playground

Higher Bids Push Cost of New Playground to $579K

By ARLnow.com

New playground proposed for Glencarlyn Park

A new playground is coming to Glencarlyn Park, pending Arlington County Board approval on Saturday.

The playground, for children 5-12 years old, will complement an existing tot playground at the park for 2-5 year olds. It will feature a “treehouse” log play structure, a swing set, seesaw, a dry creek bed adjacent to a sand/boulder play area, benches, interpretive signage and cattail spinners.

The lowest construction bid for the project was $441,000, with a $44,000 contingency, for a total contract authorization of $485,000. County staff is recommending that the Board approve the contract, even though it’s considerably higher than expected.

Combining the construction contract with other expenses associated with the project, the total cost is expected to be well above half a million dollars.

“The original cost estimate for Glencarlyn Park of $485,000 has increased due to higher construction bids, bringing the total project cost to $579,255,” according to the staff report. “The additional amount of $94,175 can be funded from savings of other [Neighborhood Conservation] projects that were completed under budget.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Bicycle commuter on the W&OD Trail (Flickr pool photo by ddimick)

Metro Keys Stolen from Arlington Fire Truck — Two men wearing masks and black clothing stole keys to secure areas of the Metro system from an unattended Arlington County fire truck last week. The theft happened during a medical call in Crystal City, and the thieves also stole a forcible entry tool called a Hydra Ram. [NBC Washington]

New Wakefield Aquatics Center Debuts — A ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the new aquatics center at Wakefield High School on Sunday. The center is expected to draw a larger crowd than the aging, existing Wakefield aquatics facility it replaces. The cost of entry is up to $5.50 per day for Arlington residents. [Sun Gazette]

Ft. Myer Heights Playground Opening Imminent — A new playground in Ft. Myer Heights, with slides made to look like hollowed-out logs, is set to open as soon as Wednesday. The playground also features a sand pit and picnic benches. [Ode Street Tribune]

New Poll Shows McAuliffe With Lead in Gov. Race — Democrat Terry McAuliffe is leading Republican Ken Cuccinelli 47-39 among likely votes in the Virginia governor’s race, according to a new Washington Post poll. Cuccinelli had a 10 point lead in a poll conducted this spring. [Washington Post]

Lt. Gov. Debate in Arlington Tonight — The candidates for Virginia lieutenant governor — Republican E.W. Jackson and Democrat Ralph Northam — will face off in a live debate in Arlington tonight. The 90-minute debate will take place at 7:00 p.m. at George Mason University’s Founders Hall Auditorium in Virginia Square. [George Mason University]

Flickr pool photo by ddimick

Parks Dept. Holding Two Ribbon Cuttings This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Renovated playground at High View Park (photo via Arlington County)Arlington County’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation will be holding two ribbon cutting ceremonies this weekend.

Tonight (Friday), starting at 6:00 p.m., an opening celebration will be held for the newly-renovated High View Park, located at 1945 N. Dinwiddie Street, within the boundaries of the John M. Langston Civic Association.

Renovations to the park include  new play areas, an ADA accessible route from Cameron Street, new benches, and a picnic area.

The event will include moon bounces “for all ages,” face painting, balloon art and refreshments. The ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 7:00 p.m.

On Saturday, Arlington County will celebrate the restoration of Carlin Hall (5711 4th Street S.). Dating back to 1892, Carlin Hall is currently used as a preschool, a community meeting facility and a recreation center. It recently underwent an extensive structural restoration.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for Carlin Hall at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday. The ceremony is part of the annual Glencarlyn Day festivities, which include a pancake breakfast, a parade, a fun fair and a home and garden tour.

Photo via Arlington County

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Aftershock Felt Across Region — A 4.5 magnitude aftershock jolted some residents out of bed just after 1:00 last night. The epicenter of the aftershock was five miles south of Mineral, Virginia, epicenter of Tuesday’s 5.8 magnitude quake. [U.S. Geological Survey]

Arlington Was Krupicka’s Waterloo — In the three-way primary battle for the 30th District state Senate seat, Alexandria City Councilman Rob Krupicka picked up nearly half of the vote in his hometown. But he garnered a measly 14 percent of the vote in Arlington, allowing Del. Adam Ebbin to press his local advantage and claim victory. “Ignore Arlington at your peril,” says the Sun Gazette. Meanwhile, Krupicka says his political career may be over. [Sun Gazette, Del Ray Patch]

Design Proposal for Ft. Myer Heights Playground — The design for a new playground in Ft. Myer Heights includes “nature-themed playground apparatuses,” “two picnic tables and a barbecue” and “a sand play area with a non-potable water pump.” [Ode Street Tribune]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Lime Fresh Signs Clarendon Lease — Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, from the company that brought you Ruby Tuesday, is officially coming to Clarendon. The restaurant is opening one of the first locations outside of Florida in the Clarendon Market Common storefront once occupied by Comfort One Shoes. [Washington Business Journal, Clarendon Culture]

Same-Sex Couples in Arlington — According to the latest U.S. Census numbers, Arlington is home to about 6 percent of Virginia’s same-sex households. There are 1,165 same-sex partner households in Arlington — 835 male and 333 female. The number of same-sex male households has grown 3 percent since 2000, while the number of same-sex female households has grown 16 percent. [Associated Press]

Revamped Playground for Ft. Myer Heights — Kids in Ft. Myer Heights will be getting a renovated playground at Ft. Myer Heights Park. A public meeting is planned next month to discuss the planned renovations. [Ode Street Tribune]

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

Bluemont Playground Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County parks department will be celebrating the opening of its new Bluemont Park playground with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday.

The playground, at 601 N. Manchester Street, features play areas with farm and train-themed play equipment, as well as climbing boulders, a play house, swings, a sandbox, picnic area, accessible paths, a drinking fountain and more.

The ceremony is being held between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, and is part of the county’s Neighborhood Day event list.