15-minute headways during peak hours, 10-minutes headways during lunch hours, and 20-minute headways during off-peak hours.

Route 351: Springfield Peak-Hour Circulator – Replaces peak weekday service after Metrobus route elimination of TAGS S91. The Springfield Peak-Hour Circulator will provide weekday express service every 10 minutes during morning and afternoon peak hours between the Franconia Metrorail Station and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Route 721: Chain Bridge Road – McLean Metrorail Station – Includes expanded weekday midday service every 30-minutes from the McLean Metrorail Station to the George Bush Center for Intelligence (GBCI) facility in Langley, Virginia. The buses will operate with 30-minute headways.

Route 722: McLean Metrorail Station – GBCI – Includes new weekday express service every 15 minutes during morning and afternoon peak hours between the McLean Metrorail Station and the GBCI facility in Langley.

Provide Feedback

Public comments will be accepted until Friday, June 5, 2020. After receiving and reviewing public feedback, FCDOT staff will present the final proposed changes to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in July 2020. If approved, the changes will go into effect no later than October 31, 2020.

Environmental Excellence Awards Call for Nominations Closes June 1

Each year, Fairfax County honors community members, businesses, organizations, and County employees who are going above and beyond to help protect and preserve the local natural environment. The Environmental Excellence Awards are presented each fall and recognize the incredible efforts being made to care for our natural resources. Nomination information and materials are available here. All nominations must be received by June 1, 2020.

Working from Home (Energy) Efficiently

Working from home has its pluses and minuses and some days are better than others. Higher monthly electricity bills are an unfortunate consequence of spending more time at home, using lights, hot water, appliances, and electronics like computers and monitors. If you are looking for a way to liven up your teleworking routine while reducing your monthly energy bills, the Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination has six suggestions for you. These simple steps will help you keep your energy use under control.

Eco-Friendly Activities for Kids

With Fairfax County Public Schools embracing distance learning and preschoolers at home as well, the Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination has how-to guides for eco-friendly activities suitable for kids of all ages. From water science, to energy transfer, to the importance of recycling, these activities are sure to help keep kids engaged and learning.

Fairfax County is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving coronavirus situation. Residents are strongly encouraged to sign up for coronavirus text alerts and to visit the frequently updated website listed below.