Recreation News for September 2010

Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities programs and activities’ announcement for the month of September 2010:

For additional information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation or call 703.746.4343.

COMMUNITY & SPECIAL EVENTS

September 7
Annual Doggie Day Swim
Old Town Pool, 1609 Cameron St.
4-7pm
(Rain Date: Wednesday, September 8)
There is a nominal fee for dog admission. All dogs should wear current vaccination tags or proof of vaccinations must be shown. For additional information, call 703.746.5447 or email jannie.wray@alexandriava.gov.

September 11-12
8th Alexandria Festival of the Arts
Old Town from Washington St. to the unit block of King St.
Sat 10 am-7 pm and Sun 10 am-5 pm
Cosponsors: City of Alexandria and Howard Alan Productions.
For information, call 703.746.5418 or visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation.

September 17
Supper Under the Stars
King Street Gardens Park, 1806 King St. from 5-7:30 pm
Featuring the music of Al Williams & Friends, and cuisine from Mango Mikes Restaurant.
Sponsors: Old Town Professional Business Association.
For additional information, call Carol Suplee 703.969.6820 or David Martin at 703.683.0333 or email david@goldworksusa.com.

September 18
Alexandria Story Festival
Jefferson Houston School Ball Field, 1501 Cameron St. from 10 am-1 pm
Sponsor: Wright To Read
For additional information contact Leigh Hoyer 703.299.9855 or e-mail hoyer@wrighttoread.org.

September 25
Paws in the Park
Montgomery Park. 901 N. Royal St. from 11 am–1 pm
Sponsor: Old Town North Community Partnership
For information contact Elizabeth Frommer at 703.835.8066 or email efrommer@mreproperties.com.

September 26
Dash For Dad! 10K to Fight Prostate Cancer
Eisenhower Avenue/206 Swamp Fox Rd/ AMC Theater Parking Lot at 8am
Sponsor: National Prostrate Cancer Coalition
For information call Tracy Amish 202.303.3111 or email tracy@zerocancer.org.

September 26
Old Town Doggie Walk
Old Town area (orderly sidewalk walk) from 9-11 am
Cosponsors: Capitol Heel, the Alexandria Health Department and the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria
For information, call Robert Mahoney at 703.836.7643, email bobby@capitol-heel.com, or visit www.doggewalke.com

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM

The Department of Recreation Parks and Cultural Activities is now accepting registrations for the 2010-2011 school year Out of School Time Programs. Program hours begin when school is dismissed until 6 p.m.  The theme for this school year is “Power-On to the Arts.”

Out of School Time Programs include the Power–On Program for elementary students from 5 (registered in Kindergarten) to 12 years of age, and the Power-Up Program is for middle school students in grades 6, 7, and 8. The registration fee for participants is $50 for the full school year.  Financial assistance is available for eligible families. To register, visit your neighborhood recreation center, call 703.746.5430 or e-mail margaret.orlando@alexandriava.gov.

ANNUAL ALEXANDRIA DOGGIE DAY SWIM

Treat your pooch to a summertime dip at the City of Alexandria’s Seventh Annual Doggie Day Swim on Tuesday, September 7, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Old Town Pool, 1609 Cameron St. Following the end of the summer pool season, this annual event provides dogs with the opportunity to swim and play games in one of the City’s pools. Admission is $5 per dog. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. For additional information, call the Chinquapin Park Recreation Center at 703.746.5447.

ARTS IN ALEXANDRIA

8th Annual Alexandria Festival of the Arts
This first-class outdoor art gallery with over 200 artists and $15 million in artwork for sale will be in Alexandria on September 11-12, 2010 making it the eighth year of this popular event in Alexandria.
During the two-day Festival of the Arts, King Street will be transformed into a world-class outdoor art gallery when the festival booths line King Street between S. Washington Street and Union Street Streets - over six blocks of artwork! For additional information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation.

Sign up for Arts eNews! 
The Office of the Arts will soon have eNews. To receive periodic news and announcements on arts events, programs and services from the Office of the Arts, sign up for Arts eNews at www.alexandriava.gov/enews.

ASSIST IN THE RESTORATION OF THE CITY’S TREE CANOPY

The City of Alexandria experienced the loss of hundreds of trees and extensive damage throughout the City as a result of winter snow and summer thunderstorms in 2010.  Residents, who want to help replenish the City’s tree canopy, may consider the following opportunities: Make a donation to the Living Landscape Fund of Alexandria; Request a street tree through the Street Tree Planting Program; or Purchase a tree from the City Tree Sale on October 23. For additional information, call the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.746.4343 or visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation.

JONES POINT PARK UPDATE

Jones Point Park, 65 acres in size, is and will remain owned, maintained and operated by the National Park Service as land of the US Department of Interior. The entire Jones Point Park will not be closed to public access during construction. The Royal Street Community Gardens, the Lee Street Community Gardens, the Mount Vernon Trail and the Community Recycling Center will have continuous public access. Public access to some portions of the park will be temporarily/intermittently closed while improvements are being made.

City of Alexandria Establishes Jones Point Park Reconstruction Update eNews Category
To receive information about the Jones Point Park Reconstruction Project, update your subscription or subscribe to eNews by visiting www.alexandriava.gov/enews. Subscribe to Jones Point Park Reconstruction Updates in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities notification group. For Additional information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation, or contact Jack Browand, Division Chief, at 703.746.5504 or jack.browand@alexandriava.gov.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

For additional information, call 703.746.5500.

Ad Hoc Fort Ward Park & Museum Advisory Group 
Thursday, September 9 and Tuesday, September 24 at 7 pm
Fort Ward Museum, 4301 W. Braddock Rd.
www.alexandriava.gov/29638 

Alexandria Beautification Commission
Thursday, September 9 at 7 pm
Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St.
www.alexandriava.gov/31634  

George Washington Celebration Committee
Monday, September 20 at 7 pm
Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St.
www.washingtonbirthday.org 

Alexandria Waterfront Committee
Tuesday, September 21 at 7:30 am
Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St.
www.alexandriava.gov/25562  

Commission for the Arts 
Tuesday, September 21 at 7 pm
Durant Center, 1605 Cameron St.
www.alexandriacommissionforthearts.org

Park & Recreation Commission
Thursday, September 23 at 7:30 pm
Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St.
www.alexandriava.gov/25560 
 
Center Advisory Boards
Neighborhood recreation center advisory boards meet monthly. Call your neighborhood center for meeting information. For a listing of neighborhood centers, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreationcenters.

DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT

"Dispatches from the Front" is the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Park Operations & Park Planning newsletter reporting on current issues, activities and updates on park projects. To view the current issue, visit www.alexandriava.gov/18076. 

The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the City's Human Rights Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.746.4343 (TTY 703.838.4902).