Our Man in Arlington

Arlington opened a new multi-purpose park last Saturday that many claimed was unique in the Metropolitan area and perhaps in America! At the very least, the park is an unusual combination of recreational activities that promises to be very popular in Arlington.

First and foremost is a very impressive skate park. Frank Hirata, an internationally known skateboarder and one of the designers of the park told us that it is one of the best in America. It consists of the three types of skate park designs; “old school” standard fairly straight line slopes; “street-urban” flat surfaces with steps and curbs, and “competition style.”

The “competition style” part looks to me like a large, empty, free form swimming pool with curved sides moving into deep troughs. Take a look at it and see if you can come up with a better description! The three styles flow seamlessly together. About a hundred people of all ages (well, actually from about six to about 40) and levels of proficiency were using the park when I arrived, and it was a great sight to behold.

Another interesting part of the new park is the children’s rain garden behind the skate park. As the brochure tells us, the major theme of this area is the flow, collection and purification of water. The focal point is a circular two level garden-marsh.

Water is fed into the garden from troughs that carry water runoff from the site, two large funnels ingeniously designed by artist Jan Rosen-Queralt that capture runoff from the roofs of the pavilions, and a system of pipes on the roof of one of the small buildings that constantly drips water into the garden. The water drains through the marsh into a cistern that further filters and purifies the water before it moves down a ceramic decorated trough into a small stream behind the park. It is a great lesson in natural environment processes. Rounding out the park is soccer and lacrosse field and a yet-to-be- built butterfly park.

Leslie Cook of Arlington’s WJLA-ABC Channel 7 news team was the master of ceremonies for the brief dedication ceremony. County Board Chair Barbara Favola described the extensive “Arlington Way” process of developing the plans for the park that involved an extensive series of community meetings. Most impressive was the fact that the seed for the concept of the park came from letters sent to the County Board by many students of Swanson Middle School who championed the building of a facility for skate boarders.

True democracy in action!

Favola honored the Arlington Kiwanis for a $75,000 grant for the children’s rain garden. Arlington Kiwanis President Jim Meehan and about two dozens Kiwanians presented Favola with an outsized copy of the check. Favola also received a commemorative skateboard from David Reardon, Chairman of the District of Columbia Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit environmental organization working to preserve our oceans, waves & beaches.

The park is open for business now, and it looks as if it will be booming. The hours and charges for the use of the skate park vary from day to day and can be found on the county website www.arlingtonva.us (enter “Powhatan in the search box). Visit the park even if you are not a skateboarder. You will enjoy it!