Potomac Yard Park to Open Dec. 14

Potomac Yard Park, a 21-acre linear space on the eastern edge of the new Potomac Yard development, will officially open at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.

Zac Lette, of Land Planning and Design Associates, which is overseeing construction of the park, announced the opening date on the park’s Facebook group page.

Alexandria City Council will hold an opening ceremony for the park on Dec. 14.

The center of the park includes an interactive fountain that sends jets of water into the air for youngsters and the young at heart to play in similar to fountains at Epcot Center near Orlando, Fla., or Landsdowne Resort in Leesburg.

• See: Making a Splash at Potomac Yard

The fountain has five different settings that mimic elements of railroad engines that traversed the yard for more than a century.

The railroad accents are prominent throughout the park, with walkways laid out in similar alignment to the old rail tracks.

The interactive fountain is flanked by two playgrounds, one directly to the north for children ages 2-5 and another directly to the south for children 5-12. Hand-selected trees have been added to provide some shade around the playgrounds and other areas.

Connected by a lighted, 1.5-mile multi-use trail from Target to Braddock Road Metro station, the park houses its many other amenities in several “belvederes” or urban plazas located where the development’s streets dead-end into the rail tracks to the east.

Each belvedere contains a different amenity, from a stage to athletic courts.

Past the Potomac Yard South Pond (which is outfitted with three constructed wetland islands) and the Monroe Avenue Bridge, four exercise stations will be built near where Bell Del Ray and the new Pulte townhomes and urban lofts are being constructed along Main Line Boulevard. 

The park was funded by developers of the new residences in Potomac Yard and will be handed over to the city's oversight.