Money for New Spring Hill Gym Contained in Expanded Parks Budget

Money to finally build a long-sought after gym at the Spring Hill Recreation Center is contained in the $25 million the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors added to the parks budget Tuesday.

Fairfax County voters will be asked in November  to approve the Park Authority's request to sell $75 million in bonds to pay for new projects including the Spring Hill gym.

"I am very pleased that the motion I submitted jointly with Supervisor Frey (Sully District)  to increase the Park bond to $75 million has been adopted by the full Board of Supervisors," said Dranesville Supervisor John Foust.

"The McLean area needs a public indoor recreational facility to serve youth and adult basketball, volleyball and other in-door sports and to provide a venue for other community events," Foust said.  "The gym at Spring Hill has been planned for over twenty years and the increased Park bond can make it happen."

The centerpiece of the Spring Hill Recreation Center located on Lewinsville Road at Spring Hill Road is its near-Olympic size heated swimming pool. It also has an exercise/weight lifting  room that was doubled in size a few years ago, racketball courts and classrooms.

Outside there are football and baseball fields and a new turf field.

A gym would be an indoor sports facility where you could actually play sports like basketball, Foust said.

Cost: about $5 million.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved increasing the amount that the county's Parks Authority could spend on new  construction projects from $50 million to $75 million.

Fairfax County voters usually approve Park Authority bonds by 70 percent of the vote, Foust said.

Before election day, the Park Authority will give voters a list of the projects that would be funded with the new money. Foust said the Park Authority has told him "this is the park authority's first priority for funding."

Kevin Fay, the Dranesville representative on the Park Authority Board, has said, "A gymnasium addition was specifically incorporated in the revised Spring Hill Master Plan in the 2003-2004 timeframe. Design funding was included in the 2008 Park Bond for the gymnasium."

Foust has said in the past, "McLean area has no public indoor recreational facilities other than at the schools. Scheduling the school gyms is difficult and unpredictable because of school needs. There is a huge need for indoor recreation facilities for youth and adult sports leagues as well as for other community activities."

Full Disclosure: McLean Patch is a long-time member of the Spring Hill Recreation Center. We also hope the new gym will include a running track.