The Nicholas Colasanto Outdoor Pool, located at 2700 Mount Vernon Avenue in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, originally opened in 1969 and closed in 2010. Following the City of Alexandria’s 2012 Aquatic Facilities Study, the site was identified as a prime location for a revitalized public space featuring an interactive water element, public art, and festivals and events. 

The City’s Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities Department Park Planning Division, in collaboration with LSG Landscape Architecture, is leading the transformation of this site to a multigenerational, all-season public space. A spray park will serve as a signature feature, and commissioned public art will enhance the site’s design, history, and community engagement.

For more information about the public art project see the linked project plan or, contact Diane Ruggiero at diane.ruggiero@alexandriava.gov or Meika Daus, Public Art Senior Manager, at meika.daus@alexandriava.gov.

The program goals for public art at Colasanto Spray Park are to: 

• Support the site’s multi-generational use and all-season access.
• Reflect the architectural character of Del Ray.
• Draw inspiration from the site’s history.
• Enhance the sense of play while serving a functional role.
• Create a new work of art for Alexandria that is informed by the context of the site and recognizes the past, present, and future of the park and surrounding neighborhood. 

Community participation is central to this project. LSG Landscape Architecture has developed draft design concepts and held public community meetings to gather feedback. Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to review these concepts and watch recordings of the public meetings. 

• 2012 - City Aquatic Facilities Study recommends site transformation.
• 2021-2022 - Community engagement and concept development.
• 2022 - A national call for artists was issued, leading to the selection of artist Béatrice Coron to design and fabricate an original artwork for integration into the spray park.
• 2022 - Artist Béatrice Coron launched a community survey to gather stories and images from Del Ray residents and visitors, exploring what they love about the neighborhood, what they miss when they're away, and personal visual inspirations.
  • Watch a video interview with Béatrice and her work on this project.
• 2022 - Planning and design concept completed.
• 2024 - Construction procurement completed.
• October 2024 - Construction contract awarded.
• November 2024 - City and contractor pre-construction kick-off meeting held.
• December 2024 - Pre-construction activities and mobilization preparations began in November and continued through December, including administrative preparations and on-site mobilization.
• 2025 - Construction and implementation in progress.
• October 2025 - Construction completion anticipated, with public art integration finalized.
   

Born and raised in France, Béatrice Coron was a city dweller, a shepherdess and a truck driver among others, then she worked in tourism and lived in Egypt and Mexico for one year each and two years in China. She moved to New York where she launched her career as an artist in 1984. All these places left their mark on her thoughts and her art.

Béatrice explores visual storytelling in artist books, paper cutting and public art. Rather than leaving an expression for another, her work makes artist books for viewer to step in, or fine arts with theatrical methods. She creates environments for words and thoughts inviting the public to wonder, ponder, and discover a poetic vision.

Her work can be seen in major collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Walker Art Center and you can see her public art in New York, Chicago, Paris, and Hong Kong among others.