City Focus for Manassas and Manassas Park

By Kipp Hanley

Published: April 28, 2008

Good morning Manassas and Manassas Park ...

After a nasty start, the rest of the week looks gorgeous. Hope you can get outside to enjoy the warm temperatures due to arrive by Wednesday.

Here is what’s going on in your neighborhood.

The city of Manassas will be hosting a Town Hall meeting Monday at 7 p.m at George C. Round Elementary School. Anyone interested in voicing their opinion on city issues can do so publicly.

City staff and council will be on hand to address these issues. Manassas holds Town Hall meetings quarterly at different schools in the city.

The final paving and striping needed to complete the Prince William Parkway dual-left turn lane project should take place soon, said Manassas assistant public works director Nichalos Gardner.

Gardner said because of rain early this week, it is unclear when exactly the project will be finished.

Currently, there are four westbound lanes on Prince William Parkway that head into the city of Manassas. A fifth lane will be added and will serve as the new right turn lane onto Liberia Avenue. The innermost straight lane will be converted into the outside turn lane onto the Prince William Parkway extension.

The $200,000-plus project is primarily being paid for with state money.

The Manassas Park City Council is expected to vote next Tuesday on whether to enter into a comprehensive agreement with a Blacksburg-based developer on a new recreation facility at Costello Park.

The facility, which would be built by OWPR Inc., could be completed by the end of 2009. The project is estimated to cost $22 million and will be paid for by bonds recently approved by the council.

Plans for the building include an indoor pool and enough space to eventually expand revenue-generating programs from 300 to 1,500 in the out years, said deputy director Theresa Polk.

Potomac News and Manassas Journal Messenger staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738 or via e-mail at .