New park to be named for Eileen Garnett
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 12 passed a resolution put forth by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross to name the Annandale Civic Space for Eileen Garnett to honor “her long devotion to the Annandale community.”
That was one of three resolutions passed by the board on renaming facilities in Mason District.
Gross’ motion calls for the Annandale Civic Space, the small park under construction at 7200 Columbia Pike, to be known as the Eileen Garnett Civic Space.
Related story: Annandale Civic Space to open in October
This new park will have a plaza, an educational garden, an open lawn, a topography play area for children, and an accessible path. The park will officially open on Oct. 21 with a ribbon cutting.
Gross called Garnett a “friend of Annandale who quite literally gave her life to the revitalization of downtown Annandale.”
Garnett was standing in a parking lot with a group from the Annandale revitalization committee who were reviewing potential sidewalk and transportation upgrades with VDOT and county staff on May 20, 2022, when a car plowed into them. Garnett died of her injuries a few days later.
Related story: Eileen Garnett dies from injuries in crash
Garnett founded the Annandale Central Business District Revitalization Committee in 1984, Gross said. Since then, she worked tirelessly to improve Annandale, getting public officials to install new streetlights and landscaping and improve the standards for building design, streetscapes, and signage.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors also approved a resolution by Gross to consider renaming the Bailey’s Community Center for Minnie Peyton.
Related story: A local Black community honors its history
The Springdale community in Bailey’s Crossroads was founded by Blacks freed from slavery following the Civil War. They built their own school and church but the county didn’t provide paved roads, sidewalks, or water and sewer infrastructure until the 1940s and 50s, Gross said.
The Bailey’s Community Center and Lillian Carey Elementary School were constructed in 1956 on land owned by Minnie Peyton. The school building now houses the Higher Horizons Daycare Center.
Springdale residents have requested the Bailey’s Community Center be renamed for Minnie Peyton, but Gross said more research needs to be done to review the county’s land records. She recommended the History Commission be involved in this effort and report back to the board in summer 2024.
Finally, the Board of Supervisors passed a motion by Gross to rename the Seven Corners Fire Station (#28) for Fort Buffalo.
Related story: Construction of new Seven Corners Fire Station underway
A new fire station is under construction on the same spot as the old outdated one on Sleepy Hollow Road. Meanwhile, the fire station is in temporary quarters on South Street in Falls Church.
A historic marker on Sleepy Hollow Road says the site was formerly occupied by an earthwork fortification during the Civil War built by the 21st New York Infantry to defend Washington. The fort was briefly occupied by the Confederates in July 1861 following the Union’s defeat in the First Manassas Campaign.
For more on Fort Buffalo and it’s location, see an article I wrote and comments people made at https://ravenwoodpark.blogspot.com/2008/06/civil-wars-fort-buffalo.html?m=1
Eileen deserves a park and so much more named after her. I had the privilege of watching her work her magic for 8+ years while working for Supervisor Penny Gross. She was a tireless advocate to make Annandale a walkable and better community. She is sorely missed. Thank you Supervisor Gross for this effort.