Prince William County's new “Harbor Drive Wellness Park” was formally opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday, June 4.
Located just outside Tackett’s Mill in Lake Ridge, the 2-and-a-half acre park is Prince William County’s first created by repurposing an existing parking lot -- an achievement County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Seth Hendler-Voss called “extra-special exciting.”
“Building a park in nature is something really, really special,” Hendler-Voss said. “But actually building a park and creating nature out of the built-environment is enthralling – extra-special exciting – and that’s exactly what we did here when we converted this asphalt parking lot to what we see today.”
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Harbor Drive Wellness Park playground
A view of the universal playground at Prince William County's new "Harbor Drive Wellness Park."
Prince William County and Kaiser Permanente officials cut the ribbon on Saturday, June 4 to formally open the new "Harbor Drive Wellness Park" in Lake Ridge. The park is located at Harbor Drive and Minnieville Road and is the county's first "universal playground," meaning it is designed for children ages 2 to 12 of all abilities.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Ruth Anderson, a former Occoquan District supervisor who launched the effort to create a new wellness park in 2016.
Ruth Anderson, the former Prince William County supervisor for the Occoquan District, launched the effort to open a new park in her district in 2016. The end result was the "Harbor Drive Wellness Park," which officials formally opened on Saturday, June 4.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Ruth Anderson, county officials and staff who helped launch the effort to build the wellness park
Ruth Anderson, center, with some of her colleagues who helped bring the Harbor Drive Wellness Park to fruition.
From left: Bill Milne, former Occoquan District planning commissioner; Jacob Mosser, Alex Stanley and Brodie Freer, chairman of the Prince William County Parks and Recreation Commission.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department
Supervisors Andrea Bailey, D-Potomac, and Kenny Boddye, D-Occoquan.
Supervisors Andrea Bailey, D-Potomac, and Kenny Boddye, D-Occoquan, during the June 4 ribbon-cutting ceremony for Prince William County's new "Harbor Drive Wellness Park."
Harbor Drive Wellness Park playground: Butterfly climber and dragonfly teeter-totter
Some of the "universal" playground equipment at Prince William County's new "Harbor Drive Wellness Park" at Minnieville Road and Harbor Drive in Lake Ridge.
By Amber Stricker, Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Prince William County's Harbor Drive Wellness Park is the first public park in the county to feature a pollinator garden with plants native to Virginia.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Prince William County's Harbor Drive Wellness Park is the first public park in the county to feature a pollinator garden with plants native to Virginia.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park: Caton Hill Medical Center
Prince William County's new Harbor Drive Wellness Park was constructed with help from Kaiser Permanente, which is building its Caton Hill Medical Center on Minnieville Road, about 1 mile from the new park. Kaiser Permanente donated $200,000 toward the $1.5 million new park.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park playground: Caterpillar tunnel and butterfly climber
A view of the caterpillar climber/tunnel and the butterfly climber at Prince William County's new Harbor Drive Wellness Park in Lake Ridge. The park offers the county's first universal playground, which is designed to be accessible for children ages 2 to 12 of all abilities.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Prince William County and Kaiser Permanente officials cut the ribbon on Saturday, June 4 to formally open the new "Harbor Drive Wellness Park" in Lake Ridge. The park is located at Harbor Drive and Minnieville Road and is the county's first "universal playground," meaning it is designed for children ages 2 to 12 of all abilities.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Ruth Anderson, a former Occoquan District supervisor who launched the effort to create a new wellness park in 2016.
Ruth Anderson, the former Prince William County supervisor for the Occoquan District, launched the effort to open a new park in her district in 2016. The end result was the "Harbor Drive Wellness Park," which officials formally opened on Saturday, June 4.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Ruth Anderson, county officials and staff who helped launch the effort to build the wellness park
Ruth Anderson, center, with some of her colleagues who helped bring the Harbor Drive Wellness Park to fruition.
From left: Bill Milne, former Occoquan District planning commissioner; Jacob Mosser, Alex Stanley and Brodie Freer, chairman of the Prince William County Parks and Recreation Commission.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department
Supervisors Andrea Bailey, D-Potomac, and Kenny Boddye, D-Occoquan.
Supervisors Andrea Bailey, D-Potomac, and Kenny Boddye, D-Occoquan, during the June 4 ribbon-cutting ceremony for Prince William County's new "Harbor Drive Wellness Park."
Harbor Drive Wellness Park playground: Butterfly climber and dragonfly teeter-totter
Some of the "universal" playground equipment at Prince William County's new "Harbor Drive Wellness Park" at Minnieville Road and Harbor Drive in Lake Ridge.
By Amber Stricker, Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park accessible swings
The swings at the Harbor Drive Wellness Park are designed to accommodate children of all abilities.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County
Harbor Drive Wellness Park playground: Dragonfly teeter-totter
The dragonfly teeter-totter at the new Harbor Drive Wellness Park in Lake Ridge is designed for kids of all abilities.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park: roller slide
Unlike a traditional slide, the roller slide at the Harbor Drive Wellness Park is designed for kids ages 2 to 12 of all abilities.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park fitness trail
One of several pieces of fitness equipment at the Harbor Drive Wellness Park in Lake Ridge.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park pollinator garden
Prince William County's Harbor Drive Wellness Park is the first public park in the county to feature a pollinator garden with plants native to Virginia.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park pollinator garden
Prince William County's Harbor Drive Wellness Park is the first public park in the county to feature a pollinator garden with plants native to Virginia.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park: Caton Hill Medical Center
Prince William County's new Harbor Drive Wellness Park was constructed with help from Kaiser Permanente, which is building its Caton Hill Medical Center on Minnieville Road, about 1 mile from the new park. Kaiser Permanente donated $200,000 toward the $1.5 million new park.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Flower shade at Harbor Drive Wellness Park
A giant flower shade at the Harbor Drive Wellness Park in Lake Ridge.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park playground: Caterpillar tunnel and butterfly climber
A view of the caterpillar climber/tunnel and the butterfly climber at Prince William County's new Harbor Drive Wellness Park in Lake Ridge. The park offers the county's first universal playground, which is designed to be accessible for children ages 2 to 12 of all abilities.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Harbor Drive Wellness Park: caterpillar tunnel
The caterpillar tunnel and climber at the Harbor Drive Wellness Park.
Amber Stricker, Prince William County Parks, Recreation and Tourism
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.