NOVA Parks to seek contractor in January for Gateway Regional Park; city contributed $500,000
Summary
Justin Wilson, new NOVA Parks executive director, told the Fairfax City Council NOVA Parks will go to market in January 2026 to select a contractor for Gateway Regional Park, expects a March board award and hopes construction will begin in summer 2026. The project includes wetlands, flood mitigation, trails and environmental restoration.
Justin Wilson, executive director of NOVA Parks, presented an update to the Fairfax City Council on regional parks that serve the city and announced a milestone for Gateway Regional Park.
Wilson said NOVA Parks will go to market in January 2026 to select a contractor, bring the award to its board of directors in March and hopes to begin construction in summer 2026. He described a project budget that includes the city's earlier capital contribution of $500,000 (in the 2023–24 CIP) and said NOVA Parks will invest "a little over $1,000,000" in improvements that include created wetlands, flood mitigation work, new trails and interpretive signage. The park is on land the authority leases from the city under a long‑term lease that extends to 2034.
Wilson framed the work as an environmental investment for an area prone to flooding: he said project elements include invasive species removal, planting new trees and adding roughly 22,000 square feet of ground cover in riparian areas adjacent to waterways. He also described regional revenue and staffing structures and noted NOVA Parks relies heavily on earned revenue from operations while using jurisdictional contributions to leverage larger regional investments.
Council members had no substantive questions beyond scheduling; Wilson said NOVA Parks will return with updates as procurement and permitting proceed.
