850 Wilkes Street 

Wilkes Street Park is an 0.7 acre neighborhood park located in Old Town. The park has trees, seating areas, and a multi-use trail that is part of the City's bike trail system. In 1979, City Council dedicated the Veterans Memorial Walkway that runs through the east block of the park. 

The new park design (seen below) was endorsed by the Park and Recreation Commission on February 18, 2021 and approved as part of The Heritage Redevelopment on February 20, 2021. 

The South Patrick Housing Affordability Strategy  adopted in 2019 envisions Wilkes Street Park to be accessible and accommodating to all ages and abilities. The plan recommends improvements such as play areas, seating, and open passive areas. The design of the park improvements will be done in collaboration with the Heritage Redevelopment. The proposed improvements will also feature a site specific work of public art as approved by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. Developers will construct the park improvements in phases, as a condition of their redevelopment approvals.

Developer Contributions and Public Art Capital Funding

Design

• Wilkes Street Park Design Guidelines

• August 13, 2020: The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA) hosts a kick-off meeting with the community and Public Art Task Force. 
• August 14, 2020: RPCA receives input on park design through online survey and public engagement. Survey available until September 11. 
• September 17, 2020: RPCA presents the park project and survey results to the Park and Recreation Commission.  
• September 18 – October 16, 2020: Using the public input, the developer design team prepares design options for the park.  
• November 4, 2020: RPCA host a second community meeting with the applicant design proposals for the park.
• November 6 – December 4, 2020: Second online survey and public engagement is conducted asking for community feedback on the design options.
• December 2020 – January 2021: Developer design team prepares a final park design using community input collected.  
• January 21, 2021: RPCA presents final park design to the Park and Recreation Commission for public hearing. 
• February 18, 2021: RPCA presents final park design to the Park and Recreation Commission for endorsement.  

Thursday, February 18, 2021, 7 p.m. - Virtual Meeting, Park and Recreation Commission 

• Virtual Community Meeting Presentation
• Park and Recreation Commission Endorsement Letter 

Thursday, January 21, 2021, 7 p.m. - Virtual Meeting, Park and Recreation Commission 

• Virtual Community Meeting Presentation 

Wednesday, November 4, 2020, 7 p.m. - Virtual Meeting  

• Virtual Community Meeting Presentation 
• Meeting recording 

Thursday, August 13, 2020, 7 p.m. - Virtual Meeting

• Virtual Kickoff Meeting Presentation

Thursday, September 17, 2020, 7 p.m. - Virtual Meeting, Planning process was endorsed by Park and Recreation Commission

• Wilkes Street Park - Planning Process
• Community survey results 
• Community survey results summary