Opinion
Maureen Caddigan has served the Potomac District well for many years and continues to persevere on issues of smart growth, age restricted communities, big box stores, schools, parks, regional library, storm water management, transportation, and employment opportunities.
Take a drive along Route 234, Spriggs Road, Cardinal Drive, Route 1 to Quantico and Fuller Heights Road. You will see many of Maureen’s accomplishments.
Quality living communities such as Ashland, Montclair, Four Seasons, Brittany, South Bridge, Potomac Shores, Thomasson Crossing, Stonewall Manor, the town of Quantico to name a few. All of these communities have reached out to Maureen during the planning stages or as they were being developed, time and again, to seek her help in resolving numerous issues that addressed the quality of living.
Quantico Center, one of Prince William County’s largest employment centers, started with a vision of what Maureen realized it could become. Walmart, on Route 1, created a whole new design standard for big box stores because Maureen fought the establishment and changed the rules on which big box stores could be built in Prince William County.
Fortuna Shopping Center and the list of quality stores were the hard work of Maureen as she stood fast and opposed development until she could deliver what the citizens wanted. The American Steak House in Ashland, is another great negotiation that Maureen delivered because she listens to her constituents and delivered what was needed and what she promised.
When Maureen entered office as a supervisor, there were 41 schools in Prince William County, today there are 98 schools. Drive around the Potomac District and you will see quality schools.
Most are “schools of excellence.” Quality schools come from quality neighborhoods. Maureen taught me this early on in my service to her as a planning commissioner. Libraries, parks, and schools are centers of community.
Maureen paved the way to enable the Marine Corp Museum, Fuller Heights Park, and the Montclair Regional library to be built and strengthen our communities within the Potomac District. Route 1 expansion and the Potomac Shores Town Center with the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Station, Route 234 and Quantico intersections are all part of Maureen’s vision.
The ground breaking of the Park Complex at Potomac Shores on 10 October is another example of Maureen’s vision and the community’s desire to provide the largest sports center on the eastern side of Prince William County. Maureen was instrumental in negotiating all the needs and desires of the Potomac Community, John Paul High School, and Prince William County Schools. When the project is complete, Prince William County will have a recreational complex that will be the model for other counties to obtain.
I will finish with this one last thought. When a constituent walks into Maureen Caddigan’s Office, she doesn’t ask if you are a Republican or a Democrat, she always greets you with a smile and asks, “How can I help you?” I have learned well from Maureen that families grow strong from good communities and good communities grow strong by great leadership. Maureen truly is a Great Leader.
Rene Fry is serves as the Potomac District representative on the Prince William County Planning Commission. He is appointed to that role by Maureen Caddigan, by vote of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
