Park Fees

Today the Washington Post had an article in the Fairfax Local Living section called "Park fees may increase." This was written by Kali Schumitz who writes for the Fairfax County Times. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/25/AR2011012506438.html

This story was about proposed fee increases that the Fairfax County Park Authority is considering for Rec Centers, golf, weddings, and a range of other areas.

The Fairfax County Park Authority is not the only agency with parks in Fairfax County. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority owns and operated numerous large parks in Fairfax County as well as Arlington, and Loudoun Counties and the Cities of Fairfax, Falls Church and Alexandria. There are also State and National parks in Fairfax County, each with a different mission and focus.

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority was established over fifty years ago primarily to preserve large natural areas along the major rivers of our area. As a result, NVRPA today owns over 14 miles of Potomac River front and over 25 miles of river front along the Bull Run and Occoquan Rivers (and Mason Neck). NVRPA is not so much focused on local recreation as it is having destination parks with unique features.

In December of 2010 NVRPA adopted its fee schedule for 2011. Some of the notable features of this fee structure are as follows:

• Golf - Our daily greens fees remain unchanged for the third year in a row. Golf usage is down nationwide, and has been for several years. With a desire to bring more players into the game we looked for creative ways to offer a higher value for many of our customers these include:
• A new Heron Club membership that goes for $195 a year and provides three free rounds of golf along with free range privileges, and daily play discounts. This is an outstanding value designed to build more club loyalty to NVRPA's three great courses (Pohick Bay, Brambleton, & Algonkian).
• A new Round Card that offers 10%, 15%, and 20% discounts for those that buy golf rounds ahead of time in bulk.
• A new program for Twilight Pricing. This offers bargain basement pricing for those that want to tee off 3 hours or less before sunset. This is a great offer for those that want to get in a little golf after work.
• A new Senior Gold Membership that offers the ability for seniors to play unlimited golf 7 days a week.
• The only increase was for the standard Senior Membership that offers five day a week unlimited play. For this membership we increased the price less than 10% based on the statistics of very high rates of play in this category.
• Four of our five Waterparks saw not fee change. The one that did was Great Waves with a modest $.25 - .50 increase to offset some new features offered.
• An all new climbing play feature that will be open this spring at Great Waves at Cameron Run, will be available even when the pool/waterpark is closed. There will be a daily fee of $3.95 -$4.95 for children 2 - 12 to play on this 30 foot feature.
• Miniature Golf rates will be unchanged at most of our mini-golf, but we will be reducing our rate at Algonkian to encourage greater play.
• Kayak & Canoe rentals at Pohick Bay and Fountainhead will go up $1 per hour, or $4 per day. This fee has been flat for years and we have seen a huge spike in demand for these rentals. The increased fee will help us expand our fleet. Pohick Bay will also become the first site in the greater Washington DC region to offer stand on top paddle board rentals this summer. These will rent for the same price as a kayak.




Kayak Rentals at Fountainhead Regional Park


• Camping at Bull Run and Pohick Bay Parks has seen significant increases in popularity over the last several years with improved facilities. The price for a campsite will go up a modest $1 per night.

• Wedding Venues like the Atrium at Meadowlark Gardens, and  the Meeting Center at Alongkian are staying unchanged in their fee structure.

Most of the changes in the fee structure for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority are designed to increase the value that our customers are getting and encourage higher levels of participation. Parks remain one of the best values for people to do a wide range of activities. And the more people use their parks the more they value them.

Stamps commemorate the start of the Civil War

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War the Post office is going to release their first of a series do Civil War stamps in April. The first one out are of the shelling of Fort Sumter which was the first fighting of the war, and of the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) which was the first large battle of the war.

Northern Virginia was a 'front lines' area of the War for most of the four year conflict. Several days before the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run), a lesser known battle took place in and around the stream known as Bull Run. This was the Battle of Blackburn's Ford. Today this site is where Rt. 28 crosses from Fairfax to Prince William County. There is a small parking lot for access to the Bull Run-Occoquan Trail, and a historic marker that tells the story of Blackburn's Ford.

The background of the commemorative sheet that these two stamps will be on shows a photo from 1861 of Union Soldiers in formation near Falls Church, Virginia. It will be interesting to examine this photo closer when it is released. It well could be that this is a photo of Upton Hills. Today Upton Hills is a Regional Park on Wilson Blvd, in Arlington on the Fairfax County/Falls Church boarder. During the Civil War Upton Hills was strategic high ground. In the early days of the War, the Confederates built a fort here that included Quaker guns (wooden logs painted black to look like cannons). The Union Army took over this site and built Fort Ramsay that included real cannons and an observation tower.

The First Battle of Bull Run (also known as the First Battle of Manassas) go the war started in a big way. It is interesting to note that the last shots of the war were fired very near that first big battle.

One day after Lee surrendered at Appomattox, some of Mosby's Rangers went into Fairfax County to attack the Burke Train Station. They found themselves in a retreating fight against Union cavalry. The fast moving fight ended on the banks of Bull Run at Wolf Run Shoal.

Lieut. James G. Wiltshire of Mosby's Rangers later remarked to a friend: "Has it never struck you as being a notable fact that the first big fight of the war occurred on Bull Run and the last shots of the war in Virginia were fired on the banks of that same stream?"

Today Manassas National Battlefield Park protects the site of the First and Second Battles of Bull Run (Manassas). The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority owns the area of Bull Run where both the last shots of the war were fired and where the Battle of Blackburn's Ford was fought. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority also owns Upton Hill in the Falls Church/Arlington area.

Sesquicentennial - Vocabulary word of the day

OK, the vocabulary word for the day is Sesquicentennial

ses·qui·cen·ten·ni·al Adjective /ˌseskwisenˈtenēəl/


1.Of or relating to the one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of a significant event

ses·qui·cen·ten·ni·al Noun /ˌseskwisenˈtenēəl/

sesquicentennials plural

1.A one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary
 
Now that we are in 2011, what was happening around here in 1861?.. The American Civil War. The greatest conflict in American history, and a war that helped shape the United States in many ways.
 
Did you know that before the Civil War people would most commonly say "the United States are," and after the war people started saying and writing "the United States is?" This minor change in the way we used language indicates a big shift from a perception that the U.S. was a collection of autonomous states to the U.S. being one singular nation.
 
The next one to four year will see many events designed around marking the 150th anniversary of this great conflict. For more information on some of these events see the following sites:
 
Virginia Sesquicentennial Site:
http://www.virginiacivilwar.org/

Civil War Trails - Virginia
http://www.civilwartraveler.com/EAST/VA/

Financial Transparency is Important

After the scandals of Enron and WorldCom Congress enacted Sarbanes Oxley, legislation that put a lot more focus on financial accountability for publicly traded corporations.

While Sarbanes Oxley does not directly apply to government agencies, financial accountability is every bit as important. The public should be able to know that publicly funded agencies are using their resources wisely. While it is not required, many agencies post their audited financial statements and budgets on-line so all can see. If you find an agency that does not do this, I would encourage you to ask for this level of transparency.

The idea of financial transparency is that nothing is hidden. If organizations are well run, there is no need to hide financial information.

We recently concluded our Fiscal Year 2010 audit, and our auditors met with both our Audit Committee and Board to report their findings. Once again we received an "unqualified" report, meaning that our books and financial controls were in good shape. In addition to our auditors saying we are running a tight ship, the Government Financial Officers Association has for a number of years awarded us with the "Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting," their highest award for financial reporting.

As great as it is to have such a good audit, a second challenge is to make financial information accessible and understandable to all. Six years ago our budget consisted of spreadsheet which while they were accurate, were not very easy to understand and use. We undertook a several year process of creating a budget that was easy to read, conveyed the strategic priorities of the organization, and could be used as a tool to record and track performance measures. The result of this process was great. Our budget today is a "go to" document for all kinds of organizational issues. If you want to know how many children went to the Carlyle House Historic Park as a part of school groups (1,182), or how many boat launches took place at Pohick Bay Regional Park (6,365), or what the goals and objectives of any park are, the budget is the place to find the information.

As a result of all the work we put into making our budget an understandable and useful document, we have also won the "Distinguished Budget Presentation" award from the Government Financial Officers Association for several years. This is their highest award for budgets. 

If you would like to see either our Audited Financial Statements or Budgets for the last several years they are available at the following link: http://www.nvrpa.org/park/main_site/content/financials

Financial transparency is important for society.

Largest All LED Lightshow in the Universe

The 2.5 mile drive through holiday light show at Bull Run Regional Park has been a mainstay of the Northern Virginia area for 12 years. Five years ago the show became all LED, and since that time we have added new LED light displays every year. This year there is a new element of the show that is animated to music.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest all LED light show in the UNIVERSE!!! A big claim for a big light show. And until we hear from another planets that they have a larger all LED show, we will stick to our claim.

LED lights use only a 10th of the electricity that normal incandescent bulbs use. So in addition to being the largest all LED show on earth, it is also good for the earth.

Around 100,000 people go through the show each year. And this year may be the biggest year ever. With a light snow on the ground the light show is more magical than ever.

This year the show is open until January 9th so it is not too late to pack up the family and take in the great holiday show.

For more information see: http://www.nvrpa.org/park/bull_run_festival_of_lights/content/home

Kayak Rentals Continue to Soar

Kayak Rentals at Fountainhead Regional Park

 For five years in a row kayak rentals have increased dramatically at both Foutainhead Regional Park in Fairfax Station and Pohick Bay in Lorton Virginia. 2010 saw an increase of over 20%.

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has rented Kayaks at Pohick Bay Regional Park for almost 10 years, but it was just over 5 years ago they were introduced at Fountainhead, and just this last year that kayak rentals were introduced at Occoquan Regional Park.

Canoes have always been popular, but this popularity has been flat for many years. Today kayaks out-rent canoes by over two to one. We ramped up the kayak offerings a few years ago, because we saw statistics that kayaks were outselling canoes significantly. We realized if this is a measure of popularity of these boats we need to offer more of them at more locations.

For the 2011 summer season we will introduce the latest addition to paddling sports the stand-on-top board. This is similar to a surf board or sit-on-top kayak that one stands on and paddles with a single paddle with a long shaft. The stand-on-top paddle boards will start at Pohick Bay Regional Park.

I have been asked by a number of friends what kind of kayak they should buy, and while I always have free advice, one of my suggestions is always to rent some different boats and see how you like them. This will give the new kayaker some idea of what they should look for. Some of the great advantages of renting boats when you want them is that your cost is much lower, you do not need to find a place to store the boat when it is not in use, and you do not need all the roof rack attachments that go with transporting a boat. You just show up, get your gear and launch the boat that is already by the water's edge.

With snow on the ground as I write this, I thought it would warm you up to think about next summer and gliding along in the paddle craft of your choice at one of your favorite Regional Parks.

Parks = Tourism = Strong Economy

Tourism is big business and one of the best kinds of economic activity to strengthen an entire community. When people visit a place for leisure or business they stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, and shop in local stores, all while seeing the sights of the area.

In Northern Virginia tourism contributed $7.597 Billion to the local economy in 2008! This is why tourism is Virginia's #2 industry (behind agriculture) and why Northern Virginia is one of the most important engines for tourism in the Commonwealth.



What makes people select an area for travel is mostly affected by what there is to do in that area...what are the attractions? And this is where parks come in. Particularly National, and Regional Parks which make up some of the most important historic sites, and unique features in the Northern Virginia region. The list of sites is extensive but a few examples include:





Carlyle House


• Mt.Vernon, home of George Washington and the biggest tourist magnet in Northern Virginia, while not technically a park, it functions much like one and has set a new standard for engaging the public in history.
• Carlyle House in Alexandria is another fantastic colonial era mansion that saw George Washington as a frequent guest, and was the site where the French and Indian War was planned by General Braddock. This site is owned by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.
• Manassas Battlefield, site of two of the most important battle of the Civil War, this is a property of the National Park Service. This and other sites will be the focus of more attention as we remember the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War in 2011.



W&OD Trail

• Balls Bluff Battlefield outside of Leesburg is another of the sites of early conflict during the Civil War. The political fall out of this battle had a lasting effect on the Union Army's command structure. This site is also owned by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.
•  Truly unique features like the 45 mile W&OD Trail also attract thousands of people from outside the area to come and ride what many consider the best rails-to-trails trail in the nation. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority developed this attraction during the 1970s and 1980s.

Developing new attractions continues. At Meadowlark Gardens, work is well underway creating a Korean Bell Garden that is unique in North America. This attraction should help attract tourist both nationally and internationally. Studies have found the some international tourist spend up to 10 times as much as domestic tourist.

Another project in development that will be a tourist attraction is the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial at Occoquan Regional Park. This will be the only real memorial to the sacrifices of the women that were imprisoned in 1917-18 for protesting in favor of the right to vote for women. This unique memorial will be an attraction for tourist from around the country.

Jean R. Packard Wins Top Environmental Award

Jean R. Packard just won the Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award, presented to her by the Fairfax County Park Authority. This is the highest environmental award in Fairfax County. [Pictured above is Jean Packard receiving the award from Congressman Gerry Connolly, last years award winner.]

No one could be more deserving of this high honor than Jean Packard. She is a truly amazing person who has dedicated her life to improving the environment and quality of life in Northern Virginia.

Jean is on the Board of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. She is also Chair of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, the local land trust for Northern Virginia. She is also Chair for the Soil and Water Conservation District Board for the region. She has served on the National Board of Directors of the Sierra Club, the Interstate Commission of the Potomac River Basin, and the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations.

In the 1970s Jean served as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and as a result of her leadership thousands of acres of land in the southern part of the County along the Bull Run and Occoquan Rivers were down zoned to protect one of the primary drinking water sources for the region.

On a national, regional and local level, and through governmental and non-profit organizations Jean has done, and continues to do amazing work. Jean Packard is a model of how to have a positive impact on your world. In her crusade to make a better world, wisdom, civility and persistence have been among her most effective tools.

Way to go Jean!!!

Korean Bell soon to be at Meadowlark Garden

By the spring the first phase of the Korean Bell Garden at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens will be complete. For several months artists from Korean were on site at Meadowlark building the beautiful pavilion in the photo above. This traditional structure was all made from hand carved wood, with the tiles shipped directly from Korea.

Jeung Hwa Elmejjad-Yi the President of the Korean American Cultural Committee just returned from another trip to Korea this week. On this trip she met with the Governor and other senior officials from Gyeonggi Province. This province of Korea is going to fund the bell that is being cast there. The first two images below are of the actual bell that is being made for Meadowlark Gardens, and the bottom one is of another bell that is of a similar size. This bell will feature images of Cardinals, Great Blue Herons, and Dogwoods, all natural images from Virginia.

The Republic of Korea (federal government) has already contributed to this project, as have numerous private donors. When complete this spring this will be the only Korean bell pavilion in a public garden in North America. Last spring volunteers helped plant 100 trees native to Korea around the site the pavilion stands today. A winding trail and large stones help create a scene very similar to what you find in the palaces of Korea.

This extremely exciting project has been made possible by the great donations of the Korean American Cultural Committee, and the amazing dedication and hard work of Jeung Hwa Elmejjad-Yi.

Korean Pavilion Complete

I have written a lot about the Korean Bell Garden at Meadowlark Gardens on this blog as it has moved through the stages of an agreement with the Korean American Cultural Committee to raise the funds for this garden, to the donation from the Republic of Korea, to various ceremonies, and finally to the construction phase where craftsmen from Korea built the pavilion on site much the way they would have done 1,000 years ago.

Well as you can see from these photos, it has come together in a fantastic way! The pavilion is nearly complete, and the bell is being cast in Korea. It will arrive by ship in the first few months of 2011, and by spring we should be ready to celebrate the completion of phase I. I say phase I because there are plans for further development of this area if funds allow.

I was at Meadowlark Gardens last Sunday, and you could see a stream of people making their way to see this great sight. It is a fascinating and beautiful garden to any one's eye. But to those from the Korean American community, it has much greater meaning to see a little of their old country in the midst of their new country.

It has been a great project and a great deal of the credit goes to Jeung-Hwa Elmejjad-Yi the President of KACC who have been at the center of all of these efforts.

Like trails? thank a volunteer!

My last post was about hiking the entire Bull Run/Occoquan Trail. Today I got a memo from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club that helps to maintain this 18 mile trail. In the last year they have donated 1,565 hours to this task!! With a full time job being around 2,000 hours, you can see that the collective efforts of these volunteers equals 78% of a full time position. This is a great donation to the public good.

If you would like to read more about the work of this great club see there site at: http://www.patc.net/PublicView/

Bull Run/Occoquan Trail

Yesterday I hiked the 18 mile Bull Run/Occoquan Trail, or as many hikers know it the "blue trail." I had hiked most sections of this before, but this was my first through hike of it.

It is a truly amazing resource in the heart of Northern Virginia the end points are Fountainhead Regional Park and Bull Run Regional Park, with Bull Run Marina and Hemlock Regional Parks in the middle. At 18 miles it is perfect for a serious day hike, and a good day hike alternative to those that are thinking about a day hike on the Appalachian Trail. The AT is fantastic, but this is closer for many people and just as nice in many ways.

The trail runs along the river and in some areas you are in low areas next the bank and in other areas the trail is along high bluffs. The area around Hemlock Overlook Regional Park is perhaps the most beautiful with its stunning rock outcroppings.

Hiking this trail is literally walking in the footsteps of history. Between Fountainhead and Bull Run Marina is the point where the armies of Washington and Rochambeau crossed the Occoquan River on their way to Yorktown in 1781, to bring the Revolutionary War to an end. Rochambeau was the General in charge of the French troops that were critical to the success at Yorktown. For more information on this chapter in history see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington%E2%80%93Rochambeau_Revolutionary_Route

In this section of the trail we also saw many small groups of people walking briskly along the trail for a few miles to get their exercise.

Between Hemlock Overlook and Rt. 28 there is a fascinating Civil War artillery battery next to the trial that is a reminder that during the war between the states, this area was the outer defenses for Washington and an area that saw many battles and skirmishes. Many soldiers spent months camped along the banks of the Bull Run and Occoquan Rivers manning batteries and forts like the one next to the trial. At Rt. 28 is the site of the Battle of Blackburn's Ford that took place shortly before the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas).

There is also great wildlife to be seen along this nature trail, and a varied environment.

Today with sore feet and great memories, I would highly encourage anyone to start early in the morning and make a day of exporting the hidden natural and historic resources of the "blue trial."

Giant Corn Maze and More

Fall is here and it is time to visit the largest (24 acre) corn maze in the greater Washington metropolitan area at Temple Hall Farm Regional Park outside of Leesburg VA. This years maze theme is 100 years in scouting, but as much fun as the maze is it is just a small part of the fun.

"Fort Cornumpkin" at Temple Hall features both corn Cob cannons and giant pumpkin blasters, that hurl pumpkins at targets in a field. Cow-train rides, wagon rides, play features and good food service are all part of the day of fun you and your family can have.

Pig races is another feature that is a big hit with the whole family. Something that should not be missed.

In the last year we have added huge bouncing pillows. These are like large built-in trampolines. Kids of all ages love the bouncing pillows. We also have new this year a paint ball shooting gallery.

The Temple Hall Corn MAiZE is a remarkable value for all day fun for the whole family. If you have not been to Temple Hall in the last year, you have not experience all that this fall festival has to offer. It runs every weekend from now until November 7th.

All of these great events are in the setting of a 200 year old farm with heritage breed animals and a interesting history.

For more information go to: http://www.nvrpa.org/park/the_maize/content/home

Good Economic News - Parks

Because the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority self funds over 80% of our operating expense (a remarkable deal for the tax payers) we are very focused on making our parks and programs appealing to the public.

Every four months we do some detailed analysis of exactly how we are doing compared with similar periods in previous years and compared with our current budget, a higher level of analysis than our monthly financials. Since our park offering change by the season, this methods works well for us.

We just finished this process for our key summer season May -August. And the bottom line was that we were up in our Enterprise Fund by 4% compared with the same time last year. Some of the notable differences between the summer of 2009 include:

• Pools/Waterparks were up by 13.5%
• Golf was down by 7%
• Cabin rentals in our campgrounds were up by 10%
• Overall campgrounds were down by 2% (but historically near the high water mark)
• And most other areas up slightly including:
• boat rentals
• picnic pavilions
• Event venues for weddings and receptions
• Large outdoor festivals and concerts

• And overall attendance at all of our parks from gardens to museums, nature centers, and natural areas.

Part of this success story has been our business like management of parks. We do not just assume the public will find our facilities and use them. Over the last few years we have put a concerted effort into upgrading and improving our facilities, and we have then worked to market what we have to offer. We are competing for peoples leisure time.

With much bad economic news on the headlines it is nice that people are still getting out and having fun in  parks, engaging with nature, getting exercise, and enjoying themselves. Good stuff!!

The other seasons:

Not too many years ago, most of the parks would be quite during the non-peak season, but now we are busy all year. Now that the pools have closed we put a lot of our attention to the fall activities at the Temple Hall Regional Farm Park near Leesburg. We host the annual Corn MAiZE, a 23 acre maze that features the theme of 100 years of Boy Scouts this year. In addition to the maze you can bounce on giant bouncing pillows (like a trampoline) shoot pumpkins from two pumpkin cannons, go for a hay ride, see farm animals, and have a great time with family and friends.

After the fall season our attention again shifts to the Bull Run Holiday Light Show (the largest all LED light show in the universe - as far as we know). With each of these different seasonal events we are able to efficiently pull in staff from other part of the park system to help make each of these a great experience for the public.

Kayaking and Canoeing on Pohick Bay

The following is the first two paragraphs of a great blog post about Pohick Bay that appears on Lorton Patch blog. For the full story see: http://lorton.patch.com/articles/kayaking-and-canoeing-in-pohick-bay

"On the north side of the Mason Neck peninsula, the mouth of Pohick Creek enters into a body of water known as Pohick Bay. Adjacent to this bay is Accotink Bay, the mouth of Accotink Creek. These tidal estuaries—bays receiving fresh water from rivers and salt water from the ocean—are home to an amazing array of wildlife and flora, accessible for exploration in kayak and canoe.


Pohick Bay Regional Park offers rentals by the hour or day of Jon boats, pedal boats, sunfish sailboats, canoes, single kayaks and double kayaks. From the boat rental beach, paddlers may choose to stay in the open bay waters, or venture back into the wetland areas closer the mouth of the creeks. The kayaks and canoes are best for an up close and personal look at the diverse offering of flora and fauna throughout the park."

Are You a Viking or a Farmer?

Below is an article I wrote that was published in Park & Recreation Magazine, September 2010.

Legendary Norsemen didn't conquer the known world by doing things the way they had always been done. Nor should park and recreation administrators.

The Park and Recreation field is undergoing great change. With state and local government budgets in great distress, a business as usual attitude is not a strategy for success. With many economists predicting that an end to the current recession will not come until sometime in 2013, what will parks and recreation look like at that point? Almost certainly, the agencies that survive and thrive will be those that chart new areas. These will be agencies with lean overhead and an entrepreneurial spirit. Agencies that show their value to the community in new and exciting ways and are less dependent on traditional sources of tax revenues will succeed. They will be Viking agencies.


From the late 8th into the 12th centuries, Vikings from Scandinavia were a dominant force in the world in and around Europe. They conquered vast areas and promoted trade. In the east, they set up the nation of Russia, and in the west they were the first Europeans to explore North America. Then, over time, they stopped exploring to become farmers, and the age of Vikings came to an end.

Most larger park agencies went through a Viking era, a period of time when leaders with foresight and a “can do” attitude created opportunities which resulted in rapidly expanding lands and operations. Over time, any organization can become so focused on managing what they have that they forget to grow.

Management is much like farming. You have a set of operations, and you tend to those like a farmer tending his fields. There is a great tendency to do the same thing every year. It seems to work and it becomes “how we always do things.” There is nothing wrong with being a competent manager or farmer, so long as external forces do not change too rapidly. But, when the way things have been done no longer addresses the changing circumstances, it is time to take to the “long boats” again.

While the farmer is focused on the management of a certain set of fields, the Viking is looking to the horizon for new opportunities. Successful Vikings were willing to take strategic risks and stretch themselves and their group to find the new opportunities. While they were seeking these new opportunities, they were not alone. Leif Ericson did not row to Newfoundland by himself, he had a team of Vikings willing to try new things and take risks together for a shared reward.

So, “Going Viking” is not a matter of becoming an individual maverick, but a process of adopting an organizational culture of growth and exploration. The stronger your team of Vikings, the more successful you will be at thriving in an era of change.

Thinking beyond your field is more than a catchy theme for this article. We need to think beyond the traditional park and recreation field to find new opportunities and achieve excellence. If you want to take the best of business principles and apply them to your world, you need to study the best in the business world. I would strongly suggest reading Harvard Business Review to get a handle on what the leaders in management, marketing and strategy are thinking about. For practical knowledge that will help the bottom line of your park agency, send your agency’s best and brightest to NRPA’s Revenue Development and Management School at Oglebay. This business school for park and recreation has been instilling entrepreneurism in park officials for over 45 years, with constantly updated course material.

Think about what Richard Louv and his book Last Child in the Woods did for outdoor/nature experiences. He changed spending time in nature from a nice thing to do for some, to a social imperative for all. And, as a result, nature programming and acquisition of open space have bloomed.

Think about new ways of positioning your park agency. If you are just considered the “fun” agency, you will be the first to be cut in economic hard times. But, if your facilities and programs are a big reason why tourists spend money in your community, or businesses locate there, you are no longer discretionary but have become essential.

These are examples of thinking beyond your field, looking for new markets and new worlds to explore. You can think like a Viking in looking for new revenue sources, new programming opportunities, new financing options and new marketing methods. And, to thrive in an unsettled world, you need a strong team of Vikings to row that long boat to new opportunities.

Final beam goes into Korean Pavilion

On Saturday, the master craftsmen from Korea that have been carving each piece of wood to make the traditional pavilion that will house the large bell at Meadowlark Botanical Garden finished their work. The final step for the carpenters was to hand paint in Korean "Bell of Peace and Harmony" and the date, and put the top beam in place.

Master Carpenter Lee did the honors of painting the bell's name on the beam, before it was lifted by cloth ropes up to the top and set in place. Except for the concrete foundation, the entire pavilion was constructed by hand with each piece of wood being carved from raw lumber. It all fit together tongue and groove without any nails or screws.

The bell is being cast in Korea by another master artist, and will be shipped here in early 2011.

When complete this unique feature of Meadowlark Gardens will be a tourist attraction, a symbol of the partnership between our two countries, and a cultural hub for the Korean American community in the Washington Metropolitan area.

90 Years Ago Women Won the Right to Vote

It is hard to believe that is was less than 100 years ago that women got the right to vote after a very long effort.

At Occoquan Regional Park we have Turning Point Plaza with interpretive signs that tell the story of the women who were imprisoned near there for seeking voting rights in 1917-1919, prior to the 19th Amendment being passed in 1920. In addition to the markers next to the historic brick kiln, the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Committee is working to raise funds for a much grander monument. We have a great design from architect Bob Beach, and the plan is to create this memorial before the 100th Anniversary.

A week ago, we had a nice ceremony at the plaza to mark the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, and at this event we also put a time capsule  in the ground with information on the plans for future generations to find some day.

Time capsule

Girl Scouts fill in the hole

Virginia Wine Festival

If you like fine wine, great music and fun with your friends you need to go to Bull Run Regional Park for the Virginia Wine Festival on Saturday September 18th.

The Virginia Wine Festival is the oldest wine festival on the East Coast. Each year, the festival features 50 of VA\'s best wineries, craft exhibitors, seminars, and incredible music. At the Virginia Wine Festival you can celebrate and taste from more than 300 Virginia Vintages plus attend seminars on tasting, pairing, and winemaking, all at a beautiful outdoor venue while shopping and listening to authentic sounds of stellar regional performers. Performers: Over the Rhine, Robert Jospe Quartet w/ John D\'earth, Juggle This! & Stiltwalker and more!

The Special Event Center at Bull Run Regional Park is a great location of concerts, and festivals, and hosts some of the premiere events in Northern Virginia.

Cost: $25: Advance Tickets, $30: Tickets at the Gate


For more information go to www.vawinefest.com or call 1-888-VA-FESTS

Great Location Right Off of I-66

Del Keam meets with Master Craftsmen

Delegate Keam with Master Craftsmen

Yesterday Delegate Mark Keam (35th Virginia House District) visited Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna Virginia where the Korean Bell Garden is being create. Delegate Keam saw the site of the garden where the foundation is already in place for the traditional pavilion that will hold the large cast iron bell in the center of a uniquely Korean garden.

He also met with the special carpenter/artists that have come from Korea to build this pavilion in the same way traditional structures have been built there for thousands of years. These craftsmen have shaped every piece of what will be the pavilion from raw wood. It will all fit together without the assistance of a single nail. Beautiful carvings of birds and flowers have all been formed by hand, and it will be topped with special tiles shipped in from Korea.

The pavilion will be complete sometime in late September and the bell should be on site in early 2011. Already over 100 Korean trees have been planted and stone brought in to create an area that looks like the gardens seen in ancient Korean palaces.

This project is being funded by the Korean American Cultural Committee, with private donations and financial support from the Republic of Korea.

When  complete this site will be a tourist destination for the Northern Virginia area. Already tourism is the #2 industry in Virginia. There are direct flights everyday from Dulles Airport to Korea, this bell garden will provide an important draw to encourage people to come to Meadowlark Garden and see this unique site, and will certainly help the business community in the surrounding area.  There are two similar bells on the West Coast, but this will be the first Korean Bell Garden in North America.