HR 787 — Commending NOVA Parks.

SPECIAL SESSION I INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24200305D HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.

787 IE Offered June 28, 2024 N Commending NOVA Parks.

TN ––––––––––R Patrons––Keys-Gamarra,Agreed Carr,to Clark,by Cole,the Hope,House Lopez,of McQuinn,Delegates, Sewell,July Shin,18, Srinivasan,2024 Tran Rnd Watts O WHEREAS, in the late 1950s, the Northern Virginia Planning District Commission and a group of O citizens from several local jurisdictions came together to protect Northern Virginia's rich heritage of woods, meadows, lakes, and streams from the threat of suburban sprawl;

and UL WHEREAS, these citizens, working with their local governments, including Fairfax County, C Arlington County, and the City of Falls Church, organized under the Virginia Park Authorities Act inEn 195WHEREAS, NOVA Parks, as the organizationNorthern cameVirginia toRegional bePark knownAuthority; in 2014, represents Arlington E County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Falls Church, and the City of Fairfax;

and WHEREAS, NOVA ParksParks, staff,as volunteer board members appointed from each jurisdiction, and many friends of the regionalorganization parkscame workingto togetherbe haveknown preservedin over2014, 12,000represents acresArlington D of theFairfax; rolling and wooded Virginia countryside and created a priceless legacy for future generations;

and County, Loudoun County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Falls Church, and the City WHEREAS, NOVA Parks staff, volunteer board members appointed from each jurisdiction, and many friends of the regional parks working together have preserved over 12,000 acres of the rolling and wooWHEREAS, NOVA Parks provides almost two million citizens with some of the finest recreational facilities in the country;

andsand almostH two million citizens with some of the finest recreational WHEREAS, this year, NOVA Parks is celebrating 50 years since the establishment of the 7 Washington & Old Dominion Railway Trail, a continuous 45-mile trail from Arlington County to H7 Purcellville,PurWHEREAS, oneNOVA Parks has worked to document the precolonial presence of Native American R tribes like the firstPiscataway, rails-to-trailsMonacans, routesand inAlgonquians and to preserve the nation;burial grounds of enslaved communities within the land it manages with a series of markers and interpretive programs;

andnow, 7theRESOLVED WHEREAS,by NOVA Parks has worked to document the precolonialHouse presence of NativeDelegates, AmericanThat 7NOVA tribesParks likehereby thebe Piscataway,commended Monacans,for andthe Algonquians50th andanniversary toof preserve the burialWashington grounds& ofOld enslavedDominion therefore,Trail beand itinfor theits landoutstanding itservice managesin withpromoting aresources seriesto ofresidents markers and interpretivetheir programs;families;

now,and, RESOLVEDbe byit thefor Housepresentation ofto Delegates,representatives Thatof NOVA Parks herebyas bean commendedexpression forof the 50thHouse anniversary of theDelegates'on Washingtonadmiration &for Oldthe Dominionorganization's Trailsignificant andcontributions forto itsthe outstandingNorthern serviceVirginia incommunity promotingand resourcesbest towishes residentsin andits theirfuture families;endeavors.

and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution admiration for the organization's significant contributions to the Northern Virginia community and best wishes in its future endeavors.