What future for the Wilson site?
Over the years, NRCA has dutifully participated in several County-directed planning efforts, most recently the Western Rosslyn Area Planning Study (WRAPS). Always we have called for preservation and maximum green space. I accord great respect to the efforts of our representatives , previously Jennifer Zeien and lately Katie Elmore. But to thinking, government planners have given little respect to our representatives and little respect to our neighborhood's needs. Rather they have always forwarded plans of intense development for our one green central location. For one obvious example, the WRAPS charge was initially set toward development and then was revised, unilaterally, toward even further reduction in green space goals.

The end of Inevitability:
Arlington County has been run by a single political machine for decades. Unanimity among our decision makers has been a standard. But the last few weeks have seen a shakeup in the political scene in Arlington, along with some spectacular victories for neighborhood park advocates over government planners. That makes for a good time to review the direction which NRCA should take in negotiating a future for our green space.

Toward a Community-endorsed NRCA Position:
Per discussion with Katie Elmore I plan to post a poll next week asking for direction from the community. I recommend below that NRCA take a stronger stand on what we need. Certainly one of the poll options will be to call even more strongly for preservation. But I'm sure that some in the community have other ideas. Rather than write poll options with which I maybe don't agree, I ask that others post (or send me) their thoughts and recommended poll options. I'll include those options in the poll.

My Opinion: Preservation is our best option for the Wilson School, Wilson Playfields and Rosslyn Highlands Park.

1. Preservation is a far better outcome for our neighborhood than the alternative plans. Our neighborhood would get back the playfield which 20 years ago was used for soccer most afternoons, evening and weekends. Preservation would also give us a small neighborhood school which could be used during off-hours for adult education, and local meetings and events*. I note for a small example that the upstairs classrooms at Wilson were used five years ago for adult art classes. The art teacher told me that the afternoon sun reflecting from the woodfloors is honey-colored beautiful.

The current County plan by contrast is about intense development including:
- A mega-school with inadequate play space.
- Subsidized housing without adequate play space for resident families.
- Optimistically, the community might be allowed to choose two of the following four current features: a basketball court or a totlot or a path or a mini-mini field.
- Plus the community would be allowed use, probably with substantial fees, of a play area on top of the mega-school during off hours.

Families need recreation space. The County plans would reduce the family-attactiveness of our neighborhood.

2. Wilson school and playfields are historically valuable both in form and function. The Historic Architecture and Landmark Review Board (HALRB), a volunteer advisory committee, has gone thru a formal review process, twice (a decade ago and then again this year), and each time has strongly recommended preservation.

3. Preservation is doable. Perhaps we, as a community, gave up fighting for preservation because intense development seemed inevitable. But now, nothing is politically inevitable in Arlington The Arlington political machine is in retreat and panic. A huge constituency in Arlington recognizes that government has been inefficient in general, and misdirected as regards park and school and affordable housing planning. If we call for preservation, we have allies.

In conclusion I recommend that NRCA resolve to support renewal and preservation of the Wilson School and Fields, and the Rosslyn Highlands Park.

Mark Antell

* Note: Multi-purposing schools to provide recreation and meeting space is standard in Arlington. Many neighborhoods in Arlington expect and receive this benefit.