Attend a Public Meeting on Clermont Park Lighting
The Fairfax County Park Authority will hold a public meeting to present information and get public feedback on proposed changes to the master plan for Clermont Park that would allow lighting of athletic fields there. The meeting will be on Thursday, November 21, at Clermont Elementary School, 5720 Clermont Drive, Alexandria, VA. Please attend and show your support for additional lighted softball fields in the Lee District area of the county.
The Park Authority first presented a master plan revision at a public meeting over the summer, prompting NVGSA and Firebirds families to submit numerous comments calling for the plan to include lighting for the softball fields and not just the baseball fields. (See our original post on this issue.) Based on feedback from the softball community, but also from nearby homeowners opposed to the lights, Jeff McKay, the Lee District representative to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, convened a task force to further discuss the matter. (See our post with more detail.) NVGSA is represented on the task force and has worked closely with Pioneer Baseball to educate other stakeholders on the actual intended impact of the lights on the neighborhood (minimal) and on our organization (great). We expect the Park Authority may be willing to alter the proposed plans.
But it is important that the County hears your voice. Clermont is an important facility for youth baseball and softball in an area that has few lighted fields. Please consider attending the meeting on November 21. Even if you don't speak at the meeting, your presence will help show there is real support for the lights from our community.
We will continue to keep you updated on further developments. If you have any questions about the process or the proposal, please contact Jesse Ellis, NVGSA Vice President for Travel, at travel@nvgsa.org.
