Board Approves Nelly Custis Park Improvements

Published on September 24, 2018

• Replacing playground equipment


• Improving site drainage


• Improving accessibility for all

The Arlington County Board voted Saturday, Sept. 22, to approve the award of a nearly $644,000 contract to Crown Construction Service Inc. to make improvements to Nelly Custis Park.

"We are always excited to see our parks get upgraded to make them more accessible to all, more environmentally sustainable and more attractive for users of all ages," Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol said. "This is a small, but much-used park that will greatly benefit from these planned improvements."

The Board voted unanimously, in adopting the Consent Agenda, to approve the contract.

The project will replace outdated play equipment in the existing playground with equipment that meets all ADA and playground safety requirements. Both entrances of the park will be made ADA-compliant. Porous paving, landscaping, new benches and picnic tables will be added, along with signage and trash cans. Drainage will be improved, so that water will drain from the playground and the porous walkway to the S. Grant Street storm drain.

Nelly Custis Park, located at 701 24^th Street S., is a heavily used .8-acre park. It offers a play space for children 5-12 years old, and open green space. Staff worked with the community to design improvements that complement the existing amenities.

Public engagement

After winning approval from the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee, the final design for the project was a collaborative effort, involving the civic association and a separate neighborhood working group formed in 2017. The working group tweaked the play equipment and helped select materials, site furnishings and landscaping.

To learn more, visit the County website. Scroll to Item No. 29 to read the staff report.