Archive for the ‘Silver Lake’ Category
Resources worth saving
Parkland for Plants, People and Wildlife
When: Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 pm
Where: Bull Run Unitarian Church, Bull Run Unitarian Universalist Church, 9350 Main Street, Manassas
Speaker: Charles Smith, Fairfax County Park Authority Natural Resource Specialist & PW Wildflower Society
The Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation has recognized the significance of the globally rare Upland Depression Swamp and Basic Oak-Hickory Forest at Silver Lake.
Given that this site is public land, protecting these resources would seem to be an easy task. But that’s not the case at Silver Lake, where globally rare natural areas were identified only after the fact - after the County accepted the property and, more importantly, after the County drew the borders of the middle school site in an area that includes both resources.
If these important resources had been identified in a timely manner, it would have been easy to locate the school site in an area that left globally rare natural areas on the parkland portion of Silver Lake, where they could have been protected.
The good news is that School Board members, working with the Park Authority, are making their best effort to protect these important natural areas. Although the outcome is still not certain, there are good opportunities for success. Read the rest of this entry »
Silver Lake – The citizens have put in their requests, now careful planning and balance is needed.
The last public master planning meeting was held on October 27, 2009. Many citizens came out to both the October 6 and October 27 meetings to share their views about recreation activities at Silver Lake, others posted comments online.
Now the Park Authority has a major challenge. They need to consider what residents want and carefully plan future recreation uses accordingly while ensuring that the natural beauty and conservation qualities at this special site are protected.
Residents have expressed interest in a wide range of both passive and active recreation uses for Silver Lake Park. Trails for hiking and horseback riding are popular suggestions, including support for connecting these to other nearby parkland. Other people have called for more intensive uses, such as a 60-acre shooting range, indoor equestrian arena, dressage area, outside jumping area and equestrian camping. Read the rest of this entry »
Rare plant communities discovered at Silver Lake
When planning to develop in natural areas, it always pays to look before you leap. Otherwise important resources could be accidentally lost.
With this in mind, the Prince William Wildflower Society (PWWS) offered their expertise to survey plants and plant communities at Silver Lake before work to develop the park begins. In early September PWWS member Charles Smith completed a preliminary assessment of the property and found two very special plant communities – an upland depression swamp and basic oak-hickory forest.
Following Mr. Smith’s discovery, a Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation expert visited Silver Lake and verified the presence of these unique plant communities. According to their review, the depression swamp is considered globally imperiled (G2 ranking), and the one found at Silver Lake is a large, mature, high-quality occurrence. Read the rest of this entry »
Silver Lake – getting close…
The Grand Opening is October 4, but volunteers from Dominion Power, Prince William Trails and Streams, and other organizations – plus Park Authority staff – have been busy this summer.
Trails have been located and cleared, some archeological sites/wetlands/special environmental sites identified, old structures removed, new kiosks and fences built, and a massive amount of debris from the old private campground removed. The newest county park in Prince William is going to be an attractive place for passive recreation.
If you want to participate in the Master Plan process for Silver Lake, first public meeting will be October 6.
Read the rest of this entry »
Prince William Park Authority – public meetings to plan park development
The schedule for public meetings is out, so now the public can participate in the official process for planning the future of the county’s parks. The Prince William County Park Authority has an ambitious schedule to update its long-tern strategic and comprehensive plans, and also complete at least two site-specific plans for individual parks.
The park system’s Strategic Plan provides the “big picture” and guides the development of future recreation facilities and programs that will be offered during the 2011-2015 time period.
The Comprehensive Plan for the park system is a different document from the Comp Plan that the Board of Coounty Supervisors approves. The Park Authority’s Comprehensive Plan is intended to portray how individual parks will be developed in the long run. If you’re wondering what sort of ballfields, trails, or other development is planned for future development at a particular park, the park system’s Comprehensive Plan should be a useful reference.
Two individual park plans are likely to generate discussion this Fall, for the Wiita tract and Silver Lake.
Read the rest of this entry »
Silver Lake – what’s next?
Here’s the latest from the Gainesville District Supervisor, John Stirrup:
“The Park Authority has established a two phase approach to opening the park, a brief description of each phase is included below.
“Within the next 120 days, the Park Authority will be preparing the property for safe passive recreation; securing or removing the dilapidated buildings, cleaning up the lake shore line, removing the broken lake dock and clearing areas for picnicking. As soon as the property is secured, fishing will be allowed from the bank of the lake. Also within those first 120 days, the Park Authority will conduct the Master Plan process for the Park. This process will seek input from the public and with organizations who would like to partner with the Park Authority. These meetings will be well publicized for citizens to participate.
“Phase Two, which is subject to budgetary constraints, could include a bathhouse, marina, camping area, picnic shelters and outdoor classrooms for environmental studies.”
Silver Lake: Park Authority sets date for opening, initiates Master Plan
One day after the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) approved the transfer of Silver Lake to the Park Authority without any deed restrictions, the Park Authority Board initiated the Master Plan and discussed opening the site to public use by October 1.
When the “No Trespassing” signs are replaced by “Welcome” signs, it will be a day for celebration.
Hay is for horses – and so is Silver Lake
Just what are opponents to deed restrictions at Silver Lake planning to build there someday?
Silver Lake is a great place for bridle trails. It’s a great place for hiking trails. It’s a great place for jogging trails. It’s a terrible place for an RV campground. It’s a terrible place for lighted-at-night tennis courts. It’s a terrible place for a lighted-at-night driving range for all the future PGA champions. It’s a terrible place for a lighted-at-night anything.
We already have developed ballfields at Valley View Park, James Long Park, and Catharpin/Sudley Park. Deed restrictions at Silver Lake will ensure we get a natural area at Silver Lake, and promises will be kept for years to come.
May & Nohe announce Silver Lake conservation plan
Supervisors Michael May and Martin Nohe have a conservation plan for Silver Lake. In a press release issued earlier today, they call for deed restrictions that limit recreation uses at Silver Lake to passive recreation and horseback riding.
If their proposal is adopted, Supervisors will ensure that community wishes for Silver Lake are honored and protect the environment by prohibiting high-impact recreation uses on this sensitive property.
This means there would be no lighted ball fields, RV storage, or other intensive recreation uses at Silver Lake. It means that Silver Lake would be there for our grandchildren and their children.
“Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
It’s time for a powerful speech at the entrance to Silver Lake.
Three years after the Board of Supervisors (BOCS) approved adding some 400 homes to Dominion Valley in exchange for a new park, Silver Lake is still closed up tight and surrounded by “No Trespassing” signs.
The failure of county officials to manage the site in a professional manner over the last three years demonstrates why long-term protection is needed. “Trust, but verify” applies to county promises about this property in particular.
The county can get back on track with Silver Lake in a simple sequence of steps:
Read the rest of this entry »
