As Howard Herman, the general manager of the City’s Recreation and Parks program for 40 years, will be retiring later this week, the Falls Church City Council tonight approved a move to seek various City board and commission recommendations on naming the Hamlet-Rees tract for him, in hopes of voting on the matter at its April 11 meeting.
The tract, which is a four-acre parcel of City-owned land on either side of the Coe Creek branch, a tributary of Tripp’s Run between W. Broad Street and Thomas Jefferson Elementary, has recently been approved for a daylighting project of park of the creek. Last month, the Council approved a measure allowing City-owned facilities to be named for living persons, clearing the way for the action initiated tonight.
Earlier in the night, Mayor Nader Baroukh issued a proclamation declaring April 10 “Howard Herman Day” in Falls Church. That Sunday afternoon from 2-5 p.m. a reception will be held for Herman hailing his 40 years of contributions. Charlie O’Hara, chair of the City’s Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee spoke of the tireless efforts of Herman after hours and on weekends to make the many programs, from what became a weekly, year-round Farmer’s Market to the annual fireworks and Memorial Day festivities, the Falls Festival and “Taste of Falls Church,” the Easter egg hunt, youth and adult basketball and volleyball programs, senior programs and the well-recalled annual Holiday Balls at the Community Center successes for the enjoyment and edification of the community.
