Key Takeaways
– Date, Time, Place: February 24, 2026 (evening event), Kelly Leadership Center, Prince William County
– Prince William County Parks and Recreation showcased strong 2025 growth through new parkland, amenities, programs, partnerships, and record visitor numbers.
– The address emphasized the system’s role in community health, inclusion, and economic vitality across Prince William County.
– Seth Hendler-Voss, Director of Parks and Recreation, drove the presentation and previewed upcoming projects like new trails, recreation centers, and accessibility features.
Full Coverage
Seth Hendler-Voss, Director of Prince William County Parks and Recreation, presented the annual State of the Parks address at the historic Hayslip House behind the old Brentsville Courthouse in the Brentsville District. The event highlighted the department’s 2025 theme, “Explore More,” encouraging residents to discover new adventures in the county’s award-winning parks.
The department manages 55 parks and facilities, 15 historic sites, 60 miles of trails, and 5,400 acres of parkland, complemented by nearby national parks, a state park, state forest, wildlife refuges, and nature preserves. In 2025, the system saw significant growth in parkland additions, asset improvements, new amenities, partnerships, and programs.
Community awards recognized the department’s excellence. Inside NOVA readers voted it Best Summer Camps, Best Swimming Instruction, Best Swimming Pool (Chinn Aquatic & Fitness Center), Best Farmers Market, and Best Plant Center/Agritourism Attraction (Dale City Farmers Market), Best Place for Family Fun (Splashdown Waterpark), and others. Northern Virginia Magazine named it Best Summer Camp, while Prince William Times and Prince William Living readers honored various programs and facilities.
Key 2025 accomplishments included hosting free community events like youth soccer clinics with Paralympic champion Nick Mayhew (a Patriot High School graduate), mobile outreach, movie nights, and music series. The fourth annual Holiday Walk of Lights at Neabsco Boardwalk drew nearly 35,000 visitors, up over 120% from the prior year.
Operational highlights featured a community needs assessment to guide future investments, securing $1.5 million in grants, and safety efforts with rangers completing nearly 85,000 patrols and lifeguards performing 2,300 water rescues. The department earned four EXCEED ratings from lifeguard safety auditors Ellison Associates.
Environmental and cultural efforts advanced with new family programs like Stream Explorers, 19 park cleanups involving 785 volunteers, 15 acres of new forest planted at Bristow Station Battlefield, a record 151,000 visitors to the historic site, and nearly 3,500 students on hands-on history field trips. New exhibits focused on the Revolutionary War and Virginia’s role in the American Revolution.
Inclusion initiatives included hiring Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator Demi Rivera to expand adaptive recreation, the I Can Swim program for special needs participants, and 194 needs-based scholarships via the Count Me In program with the Prince William Park Foundation.
Major capital projects in 2025 included remodeling the Forest Greens Golf Course clubhouse, new kayak launch at Neabsco Regional Park, entry road improvements at James Long Regional Park, picnic shelter at Veterans Park, accessibility upgrades at multiple sites, playground and field enhancements, new equestrian facilities at Valley View Park, the county’s first pump track at Rollins Ford Park, and soccer complex improvements at Howison Park.
Looking ahead, the department plans reaccreditation, preparation for a potential 2026 parks and library bond referendum to address $500 million in unmet needs, feasibility studies for new community recreation centers, a public art policy, food truck permitting in parks, ranger apprenticeship and drone programs, new memorials and exhibits, therapeutic summer camps, trail openings, splash pads, artificial turf courts, and master planning for adventure parks.
Over the next five years, priorities from the 2025 needs assessment—such as more trails, botanical gardens, indoor fitness spaces, playgrounds, history and nature programs—will guide investments, with continued emphasis on partnerships and centralized project delivery.
Hendler-Voss closed by thanking partners, elected officials, volunteers, advisory board members, patrons, and the department’s 1,300 team members, noting the state of the parks remains strong and hopeful for building community through recreation and culture.
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> This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Potomac Local News editors for accuracy and clarity.
