Woodbridge, Va. — Just in time for summer weather, the Prince William Park Authority could be no more.
The authority, which has independent from the county government since its inception in 1977 , wants to become a department of the county government by June 30. If that happens, the authority would give up its current corporate structure and its executive board – a model its held since it was created by the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
On Tuesday, Prince William officials requested a public hearing about creating a new parks department within the county government. That hearing date has yet to be announced.
While Prince William considers a new parks department, Stafford County less than three years ago moved to dissolve the Fredericksburg-Stafford Park Authority – a joint venture between the county and Fredericksburg founded in the 1960s.
The partnership ended just prior to the expiration of the authority’s charter, said Stafford County Parks and Recreation Director Christopher Hoppe. In 2007, each locality decided to maintain their respective parks, with Fredericksburg maintaining their parks in their city and Stafford maintaining theirs, which now includes a total of 11 county parks.
Stafford maintained a parks department within its county government at the same time it participated in the Fredericksburg-Stafford Park Authority.
If the Prince William County Government assumes control and assists of the park authority, it will take on the responsibility of maintaining 44 properties, as well as take on park authority staff, according to officials.
