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Courtesy of NOVA Parks

Loudoun County will soon have a new public park called Cattail Regional Park.

NOVA Parks (a conservation agency that manages 12,465 acres in the region) on Wednesday created the 36th park in its system when it received the deed to the 85 acres in Leesburg. It’s not yet clear when the park will open to the public, according to the Loudoun Times.

The property was donated by members of the Harris family, who have preserved it for generations and also donated Temple Hall Farm to the parks system about 30 years ago.

The new park is located at the corner of Edwards Ferry Road and Battlefield Parkway. It’s home to mature forests, open fields, and an upland bog. Eventually, the parks organization plans to add an entrance, parking, a trail network, and interpretive signs, according to a release.

The Cattail land has a long history. A building located there served as a bed-and-breakfast as far back as 1776, and the land also housed fortifications along Edwards Ferry Road during the Civil War, according to NOVA Parks officials. In the late 1960s, after the public pool in Leesburg was closed to suppress integration efforts, the owners of the Cattail property opened the property for local Black children to learn how to swim at the family pool, according to a press release.

“I would like to thank the Harris family for this remarkable gift. Their contributions to our community run very deep,” Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis J. Randall said in a statement.

The future Cattail Regional Park comes as NOVA Parks continues adding new parkland throughout the region. The agency added the 44-acre Winkler Botanical Preserve in Alexandria in 2022 and it also plans to open Reservoir Park at Beaverdam, also in Loudoun County, with new facilities by mid-2024. Separately, Virginia also opened its newest state park, Sweet Run in Loudoun County, in Loudoun earlier this year.

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The park was a donation from Henry Harris, the nephew of A.V. Symington who donated Temple Hall Farm to the NOVA Parks system.

A new park will soon join the NOVA Parks system. An official deed signed on December 27 finalized the transfer of ownership of an 85-acre park of forests and fields in Leesburg, named Cattail Regional Park, NOVA Parks announced.

The land is located at Edwards Ferry Road and Battlefield Parkway, close to another NOVA Parks–operated park called Red Rock Wilderness Overlook Park.

Cattail Regional Park will be the 36^th park in the NOVA Parks system. It contains mature forests, open fields, and an upland bog. NOVA Parks plans to develop trail systems and interpretive signs within the park, plus an entrance and parking lot when the park is open to the public.

The land was a donation from Henry Harris, who grew up on the property. Harris was the nephew of A.V. Symington, who previously donated Temple Hall Farm to NOVA Parks.

“Parkland is one of our most valued public assets. I would like to thank the Harris family for this remarkable gift. Their contributions to our community run very deep,” said Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis J. Randall.

In addition to its intriguing natural landscape, the park also contains several historical details. One building on the property served as an ordinary in 1776; fortifications were created along Edwards Ferry Road during the Civil War; and, when the public pool in Leesburg closed in the 1960s to avoid integration, the Harris family allowed Black children in the area to swim in their pool at the farm.

“This new park will serve the public for generations to come,” Randall continued, noting that NOVA Parks has added nearly 1,000 acres of new parkland to Loudoun County in the last 10 years.

This park is just one element in NOVA Parks’ strategic plan to expand parkland in the area. Another recent development is the Reservoir Park at Beaverdam, which will open in early 2024.

Feature image courtesy NOVA Parks

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Residents Encouraged to Report Spotted Lantern Fly and Tree of Heaven Sightings Using New Online Mapping System

Leesburg, VA (September 25, 2023) – The Department of Public Works has launched an Invasive Species Locator Map in response to increased sightings of the Spotted Lantern Fly, a planthopper indigenous to Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

According to Tree Commission Chair Earl Hower, the Lantern Fly slowly spread throughout the mid-Atlantic states since it was first discovered in Pennsylvania, in 2014. Within the last two years, it’s been found more commonly in Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia.

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species of insect that can significantly damage native plants and trees that are economically important in Virginia, including grapevines, hops, fruits and vegetables, and ornamental trees.

It doesn’t help, Hower said, that the Spotted Lantern Fly is attracted to the Tree of Heaven, which is common to the Leesburg area. The prevalence and pervasiveness of the tree provides a readily available food source for the insect, allowing them to multiply and expand their range.

“It’s actually a very nice-looking tree in the younger stages but it does create a lot of problems down the line,” Hower said. “Leesburg, and so many other urban areas, has a Tree of Heaven problem. Why is this related? The Spotted Lantern Fly, also from China, naturally and historically thrives and is dependent in some cases, on this tree.”

In an effort to stop the spread, the Town has launched the map as a way for residents to report, in real time, what they are seeing. It uses a geographic information system that creates, manages, analyzes, and maps all data entered. In this case, those utilizing the system can report where the insect or Tree of Heaven have been spotted.

“The goal is to collect this information, so Town staff has a better idea of where the Tree of Heaven is located and how many insects are in the area,” LaFollette said. “Once that information has been collected, we intend to use this information to work with our partners of Loudoun County and the Extension office, HOA’s, and VDOT to develop a plan on the best way to deal with this pest and invasive species.”

LaFollette said her team hopes to collect the data through the fall and will utilize the winter to develop a plan to best address the issue. Until then, residents are asked to report their sightings using the online map, which can be found at www.leesburgva.gov/departments/public-works/urban-forestry.

Media Contact: Leah Kosin Assistant Public Information Officer [email protected] 703-771-2781

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Donation of 85-acre tract creates the 36th park owned by NOVA Parks across region

On Dec. 27, a new 85-acre park of forests and fields was created in Leesburg, Virginia with the recording of an official deed signifying its transfer of ownership.

The donate property, now named Cattail Regional Park, is the 36^th park in the regional NOVA Parks (Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority) network.

As a continuation of its tradition of philanthropy, the Harris family donated this property that had been in the family for generations. Henry Harris, who grew up on this property, was the nephew of A.V. Symington, who donated Temple Hall Farm to NOVA Parks 30 years ago.

Located at the corner of Edwards Ferry Road and Battlefield Parkway, the Cattail property has several unique claims to history. In 1776, one of its buildings served as an “ordinary” or bed and breakfast, as documented in the journal of Englishman Nicholas Cresswell, who stayed there. During the Civil War, fortifications were created along Edwards Ferry Road.

In the late 1960s, the public pool in Leesburg closed in an effort to avoid integration. The Harris family stepped in and allowed local black children to come to their pool at the Cattail farm to learn to swim.

In addition to its mature forests and open fields, the Cattail property contains an upland bog. Wetland areas like this are fed by underground springs and support a great variety of life, park officials said.

Future plans for the property include a trail network and interpretive signs about its unique features, as well as an entrance and parking once it is open to the public.

"This new park will serve the public for generations to come," Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chairman Phyllis Randall (D) said, noting that the regional park authority has added nearly 1,000 acres of new parkland in Loudoun over the past decade.

The growth is occurring region-wide. In 2022, NOVA Parks added 128 acres of Springdale property along the Potomac River in northern Loudoun County and the 44-acre Winkler Botanical Preserve in the city of Alexandria. NOVA Parks has also partnered with Loudoun Water to build Reservoir Park at Beaverdam, which will open to the public with new facilities in early 2024. Conserving historic and natural resources through park expansion are pillars of NOVA Parks’ founding and future.

Founded in 1959 as a conservation organization, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority represents three counties and three cities: Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, the city of Alexandria, the city of Falls Church and the city of Fairfax. The regional agency now manages 36 parks with 12,465 acres of parkland, including waterparks, golf courses, campsites, historic sites, event venues, boat launches, annual holiday light shows, and a high-adventure ropes course.

LEESBURG, Va. - It's FOX 5 ZIP TRIP season and this week we are paying a summer visit to LEESBURG!

A picturesque town about an hour outside the nation's capital, LEESBURG is bustling with arts, restaurants, cafés, and history!

There are so many fun things to do when visiting LEESBURG it's hard to keep count! Here are THE 5 MUST STOPS that you just can't miss when taking your own ZIP TRIP!

SEGRA FIELD

Hear the roar of 5,000 sports fans cheering on pro soccer team Loudoun United FC and pro rugby team Old Glory DC at their home stadium. Located in Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park. Don’t miss the sounds of Segra Field Concert Series that takes place the third Friday of every month June through October!

LEESBURG PREMIUM OUTLETS

Enjoy a shopping spree that won't break the bank at one of Northern Virginia’s premier outlets! Explore over 100 upscale designer and brand name stores with savings of 25% to 65% off every day. Snag designer deals at stores like Burberry Factory Outlet, Coach Outlet and more to revamp your wardrobe year-round.

LEESBURG ARTS AND CULTURAL DISTRICT

Connect with artists and creatives while exploring galleries, sculptures, and more around historic downtown. Check out the new African American history mural on the wall of the Loudoun Museum. Use free walking tour apps or take a guided tour with Loudoun Art Tours to immerse yourself in the stories behind the art.

WILLOWCROFT FARM VINEYARDS

Sip on a variety of award-winning wines at Loudoun’s first winery as it celebrates its 40th anniversary next year! Observe breath-taking panoramic views of Loudoun Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you are a connoisseur or amateur, enjoy gourmet snacks and "Wines Of The World" tastings throughout the year.

ION INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTER

Escape the summer heat by spending the day indoors at two NHL sized ice rinks. Founded by Romanian Olympian skater Luiz Taifas, the state-of-the-art complex offers ice hockey, figure skating, curling, and free skate for the public. It also doubles as a venue for live music concerts and ice shows for all ages.

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REVISIT PAST FOX 5 ZIP TRIP FUN:

Here's everything you need to know about FOX 5's jam-packed 2023 Zip Trip Season!