Korean community center under discussion
A group of local Korean business and nonprofit leaders are discussing options
for establishing a Korean community center. A location hasn’t been determined
yet, although Annandale would be a good choice, as it’s the commercial center for the Korean community, and a center here could spur more redevelopment activity.
On the other hand, it could end up in Centerville, which
actually has a larger Korean population, or elsewhere in the Fairfax County.
actually has a larger Korean population, or elsewhere in the Fairfax County.
Among the groups involved are the Korean Community Services Center of Greater Washington, with headquarters in Annandale, and the Korean-American Association of Virginia, which is based at the Willston Center in Seven Corners. Several local business leaders are participating in this effort, too.
Members of the Korean community have been talking about a
cultural center for years, but haven’t made much progress, so Fairfax County
Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova formed a task to help them get started.
According to Bulova, the task force is looking at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, just outside Annandale, as a model.
The privately funded JCC offers a range of educational, cultural, and athletic
programs for children and adults.
The privately funded JCC offers a range of educational, cultural, and athletic
programs for children and adults.
Bulova hosted an all-day retreat and brainstorming session
with the task force earlier this month at the Palace restaurant in Annandale,
where it began to develop a mission statement and vision for the center. Representatives from several non-profit organizations offered
guidance on how the task force should organize itself.
with the task force earlier this month at the Palace restaurant in Annandale,
where it began to develop a mission statement and vision for the center. Representatives from several non-profit organizations offered
guidance on how the task force should organize itself.
During the retreat, Bulova said, task force members
expressed an interest in having a place with programs for children, activities
like card games and line dancing for seniors, educational programs where
young people born in the United States could learn about Korean culture, and classes
for immigrants on citizenship and voting.
expressed an interest in having a place with programs for children, activities
like card games and line dancing for seniors, educational programs where
young people born in the United States could learn about Korean culture, and classes
for immigrants on citizenship and voting.
Bulova described her role in forming the task force as
helping the groups facilitate the planning process. “I am
merely helping them to realize their dream,”she said.
helping the groups facilitate the planning process. “I am
merely helping them to realize their dream,”she said.
A chair of the task force hasn’t emerged yet. The
groups will present a draft vision and mission statement to their respective
members, then reconvene to discuss costs, financing, location, and governance. The
community center would be financed and operated privately. “If the county were
trying to build a community center, we would do a multicultural center,” Bulova
said.
groups will present a draft vision and mission statement to their respective
members, then reconvene to discuss costs, financing, location, and governance. The
community center would be financed and operated privately. “If the county were
trying to build a community center, we would do a multicultural center,” Bulova
said.