Donald S. Frady Park looks splendid this year as the result of many years of work by the City, with the Village Preservation and Improvement Society, The Victorian Society all donating time and money to establish and improve the Park.
Additionally, for the past five years during April the Falls Church ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has contributed hundreds of hours each April to improve Frady Park soils by spreading truck loads of leaf compost and Compro. The Church volunteers plant and weed, flower beds; collect broken limbs and rake the beds to improve the appearance of Frady Park, located between Broad, Cherry and North Fairfax Streets.
All of the volunteer efforts are working toward a common vision to create a beautiful respite in the east end of Falls Church. Historically what is now Frady Park is known best as the location for the First Arbor Day in Virginia in 1892. At that event they planted trees to replace the ones destroyed by a tornado there at the site of The Jefferson Institute on the north side of the current park.
half way through the day of working to enhance the soil
and weeding and planting of flower beds. (Photo: Courtesy of Barb Cram)
VPIS has an area of the park designated as the Arbor Day Commons, where the City’s special history and commitment to tree planting began. The commemorative efforts are funded through contributions to VPIS that are earmarked specifically for Frady Park. These resources have been raised through VPIS and The Victorian Society at Falls Church which has donated all of the black iron Victorian period furnishings including the large Victorian birdbath, Victorian tiered fountain, and the Victorian bike rack, as well as funding many of the flowers that have been planted at the park. The City had Dominion Power replace the lamp poles to fit with the Victorian period of the park. The former Woman’s Club of Falls Church also donated generously to the Arbor Day Commons effort.
Litter cleanup has been sponsored by the Falls Church Lion’s Club had been sponsoring the trash clean up for many years through the Adopt-A-Spot program. This year the Falls Church Elementary School PTA will be also be working under this Adopt-A-Spot program to keep the Park debris free be coordinated by Trish Horowitz who is President of the Falls Church Elementary School PTA.
This year’s volunteers were provided with the best tools and supplies to get the job done with the help of the City Green Space Manager, Jeremy Edwards and Public Works’ Robert Goff. All of the volunteer hours and donations have created a special place that has brought many constituencies in the City together to care and develop Frady Park. There is a commemorative marker for the park’s namesake, Don Frady, former City Director of Public Works whose legacy was one of collaboration and bringing people together for the beautification and betterment of the City.
