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Leeway Overlee Civic Association
Notice of General Membership Meeting:
This is likely THE last event to take place in the LAC center
HYBRID: ZOOM & IN-PERSON:
Wednesday, June 25, 6:30 PM
LAC Studios – 5722 Langston Blvd, Enter on North side facing Langston
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81412434257?pwd=6IlHTDyF2dzqweugHUfD7IaDEbdELG.1
Meeting ID: 814 1243 4257
Passcode: 428044
One tap mobile +13052241968,,81412434257#,,,,*428044# US
Speaker: Bill Fogarty,
retired attorney who is passionate about local history
Bill Fogarty is a retired attorney who has lived and worked in Arlington for over 40 years. He got his start in writing history when he was asked to clean up the archives at his church, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington. His article “1958 Arlington: The Year That Something Happened,” published in the 2023 issue of Arlington Historical Magazine, dealt with the complex factors leading to the desegregation of Arlington schools in 1959. This work somehow led to his being recruited to write the "Our Man In Arlington" column for the Falls Church News Press this year. He has also taught about Arlington’s desegregation through Encore Learning, coached youth soccer teams for more than 10 years, and even chaired a Homework Committee for Arlington Public Schools. How does he stay motivated to continue his volunteerism? With “a sense of curiosity, followed by more community involvement.”
ANY QUESTIONS? CONTACT A MEMBER OF THE LOCA EXEC COMMITTEE
President: Jean Henceroth (president@leewayoverlee.org)
Vice President: Karen Guevara (vicepresident@leewayoverlee.org)
Secretary: Ladd Connell (secretary@leewayoverlee.org)
Treasurer: Jennifer Michener (treasurer@leewayoverlee.org)
ArNAC Rep. Rob Swennes ArNAC@LeewayOverlee.org
The County’s Department of Parks and Recreation – DPR’s asphalt contractor will be conducting trail work along the Custis Trail at John Marshall Drive & 22nd Road N. from the newly installed curved trail over toward 21st Street N.
The work will take place as follows, weather permitting: (Should the weather play a factor, updated information will be sent via email)
Custis Trail (John Marshall Drive & 22nd Road N. toward 21st Street N.) – June 24-26, 2025
Are you willing to switch from paper to electronic documents?
LOCA’s primary expense is printing this newsletter which is distributed 3-4 times annually by volunteers walking door to door.
To reduce newsletter printing costs and paper usage, the LOCA Executive Committee is considering sending via email the Newsletter, Notices of Meetings, etc. If you would like to receive these electronically, please send an email including your name, street address and phone number to: president@leewayoverlee.org. Both the Notices of Membership Meetings and the Newsletter will continue to be available on our web site and Facebook page.
LEE COMMUNITY CENTER / LAC STUDIOS / LEE COMMUNITY PARK
(located between Langston Boulevard / 24th Street North and North Lexington / North Kentucky Streets)
Did you know that this property and its facilities have been a vital and publicly available gathering place and park within the Leeway Overlee community as one of Arlington's earliest public schools (1926), Lee Community and Senior Center, then the LAC Studios?
Did you know that County planners are proposing to repurpose the Lee Center block by removing almost a century's worth of athletics on that property, which is the ONLY PUBLIC PARK WITH OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION?
Are you willing to abandon these historic limited public recreational options within our neighborhood?
Most importantly, it has been used for almost 100 years for children's recreation. This was true when the original elementary school was opened in 1926. It remained true when Arlington Public Schools (APS) closed the school in 1971 and transferred the property to Arlington County. It was true when the former school building housed the Lee Center Children's Cooperative. Today it continues to be true with its playground equipment, softball diamond, basketball court, and open green space providing neighborhood children with multiple recreational opportunities.
The Executive Committee of Leeway Overlee Civic Association requested Arlington County preserve The Lee Community Center Park "as is" with no new construction on the site. IF YOU SUPPORT THIS, PLEASE TELL THE COUNTY BOARD and send it in writing to the County Board and Planning Commissioners -- they count the number of letters received regarding issues (a LOCA Executive Committee letter to the County is available below and on the LOCA Facebook page; you can print it and add your signature and your printed name, scan it, and email it to the County Board via its web site).
Please refer to pp 28-32, 61 the Langston Boulevard Area Plan Draft 1: June 2023 detailing the county's plans: www.arlingtonva.us/files/sharedassets/public/projects/documents/plan-langston-blvd/draft-langstonboulevard-area-plan.pdf
Date: September 13, 2023
To: Residents of Leeway Overlee Civic Association (LOCA)
From: Jean Henceroth, President
Leeway Overlee Civic Association
RE: Langston Boulevard Area Plan, Draft 1: June 2023 ("the Plan") and
LEE PARK AND FORMER LEE COMMUNITY CENTER/LAC STUDIOS
Hello Neighbor,
Today I'm writing to ask you to send an email or letter (via email) to the Arlington County Board regarding the future of Lee Park and the former Lee Community Center / LAC Studios, both of which are threatened by the current version of Langston Boulevard Area Plan ("the Plan"). Although not yet approved by the County Board, the Plan refers to the former Lee Community Center as demolished, with the probability that a building replacing it could be 5 stories high and its footprint could take half of the park. Its purpose had not yet been determined but it probably would not be a community center.
If you support saving our park, please use the attached sample letter or email to write to the County Board. The County Board considers the volume of letters or emails received regarding a specific community issue when voting on it -- YOUR LETTER COULD HELP SAVE OUR PARK!
The LOCA Executive Committee is determined the park and any structure built therein be committed to serving our community and wrote a letter on August 31, 2023, to the County requesting:
"Arlington County conduct a public evaluation with public input to determine the short- and long-term uses of the former Lee Community Center (now LAC Studios) and the Lee Community Center Park (located between Langston Boulevard / 24th Street North and North Lexington / North Kentucky Streets) to commence no later than early 2024."
HOW TO SEND A LETTER OR EMAIL:
A Word copy of this letter is provided for your use, either to send in a traditional letter format or as an email. Please:
remove the red writing in the document
add your name
email to the County Board at the following address: Countyboard@arlingtonva.us
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Link to Traditional Letter (to be mailed via USPS): document for mailing
Link to Electronic (to be copied and pasted into an email and then emailed): document for emailing
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