Grants will support community projects in Parklawn

Congratulations to the Parklawn community for receiving $10,000 in 2010 grant funds from Fairfax County for community improvement projects.

The citizens association also wants to make general improvements that the cash-strapped county parks department is no longer able to do in a timely manner, such as mulching, fixing a broken fence, and clearing out the underbrush and vines in an area where people gather for socializing (and often leave behind condoms and other litter). Clearing out this area “will make a huge difference in our comfort level,” Aguilera says.

The Parklawn Civic Association was also awarded a Neighborhood Enhancement grant last year to support an anti-littering campaign, beautification of a common areas, and a new neighborhood sign at the corner of Braddock Road and Columbia Pike.

The grant for the Parklawn Recreation Association will be used to tear down tennis courts that have fallen into disuse and are beyond repair, says board member Daren Shumate. The tennis court materials—asphalt, concrete, and metal from a chain-link fence—will be donated to recycling companies. The site, next to the Holmes Run trail, will then be reclaimed for a new athletic playing field and possibly a community garden. Shumate also would like to rebuild a gazebo in disrepair and use it for summer concerts.

While the grant funds are helpful, they won’t cover all the expenses, so other fundraising activities are planned, including a live band at the Dogfish Head Ale House at Seven Corners March 23. The restaurant will donate a portion of the receipts on that day to the civic association’s park project.

The Parklawn grants are just two of the 32 Neighborhood Enhancement Grants presented to community groups in the county last month. The grant program is designed to promote safe and caring communities, support environmental stewardship, create livable spaces, and promote a culture of engagement. The only other community groups near Annandale that received grants are the Wakefield Chapel Woods Homes Association (to replace a wooden retaining wall along the bank of Turkey Run) and Tremont Gardens Citizen Association (to revitalize common areas).