Woodstock Park

Police Investigating Mysterious Pool of Blood Found at Local Park

By ARLnow.com

Police are investigating blood found at a North Arlington park.

Crime scene tape was placed around Woodstock Park in Waverly Hills, a park and playground popular with children, this morning shortly after 8 a.m. One local resident described a “pool of blood” being found at the park.

So far, however, police haven’t determined where the blood came from.

“At approximately 8:01 a.m., police were dispatched to the 2000 block of N. Woodstock Street for the report of blood located in the park,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said. “At this time, no victims or crime have been determined. ACPD remains on scene investigating and will canvas the area for additional information related to the incident.”

The crime scene caused concern among neighbors, who took to social media to ask about what happened.

Map via Google Maps

Board Approves Resident Plan for Future of Waverly Hills

By Ethan Rothstein

Woodstock Park (photo via Google Maps)The residents of the Waverly Hills neighborhood in North Arlington want more mixed-use development and to be able to age in place, according to the community’s just-approved Neighborhood Conservation plan.

Waverly Hill is the area north of I-66, south of Lee Highway between N. Glebe Road and Utah Street. According to a survey of almost 400 residents in the 3,800-person neighborhood, 70 percent of Waverly Hills residents want to retire in the neighborhood.

“Seventy percent is a very large number, and I don’t want to say we’re transient, but there are a lot of people that come and go from Arlington,” Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette said. “It shows how many people like it enough to suggest that they want to live their whole life here and take advantage of the services into retirement.”

The County Board approved the new neighborhood conservation plan, which includes a request to implement a master plan for Woodstock Park (pictured), which would include a vision for future improvements. The County Board approved a $644,000 renovation for the park in June, which will include a new playground and basketball court, under construction now.

County Board members said they expect the update to the NC plan for the community to serve as a model for other civic associations, both with a focus on aging in place and the update’s thoroughness; according to the county’s press release, the civic association spent more than 1,000 hours on the process.

“This plan gives us an inclusive outline for preserving our livable community while addressing the concerns of our residents,” Michael Polovina, president of the Waverly Hills Civic Association, said in the release. “We are very proud to have accomplished this revisioning after a process that took several years to complete. The next 15 years look very bright for Waverly Hills.”

Other priorities for the update include facilitating mixed-use development along Lee Highway and Glebe Road, with nods to affordable, senior accessible housing. The neighborhood also requests a sidewalk on 20th Road N. adjacent to N. Utah Street and further pedestrian improvements for walking to nearby schools like Washington-Lee High School and Glebe Elementary.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Rooftop view of Crystal City (photo courtesy @rydaka)

Politico to Stay in Rosslyn — The Capitol Hill publication Politico has been looking for new office space, but will keep its home at 1100 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn after all, according to an internal memo. Politico’s owner, Allbritton Communications, said last year that it plans to use proceeds from the sale of its Rosslyn-based TV station WJLA (ABC 7) to fund an expansion of Politico. [Fishbowl DC]

Woodstock Park Improvements Approved — The Arlington County Board has unanimously approved a $644,127 contract to construct improvements to Woodstock Park, including a new basketball court and playground. [Arlington County]

Ray’s, Heavy Seas Makes Burger List — Two Arlington eateries are among the D.C. area’s ten hottest places for burgers, according to online food publication Eater. Rosslyn’s relatively new Heavy Seas Alehouse is No. 5 while Ray’s to the Third, also in Rosslyn, is No. 7. [Eater]

A Very Arlington Tweet — Was it the “Arlington-est tweet ever” when Bike Arlington tweeted today that “it’s flip-flop commuting weather?” [Twitter]

Photo courtesy @rydaka

Woodstock Park to Get New Basketball Court, Playground

By Ethan Rothstein

Woodstock Park (photo via Google Maps)Woodstock Park in the Waverly Hills neighborhood could soon be getting a $700,000 renovation.

The County Board will vote Saturday on county staff’s recommendation to award a $644,000 contract to Fort Myer Construction Corporation, with a $64,000 contingency, to build a new basketball court, replace playground equipment and build a new walking path from N. Woodstock Street, along with other minor improvements.

The project was initially put out to bid in December 2013, according to the Department of Parks and Recreation’s staff report, but all the bids came in over budget. In response, staff removed an “embankment slide” playground element and the path and stairs to get there to bring costs down.

The renovations three-quarter acre park, located at 2049 N. Woodstock Street, were planned and designed as part of a community outreach program in 2012, staff said. It currently features a playground, basketball court, gazebo and “small grassy area.”

Photo via Google Maps