The former Green Acres Elementary School currently houses Main Street Child Development Center and the City’s senior center. Photo by Bonnie Hobbs.
The Fairfax City Council is trying to figure out what to do with the Green Acres Center on Sideburn Road. It presently houses Main Street Child Development Center and the City’s Young at Heart Senior Center.
But should it be transformed into a community center or perhaps used once more as an elementary school as it used to be? This dilemma was among the topics brought up during the Fairfax City Council’s mini-retreat, last Tuesday night, Jan. 12, at the Blenheim Interpretive Center.
“The Green Acres Feasibility Study [committee] has been meeting since July,” said Councilwoman Janice Miller. “We’ve discussed ways the building has been used and spoke with the current user, Main Street Child Development Center.”
Meanwhile, Councilman Michael DeMarco is on a subcommittee looking at possible future uses, such as a community center. “We came up with 21 potential sites [for a community center] and whittled the list to seven,” he said.
“We’re putting together an informational white paper,” said Parks and Recreation director Cathy Salgado. “The whole committee will meet Jan. 28 to start writing it and maybe present it by March [to the Council]. We’re looking at the uses and potential locations for a community center.”
DeMarco said a community center would need about 40,000 square feet and five acres. “Five acres seems big to me,” said Mayor Scott Silverthorne. “Is that assuming one level?” He then asked how big Vienna’s community center is, and Salgado – who was the former Parks and Recreation director there – said it is on two-and-a-half acres. It also has two floors.
“We’re laying out the options and a timeline, plus the next steps,” she said.
Silverthorne said Main Street Child Development Center is at Green Acres “because we had the space for them. And I’m assuming we want to build a new community center. We did build [the Sherwood Community Center on Old Lee Highway], but it’s really more of an arts center [than one for active recreation].”
“We want to lay out what is public space and what it can and can’t be used for,” said Miller. “People want to use a gym during the day, but we don’t currently have one. And if Green Acres goes away, where do we put the activities that are in there now? The seniors are there.”
Furthermore, she said, “[Green Acres’] roof, air conditioning, windows and toilets need to be repaired. So we need to look at the ideas coming forward from the community and have a large outreach to the community. But this is a Council decision on how to move forward.”
Councilman Jeff Greenfield then asked for information on the City’s school-aged population and whether a third elementary school might be needed. If so, Green Acres might conceivably be pressed into service again for that use.
Miller, formerly the City’s School Board chairman, said there are four, large tracts of land – including Green Acres – the Council could look at for a possible school site.
“But I’d be surprised if we had to build a new school in the next 10-20 years,” said Silverthorne. “And the School Board members I’ve talked to about it agree. And with redevelopment, we may even see a drop in population and the number of school-aged children.”
Miller suggested they have a meeting about it and Silverthorne replied, “I’m fine with that. Let’s plan on having a work session.”