The Walkinshaw Advisory: ADA 35th Anniversary, Braddock Nights Continues, & Update on Lake Accotink Open House

7.24.25

Dear Neighbor,

This Saturday marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the ADA ensures that persons with disabilities are granted the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

During the Board Meeting on July 15, my colleagues and I were proud to issue a proclamation recognizing the anniversary of the ADA. We celebrated the ADA's impact on ensuring people with disabilities have full participation in our society and heard from Jamie Gibbs, vice-chair of the Fairfax Area Disability Services Board.

35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act 1 image

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 8% of Fairfax County residents report living with a disability--approximately 92,000 individuals. At the national level, this number is even higher, as 13% of Americans report having a disability. We are always working to make Fairfax County a more accessible place for residents, and we are committed to ensuring that the ADA's programs and services are offered in the most accessible and integrated manner possible.

Fairfax County has a Disability Services Board comprised of appointed volunteers that represent and advocate for people with physical and sensory disabilities. View the County's Disability Rights and Resources page for information about assistive technology, employment resources, housing resources, transportation resources, and more.

Braddock Nights Continues

Braddock Nights will continue every Friday from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Royal Lake Park (5344 Gainsborough Drive) and Lake Accotink Park (7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield) through August 15.

Be sure to arrive early to get a good seat and a free raffle ticket for a Braddock Nights t-shirt! We look forward to this weekend's performers, who are listed in the sidebar on the right. We'll welcome Bunnyman Brewing back to Royal Lake Park on Friday, August 1.

Our Arts in the Parks children's series will continue every Saturday from 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. at Wakefield Park in front of the Audrey Moore Rec Center (8100 Braddock Rd, Annandale) through August 16. This week’s performers are Marsha and the Positrons!

In case of bad weather, you can call the concert hotline at (571) 202-7469 (SHOW) two hours before the scheduled start time of a show for an update.

Update on Lake Accotink Open House

Last Saturday, the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) hosted a well-attended open house that provided an update on efforts to preserve a smaller Lake Accotink. I want to thank the community members who came out to provide feedback, many of whom continue to express strong support for preserving Lake Accotink.

The Arcadis and WSP/LimnoTech consultant team presented several possible scenarios for preserving a smaller lake and discussed how sediment movement will be modeled using field-collected data. The team outlined the conceptual approaches being considered for preserving a smaller Lake Accotink. Representatives from the U.S. Geological Survey shared how they are collecting field information for the sedimentation study. The Park Authority also presented an overview of their efforts regarding the dam condition assessment.

Feedback received during the open house is being incorporated into the documents. The revised information will be posted on the Smaller Lake Accotink Public Engagement webpage in early August.

Yours in service,

Supervisor James R. Walkinshaw

Please share this newsletter with your friends and neighbors. If this email was forwarded to you, consider subscribing to receive Braddock District news and updates.

Continue reading below for more information on:

Register for National Night Out
Early Voting for September 9 Special Election
Rolling Road Long-Term Traffic Shift Advisory
Plastic Free July
Neighborhood and Community Services Taxi Pilot Program
Fairfax County Park Authority Discovery Trail Map
ArtsFairfax Public Art Locator Challenge
Swimming Safety Reminders
Energy Compass Program Survey
Pet Adoption Spotlight: Nala!

Is your homeowners association, civic association, or condo association signed up for National Night Out? If not, register by tomorrow, July 25!

On Tuesday, August 5, connect with officers from your local Police District station and help make this a memorable event. From a simple ice cream party to an all-out festival, take this opportunity to gather with your neighbors, get better acquainted with your community, and discuss issues of common concern.

You’ll also get the chance to:

Have fun, food, and fellowship in your community
Know your Police and Public Safety Team
Heighten crime prevention awareness
Send the message that your neighborhood is organized against crime

*Please note that only neighborhood associations can register events, not individual citizens*

To participate, sign up for National Night Out by tomorrow, July 25. Contact MPO Tony Capizzi at (703) 277-2363 or anthony.capizzi@fairfaxcounty.gov if you have any questions.

Early Voting for September 9 Special Election

Early voting for the 11th Congressional District Special Election will be available starting tomorrow, Friday, July 25. In-person early voting will continue through Saturday, September 6.

You can register to vote or update your registration by Tuesday, September 2.

For those planning to vote by mail, remember to apply to vote by mail by Friday, August 29. Additionally, mail-in ballots must be postmarked by September 9.

If you plan to vote early in-person, two locations will be open from July 25 - September 6:

Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax)
Weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Saturdays (August 30, September 6) 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston)
Weekdays 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturdays (August 30, September 6) 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

On Friday, August 29, nine additional early voting locations will open, including Burke Centre Library (5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke) and West Springfield Governmental Center (6140 Rolling Road, Springfield).

You can find all the locations, operating hours, and detailed information on Early Voting on the Office of Elections' website.

All regular polling places will be open for voting on Tuesday, September 9, from 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. More information about voting is available on the Office of Elections' website.

Rolling Road Long-Term Traffic Shift Advisory

Starting next week, July 28, Rolling Road (Route 638) will undergo traffic shifts between Hunter Village Drive/Tanworth Drive and Kenwood Avenue as part of the Rolling Road widening project.

Traffic will be shifted from 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on weekdays as follows:

Hunter Village Drive/Tanworth Drive to Birmingham Lane: Southbound Rolling Road traffic will be shifted to the left, so that the northbound and southbound lanes will run together along the east side of the roadway. This shift is needed to allow construction to occur along the west side of the roadway.
Birmingham Lane to Kenwood Avenue: Northbound Rolling Road traffic will be shifted to the left, so that the northbound and southbound lanes will run together along the west side of the roadway. This shift is needed to allow widening work to occur along the east side of the roadway.

Access will be maintained to all properties along Rolling Road during these traffic shifts, which are scheduled to be in place until mid-2026.

Drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions on the road.

Learn more about the Rolling Road widening project on the Virginia Department of Transportation's website.

Plastic Free July

This month is Plastic Free July, but any month is a perfect time to shake up your habits and challenge yourself to skip single-use plastic bags and swap them for durable reusable bags.

All ten of the Fairfax County’s Farmers Markets are plastic bag free this year. Help your local farmers and vendors by remembering your own shopping bags AND your own reusable produce bags.

Single-use plastic shopping bags have an average useful life of under 15 minutes and are one of the most littered items in Fairfax County. These bags, along with other plastic containers, never fully decompose. Instead, they break up into small pieces of microplastic that enter the food chain and harm our health. Reusable mesh produce bags are a better option because they are washable and allow you to rinse your fruits and vegetables right in the bag!

Clean Fairfax encourages environmental stewardship and urban sustainability in Fairfax County through education, programming and community involvement.

Join Neighborhood and Community Services' Taxi Pilot Program

Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services is seeking partners for a Taxi Pilot Program to help transport older adults and individuals with a disability to non-emergency medical appointments.

The pilot is accepting requests to become a community partner through Friday, August 1. Partners can help NCS and the Fairfax County Mobility Access Project provide transportation assistance by setting up rides for their program participants.

The pilot program is available now and will run through Sunday, August 31, 2025. Funded through Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility Funding, the program will be available for County residents ages 50+ and/or who have disabilities.

Rides will be provided by one of several local taxi companies. Creating an account is free and easy to do. Trip boundaries must be in Fairfax County, and trips must be booked 48 hours in advance. Wheelchair accessible vehicles will be available with advance reservations.

Email Cynthia.Alarico@fairfaxcounty.gov or Valesca.Maldonado@fairfaxcounty.gov for more information.

Fairfax County Park Authority Discovery Trail Map

The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) has released its 2025 Discovery Trail Map!

Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the FCPA by exploring 12 standout parks that showcase the best of the County's recreation, history, and natural beauty. The 2025 Discovery Trail Map invites families, friends, and adventurers of all ages to discover hidden gems, answer park-themed trivia, and earn fun prizes.

Visit at least eight locations and answer each park's trivia question by Monday, September 1, to claim an amusement prize pack and enter to win one of 25 grand prizes.

For more information, visit the FCPA's website.

ArtsFairfax Public Art Locator Challenge

ArtsFairfax invites local art enthusiasts to get on social media and take a selfie with found art for a chance to win arts experiences from cultural partners throughout Fairfax.

ArtsFairfax's Public Art Locator is a free tool that maps public art throughout the region. With over 200 works of street art, murals, and sculptures already mapped, the application wants to celebrate the art that makes Northern Virginia unique and identify new opportunities for public art installation in our region.

Through September 30, participants are encouraged to take a photo with artwork that is publicly accessible and post the picture to Instagram or Facebook. Qualifying Public Art Locator Challenge entries will be entered into a raffle for the chance to win gift certificates, show tickets, and other offerings from Fairfax arts organizations.

For more details on how to participate in this activity, visit ArtsFairfax's website.

Swimming Safety Reminders

The heat and humidity of summer have a lot of Fairfax County residents spending time at the pool or on the water.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department encourages everyone to make water safety a priority with these tips:

Use layers of protection in and around water.
Even if lifeguards are present, you should stay with your children.
Be a “water watcher” – provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising and avoid distractions, including cell phones.
Teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
Always swim with a buddy, even if you are a strong swimmer.

Learn more swimming and recreational water safety tips on the Division of Environmental Health's website.

Energy Compass Program Survey

Fairfax County will soon launch the Energy Compass program, a free local resource designed to help residents improve the comfort and energy efficiency of their homes.

Starting in late summer 2025, the Energy Compass program will provide personalized technical support, information on available incentives, and connections to certified contractors.

To ensure the Fairfax Energy Compass program meets the needs of our community, the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination invites you to fill out their survey and interest form. By completing the 5-minute survey, you can help tailor the program and secure an early consultation with the energy navigator when the program launches later this year.

For more information and to complete the survey, please visit the Energy Compass webpage.

Pet Adoption Spotlight: Nala!

Meet Nala, your new best friend!

Located at the Lorton Campus (8875 Lorton Road, Lorton), Nala is a confident, friendly senior with a heart full of love and a playful spark.

At 10 years old and 49 lbs, Nala is eager for pets, always greets visitors with a wagging tail, and happily engages in play (especially if you've got a rope toy handy!).

Don't let her age fool you, Nala still has plenty of energy and affection to share. She's looking for a loving home where she can enjoy her golden years surrounded by companionship and belly rubs.

Ready to meet your new sidekick? Nala is waiting for you!

Nala is eligible for an Adoption Audition, a 5-day, no-strings-attached, trial adoption period. You can take Nala home to try it out! Interested? Come to the shelter any time during open hours and talk to a member of their Customer Care staff!

Visit the Fairfax County Animal Shelter's website for more information about Nala or to view any of the other adoptable pets.

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