Is Indoor Tennis In Reston Back on the Table?

Reston Association's Board of Directors approved on Thursday a motion to tell the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) to keep Reston's "Essential Elements" in mind when re-visioning their Baron Cameron Park Master Planning Process.

Among the Essential Elements - environmental stewardship, commitment to the arts, design excellence and recreational amenities, including an indoor tennis facility.

Indoor tennis in Reston has been a hot topic since 2009. Reston Association and community partners had looked into building a large, $50 million indoor center with tennis, swimming and other amenities at Brown's Chapel Park, but that, partly based on community pushback, never moved forward.

In 2011, RA looked at the feasibility of building a smaller tennis facility at Lake Newport. RA weighed a variety of funding options, including taking out a loan to cover the $4 million cost, but in late 2011 decided not to pursue a referendum.

Meanwhile, Reston Community Center has been working with consultants Brailsford & Dunlavey this year on a feasibility study for a new indoor pool and recreation facility at Baron Cameron Park. The park authority is working on its own master plan for the future of the district park.

RCC Executive Director Leila Gordon said at several community meetings this year that RCC - which would build the $33 million facility on land the park authority provides at no cost - was not including indoor tennis in its plans.

At-Large Director Michael Sanio, whose children are active in Reston youth tennis, brought last week's motion, which was unanimously approved. South Lakes Director Richard Chew had introduced a similar motion in June. That motion was defeated.

"Reston is growing, changing," Sanio said. "We need to be open to providing amenities people need and want.  "We are suggesting improvements [to the park authority] of soccer fields, the possibility of indoor swim and also indoor tennis. Reston absolutely needs indoor tennis to complement the excellent facilities we already have." 

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