PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA (January 26, 2012) Based upon dialogue between members of the Board of County Supervisors and their respective appointees to the Park Authority Board on how best to deliver parks and recreation services to the residents of Prince William County, members of the Prince William County Park Authority Board unanimously passed a resolution supporting the merger of the Park Authority into County Government as a new Parks and Recreation Department.
“The goal of the Park Authority is to provide premier parks and recreation services to the residents of Prince William County,” said Brenda Gardziel, Park Authority Chair. “When you begin to factor in the number of residents we have to serve, the amount of park-land to develop and preserve, and the number of participants in our recreational activities, it becomes clear that by merging into Prince William County Government, there will be greater opportunities to meet the growing needs of our citizens.”
The Park Authority was established as a separate corporation in 1977, by the Board of County Supervisors, to provide the residents and visitors with quality recreational programs, parks and facilities. At that time, Prince William County had a population of over 150,000 residents and three parks. Today, Prince William County serves over 410,000 residents with 67 park properties comprising over 4,000 acres, and 289 fields. The majority of funding for the Park Authority comes from the County’s General Fund.
The resolution requests the end of the separate corporate existence of the Park Authority effective June 30, 2012. It further requests that effective July 1, 2012, the BOCS create a Department of Parks and Recreation to provide all the services currently offered by the Park Authority. At that time the Park Authority Board would be transformed into an advisory board to continue providing recommendations to the Board of County Supervisors on parks and recreation issues. Finally, the Board of County Supervisors would assume ownership of all Park Authority property and responsibility for all contractual obligations and liabilities effective July 1, 2012.
-Press release
