The community celebrates the new Eileen Garnett Civic Space in Annandale

Annandale residents and county officials celebrated the opening of the Eileen Garnett Civic Space, at 7200 Columbia Pike, on Oct. 21.

Annandale’s newest park is named for longtime community activist Eileen Garnett who died after a tragic accident in 2022.

The park has a plaza area, a demonstration garden overseen by Hands On Harvests, a lawn with a mound for children to play on, a paved circular path, and a new pedestrian connection to Daniels Avenue.

Eileen Garnett was a founder of the Annandale Central Business District Planning Committee and devoted a lot of energy to improving the community.

“She brought a passionate force to revitalization,” including building design, signage, streetlights, landscaping, and trash removal – even walking the streets herself picking up litter, said Mason Supervisor Penny Gross.  

The park “commemorates a friend of Annandale who quite literally gave her life to the revitalization of downtown Annandale,” Gross said. Garnett was pointing out needed improvements in Annandale when the group she was with was struck by a car.

In acknowledging all the people who helped make the park a reality, Gross offered special thanks to Laura Baker, a planner with the Fairfax County Community Revitalization Section, who was seriously injured in the same crash that took Eileen’s life. “Even during long months of recovery, Laura was focused on getting this project to the finish line.”

Several of Eileen’s family members came to the ribbon cutting, including daughter Megan, who told the crowd her mother’s recent effort was to get crosswalks installed in downtown Annandale. “She would have been thrilled to know they were finally completed.”

“It was always important to her to build community,” which led to her nickname, “the mayor of Annandale” in her Broyhill Crest neighborhood, Megan said. “She never knew a stranger. She always took the time to get to know people.” 

The grand opening celebration featured a ribbon cutting, gardening, children’s games, an art activity hosted by CAFE (Community Art for Everyone), a concert and robotics demonstration by Braddock Elementary School students, a martial arts demonstration by Hapmudo Studio, and a fitness class led by RAMP Optimal Performance and Wellness.

The ACCA Child Development Center, which is adjacent to the new park, hosted children’s activities and provided empanadas to the crowd. The Park Authority, other agencies, and local businesses handed out information about community resources.

Children planted garlic, daffodil, and tulip bulbs in the 3,600-square-foot garden. In the coming days, volunteers will plant snow peas, spinach, arugula, lettuce, and other fall vegetables, said Stacey Evers, chair and co-founder of Hands On Harvests.

“We really want the garden to reflect the diversity of the community,” Evers said. “We’ll have interesting melons and squash, not just tomatoes and cucumbers.” The produce will be given to the volunteers who helped grow it and to local food pantries.

Decades ago, the county-owned property where the park is located was the recreation area for Annandale Elementary School. That building is now operated by ACCA for the Child Development Center. In 2018, the county began discussions about using the land for a new pocket park and held several pop-up events on what was then called the Annandale Civic Space.

Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay called the Eileen Garnett Civic Space “a treasure for the community,” noting that it provides a connection to residents, the business community, and the Child Development Center.