Chestnut Hills Park

Neighborhood Spotlight: 5 Amazing Parks in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This content was written and sponsored by The Keri Shull Team, Arlington’s top producing residential real estate team.

On this week’s edition of the Neighborhood Spotlight, join Keri Shull as she gives you a tour of 5 of our favorite family-friendly playgrounds in Arlington.

Between amazing food, drinks and entertainment, there are plenty of great things to do in Arlington — and as the region begins to re-open after the COVID-19 restrictions, some people are getting ready to get out of the home and enjoy the warm weather.

Luckily, when it comes to finding fun for the whole family, we are here to help! So take a look below to learn more about 5 of our favorite parks in Arlington.

Quincy Park

Sitting just a few steps away from the Virginia Square Metro stop, Quincy Park is one of our favorite recreational parks in all of Arlington. The beautiful park has a completely fenced-in playground and fun activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

The climbing ropes and swings are a great way for kids to let out some excess energy while having a great time. In addition to the play structure, there are also spots for organized sports in this 4-acre park, with a basketball court, 6 tennis courts, diamonds for baseball and softball, and even a sand court for volleyball!

Once you and yours have worn yourselves out from hours of fun, take some time to enjoy a picnic at one of several open-air tables or in the reservable, covered picnic pavilion.

Bluemont Park

If you’re looking for a family-friendly park that will bring you closer to nature, then look no further than Bluemont Park! This 70-acre space is as much of a nature reserve as it is a standard park, with tons of amazing options for fun activities. In addition to areas for sporting events and fitness activities, Bluemont features a fenced-in playground space that is designed for school-aged children.

Unlike many other recreational spaces, Bluemont Park has an enormous parking area and public bathroom facilities, which is a big plus when trying to decide where to take friends and family for a day of fun.

Thanks to the gorgeous, nature reserve-esque atmosphere and wide open spaces, Bluemont Park is a great place for people of all ages to get some exercise and fresh air.

Chestnut Hills Park

Who ever said that kids can’t learn and play at the same time? At Chestnut Hills, a 4.5-acre park in North Arlington, education and recreation are blended into a single, fun experience!

This is one of our favorite spots to play in Arlington, because it has areas for both younger and older kids and is completely fenced-in for maximum peace-of-mind. Keep in mind, however, that there is no off-street parking at this spot, and there are no public restrooms available.

As the days get hotter, there’s no better way to spend a sunny day than in the shade of Chestnut Hills Park — make sure to check it out!

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County Board OKs Purchase of House to Expand Chestnut Hills Park

By ARLnow.com

2833 N. Harrison Street (photo via Google Map)

Arlington County is spending nearly $900,000 to buy and tear down a house along N. Harrison Street, to expand Chestnut Hills Park.

The County Board voted 5-0 yesterday to approve the purchase of 2833 N. Harrison Street for $820,000. The move comes just a few months after the county purchased an adjacent house for $728,000.

Chestnut Hills Park, near Yorktown High School, recently received a new pre-school playground. The park is said to be one of the most popular and most-used in the county.

Once the house is demolished, the county will expand the park and will “work with the community to enhance its features.” From an Arlington County press release:

For the second time in a year, Arlington County has agreed to buy land to expand the popular Chestnut Hills Park on N. Harrison Street in the Yorktown neighborhood.

The County Board today approved the purchase of a home and surrounding property at 2833 N. Harrison St., adjacent to the park. The agreed purchase price is $820,000 for the 10,405 square foot lot.

“Arlington is serious about looking for opportunities to add to our parkland and open space, and we plan for such purchases. We’re seeing real results for our commitment and planning,” said Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey.

The house on the lot the Board agreed to purchase today is a modest rambler, built in 1954, and has no remarkable individual architectural or historical significance. The County plans to deconstruct the house and restore the site as open space. The purchase price was obtained from a licensed Virginia real estate appraiser. The County estimates that closing costs will be about $5,000 and the deconstruction of the house and site restoration will cost about $50,000. The funds will be allocated from Park Land Acquisition funds.

The Board voted 5-0 to approve the acquisition. To read the staff report for this item, visit the County website. Scroll down to Item #21 on the Agenda for the Tuesday, March 15 County Board Meeting.

In the late 1990s, the County asked owners of certain properties along North Harrison Street whether they would be interested in selling their properties to the County to expand Chestnut Hills Park. Between 1996 and 1998, the owners of three properties along North Harrison Street sold their properties to the County. A fourth sold his property in 2015. The park was renovated in 2014. As the park grows, the County will continue to work with the community to enhance its features.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Deer near Donaldson Run (Flickr pool photo by Eric)

Board Approves Hospital Land Swap Option — The Arlington County Board has taken a first step to completing a deal to swap land with Virginia Hospital Center. The Board unanimously approved a non-binding Letter of Intent giving the hospital an option to purchase five acres of county-owned property adjacent to it. [Arlington County]

Apple iPhone Launch Day — A man has been camped out in front of the Clarendon Apple Store since Wednesday, in anticipation of today’s launch of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. The man, whose name is Joe, said it was his fourth year camping out for a new iPhone. [WJLA]

New Play Area Coming to Butler Holmes Park — Butler Holmes Park, which is tucked into a little corner of the Penrose neighborhood near Route 50, is getting a new, $414,000 pre-school play area, to complement the park’s existing playground and rain garden. “Besides whimsical tot lot features like a basket swing, see-saw and fairy tale structure, the project also includes safe play surfaces, a new park staircase and walkway, picnic tables and grills and signage,” said a press release. [Arlington County]

NSF HQ Purchased — An Atlanta-based real estate investment fund has purchased Stafford Place I, the Ballston office building that’s currently headquarters to the National Science Foundation. NSF will be moving out in 2017 and the buyer plans to “aggressively” market the property, which it purchased for $210 million. [Bisnow]

County Board Approves House Purchase — Arlington County will purchase a house at 2827 N. Harrison Street for $728,000, with the intention of knocking it down and using the property to enlarge Chestnut Hills Park. “This is another example of how the County is looking for every opportunity to add to our parks and open space,” said Arlington County Board Chair Mary Hynes. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Eric

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Flag over I-395

Arlington Generates $3 Billion in Travel Spending — Arlington County generated $3 billion in tourism spending in 2014, a 5 percent increase over 2013, according to data released Monday. Tourism supports almost 25,000 jobs in Arlington and generated $80 million in local tax revenue. Arlington accounted for about an eighth of Virginia’s $22.4 billion in tourism spending. “These record numbers are a testament to the excellent quality and value of Arlington’s travel and tourism offerings, and the strong collaboration between the County and local businesses in promoting our destination both domestically and internationally,” said Arlington Economic Development Director Victor Hoskins. [Arlington County]

Tejada: Crazy Transportation Ideas Better Than No Ideas — Retiring Arlington County Board member Walter Tejada says monorail-like pod transit on Columbia Pike may seem like a crazy idea, but at least it’s an idea. “The JPods or gondolas – some folks might chuckle, but at least the residents are coming up with options, and those who oppose things are not,” he said in an interview. [WTOP]

Moran: Federal Shutdown Coming — Former Democratic congressman Jim Moran, who represented Arlington in Virginia’s Eighth District, says he believes a federal government shutdown is coming because of a budget impasse between Republicans and Democrats. “We have a dysfunctional legislative branch,” said the 12-term congressman, who took a job as a legislative advisor for a D.C. law firm after leaving office. [WTOP]

Future I-66 Tolls May Be Steep — A plan to toll vehicles with fewer than three occupants on I-66 may cost commuters up to $16 round trip just for travel between D.C. and the Capital Beltway. [Washington Post]

County to Buy, Tear Down Home for Park — The Arlington County Board on Saturday is expected to approve the purchase of a home at 2827 N. Harrison Street. The county plans to raze the home and incorporate the 9,632 square foot site into adjacent Chestnut Hills Park. The total cost will be nearly $800,000 and will come from the county’s parkland acquisition fund. [InsideNova]