On November 12, the Civic Federation discussed a host of items that the county is working on as part of its overall development agenda, including rezoning public lands, Special GLUP projects (adding density outside of the existing transit corridors), Expanded Housing Options or Missing Middle, and minor vs. major site plan amendments at Virginia Hospital Center. CivFed also indicated that the county is revising the introduction to Arlington’s Comprehensive Plan, which likely will affect/alter Arlington’s decades-old planning paradigm that limits higher density development to the transit corridors. You may want to watch the meeting or join in CivFed’s efforts through LPCA’s delegates (see newsletter p.2 for names). The Civic Federation also approved a resolution that asks the county to elevate climate change in its overall planning process, you can read the new resolution. LPCA’s delegate voted in favor of this resolution.
For the LPCC Board of Governors (BOG), this is the end of one era and the start of something new. For well over a decade, we’ve been fortunate to have Jeannette Wick’s leadership of the BOG, Cindy Stroup’s services as rental agent, and Bill Short’s work as janitorial engineer, preserving the beauty of our Community Center and ensuring its availability to our community. After all three had decided it was time for them to pursue other passions, the BOG elected David Newman as the new Chair and Ann Reimers Pitts as Vice Chair of the BOG. Their highest priority from the start has been finding the best available talent to fill the rental agent and cleaning services positions. Their goals for the search included finding people who would bring experience, expertise, and outstanding customer service skills. The BOG believes that finding a cleaning service provider that offers affordable prices and outstanding cleaning services is key to reducing the stress of event planning and execution for LPCC renters. This is central to the BOG’s mission of finding the best new cleaning service provider for the LPCC.
To form a committee dedicated to this effort, the BOG leadership solicited community participation for a committee reviewing applicants for these positions. Community members Bess Zelle, Laureen Daly, and Sara Alepin stepped up, joining four members of the BOG on the committee – Shelya White, Elizabeth Wray, Ann Reimers Pitts, and David Newman.
At the end of a rigorous journey, the committee drafted its recommendations for the next rental agent and cleaning services provider. The ultimate decision must be made by the BOG, which is still deliberating. The current rental agent will help train the new agent during a transition period in December, and the new rental agent will take full responsibility for the role starting January 1, 2025, when the new cleaning service also will begin its work.
The new LPCC team also is committed to placing the highest priority on building relationships with the community, while keeping the LPCC well maintained, beautiful, and available for future generations. We encourage your questions and comments. You may email David and Ann directly at their new email address: LPCCGovernors@gmail.com.
Watch this space for future reports from the BOG on the final selections for rental agent and cleaner and on the many projects they are planning for the future.
The highlight of the November LPCA meeting was a presentation by David Povlitz, Fire Chief of the Arlington County Fire Department. Chief David Povlitz oversees a department of 375 uniformed and 25 support staff covering nine fire stations. He reviewed the excellent coverage enjoyed by county residents, ensuring quick response to fire and safety emergencies. He also discussed the strong relationships Arlington shares with neighboring jurisdiction, mutually helping each other as needs arise. He is extremely proud that construction of Arlington’s newest station, Station 8 located on Langston Blvd., came in on-time and under its budget of $32 million. Arlington has state-of-the-art equipment and strives to use it efficiently by focusing on preventative measures. Thank you, Chief Povlitz.
The latter portion of the meeting was devoted to a discussion on Tyndale School, currently housed at 715 N Barton Street. The school has been operating since September with 40 students, and the LPCA membership voted to support the school’s use permit for the same student population through 2025. However, this issue will be revisited at the December meeting, when we will discuss approving the expansion of the school to 80 students (see recap from Anne Bodine on page 2).
The meeting closed out with a cake celebrating 100 years since the first Lyon Park Community Center meeting in 1924. As the Fire Chief had already departed, the candles were kept to a minimum. While consuming cake, good conversation was shared by all.
Reprinted from the Lyon Park Groups.io site, with the author’s permission
This past week, Michael Kunkler sent an invitation to all of us in Lyon Park and Ashton Heights to join together from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. in the Community Center to mark the 100 years since those early citizens got together and decided to turn farmland into a developed community. Although there would remain isolated and fragmented farms for years in our neighborhoods, the inevitable conversion was from an agrarian to a residential landscape as the Washington Metro Area grew.
It is a welcome opportunity to see how far we have come in 100 years since the founding of our community. The progress through the century has been both wobbly and triumphant—much like real life. A lot of the deeds in our community still bear the scars of racial inequity and inequality. The first inhabitants of our house, an Army Captain and his Native American wife, Gertrude Bonnin, also known by her Sioux name, Zitkala-Ša, probably had to have friends buy the house originally to sidestep the clause that restricted ownership to “members of the Caucasian race only.” They waited for a little over a year and then assumed ownership of the house where they lived for the rest of their lives.
When we look around at our neighbors now, we see a crazy quilt pattern; a multidimensional tapestry of colors and religions, beliefs, and politics that simply weren’t possible here 100 years ago.
My roots are in Western North Carolina, the segregated South. I can remember when we first got electricity, then running water, then a telephone and then, finally, a television that had programming from mid-afternoon til way past bedtime…maybe 10 p.m. or so.
My neighbors in Lyon Park and Ashton Heights come from all over the world. They refresh me and cleanse me by shaking up my thinking and my day-to-day existence causing a near constant reevaluation of how I see the world.
On the occasion of our 100th year of existence, I salute you, my dear neighbors who have become such a large part of my world. I salute my favorite Lyon Parker, Catherine “Kit” Putnam, an Arlington native, who was born when Lyon Park was just 16 years old. I thank you for becoming my ”Found Family!”
I had always assumed that I would “go back home” to retire and be buried in North Carolina. The rewards of living in this neighborhood amongst the people who are here have made me rethink that.
Kit and I are in our “golden” years now and we both relish the memories of delivering 117 Lyon Park newsletters starting in 1984. It was a wonderful way to meet neighbors.
Both Kit and I say Thank You to all the neighbors with whom we have worked and played and celebrated. I look forward to the betterment and advancement of our community spirit as long as I am able.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is planning major safety improvements along a section of Arlington Boulevard (Rt. 50), between Glebe Road (Rt. 120) and Fillmore Street. The Department recently held public listening sessions where members of the affected communities, including from Lyon Park and Ashton Heights, commented on these proposed significant changes.
Specifically, the project proposes a raised median to separate eastbound and westbound Arlington Boulevard traffic. This is an improvement that many residents in the community have been asking VDOT to consider for years. This highly trafficked portion of Route 50 does not have any safety barriers (median strip or jersey barrier) dividing fast moving east and west traffic.
As a result of the proposed median, left turns will only be accommodated at the traffic signals at Irving Street and Fillmore Street. The project also proposes to add dedicated left turn lanes, on Arlington Boulevard, at the Irving Street intersection and extend existing left turn lanes, on Arlington Boulevard, at the Fillmore Street intersection. Additionally, the project proposes to extend the existing service roads on the south and north side of Arlington Boulevard to improve safety. This project may involve changes and/or breaks in limited access control.
At the design public hearing, residents asked questions and expressed concerns over bike lane safety, the access road extensions, the loss of trees on the pedestrian and bike path, cut through traffic into the neighborhoods, and the timing. Additional information can be found on the project webpage (www.vdot.virginia.gov/ArlingtonBlvd). For more information please email mark.vanzandt@vdot.virginia.gov.
Located at the convergence of Washington Blvd, N. Tenth Street, and N. Garfield Streets, the Board Room offers Lyon Park residents a walkable destination for relaxation and fun.
Per the restaurant’s website, “The Board Room Game Bar & Brewery is at the top of its game. Our brews, food, wines and spirits play to win.”
On a lovely fall evening our party of 9 neighbors (ranging in ages from 13 to 70 years) gathered at the Boardroom for supper. We took a table on their large outdoor patio that is actually decently insulated from the street traffic and offered an enjoyable atmosphere for dining and conversation. In cooler seasons, there are gas fire pits for warmth and atmosphere. Inside, the game room/bar/dining room is vast with a variety of seating options including banquets, high top tables, and small living room set ups with comfy seating and low tables to facilitate comfortable game play, dining, and conversation.
Service is “fast casual” where you pick your table, then place your order with the bartender. The food menu is upscale-ish pub food (appetizers run a wide range from Homemade Corndogs to Whitestone Oysters). Our party order included the Toasted Kale Salad w/ Salmon, the Black Bean Burger, Crab Cake Sandwich, Grilled Salmon, Fish and Chips and Oysters, and there was a generally positive (almost surprised) reception to the food taste and quality (each plate was picked clean).
The extensive bar options include 15 in-house brewed beers, a broad wine menu including organic options, and house special cocktails and mocktails in addition to standard bar offerings.
You are welcome to bring your own games or choose from a wide range of choices (on weekends, game rental is $2). There are over 15 versions of Monopoly alone (including versions in Arabic, Spanish, German, and Russian) amidst over 150+ total games.
Other game highlights:
Le Corps Humain (French language quiz cards about the human body)
Cards Against Humanity
Giant-sized Connect 4
11 versions of Trivial Pursuit
Booby Trap
3 Dart Boards
and much more!
Tuesday night is Trivia Night, offering a vibrant and popular evening of competitive fun featuring prizes for the top three teams.
In two outings to the Board Room, I was struck by the easy comfort of the atmosphere, and the wide range of ages and configurations of groups enjoying themselves. It was an overall very pleasurable place to hang out, grab a drink and nosh (whether you play a game or not). Prior to writing this article, I had never been to the Board Room, but plan to return to enjoy its welcoming, easy going vibe.
Board Room Game Bar & Brewery (925 B Garfield Street): Hours of operation are 4 p.m.–12 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, 4 p.m.– 2 a.m. Thursday and Friday, 12 p.m.–2 a.m. Saturday, and 12 p.m.–12 a.m. on Sunday. Phone number is 703–248–9439. To assure the most up-to-date information, go to their website: http://www.theboardroomva.com. Find them on Facebook and Instagram. Note: *Those under 21 years old are welcomed weekend days only..
lyonpark.org 