Plans for upgrades at two NOVA Parks-owned Alexandria properties are getting a boost under the regional park system’s latest capital budget.
The fiscal years 2027-2031 budget adopted by the NOVA Parks Board of Directors on Sept. 17 allocates $1.5 million for building renovations at Carlyle House Historic Park (121 N. Fairfax Street) and $1 million for Winkler Botanical Preserve (5400 Roanoke Avenue) entrance improvements.
The NOVA Parks system has been the custodian of the nearly 275-year-old Carlyle House in Old Town for 50 years. At Carlyle House, the park system is planning a roof replacement and redoing the stucco work on the mansion.
“It’s very much a labor of love for us for caring for a very important historic property in Alexandria,” Justin Wilson, NOVA Parks executive director and former Alexandria mayor, told ALXnow.
On Sept. 2, the Board of Architectural Review recommended denial of a metal roof to replace the current wooden shingle roof. A NOVA Parks spokesperson told ALXnow “we have not yet determined our path forward as of yet” on the roof replacement.
Carlyle House renovations could be completed as soon as next fall, with timing dependent on special events, contractor availability and weather, according to Wilson.
The other major capital initiative in Alexandria seeks to improve visitor access to Winkler Nature Preserve.
NOVA Parks took over the Winkler Nature Preserve in Alexandria West from the Winkler Organization in 2022 — when Wilson was Alexandria’s mayor. Created as a natural space in 1979 by environmentalist Catherine Winkler Herman, it is one of a handful of nature preserves inside the Beltway and features trails, streams, a lake and a waterfall.
With the transfer of the nature preserve to NOVA Parks, endowments for capital needs, educational programs and other improvements were provided. Wilson said the endowment and the park system’s own funds will support a new bus loop and additional parking.
“We bring a lot of school groups there, and there’s a real challenge to bring buses in,” Wilson said.
Winkler Botanical Preserve is a regular stop for school field trips, as NOVA Parks partners with school systems to bring in students especially from Title I schools. Wilson said he has encouraged Alexandria City Public Schools to utilize NOVA Parks’ grant fund to transport students from Title I schools to Winkler and parks beyond Alexandria.
NOVA Parks is working with the city’s planning and zoning staff and hopes to have final approvals in the next few months. Work on the bus loop and parking expansion could begin as soon as late 2026 or early 2027.
Going forward, the park system wants to improve access to the park while carefully managing it so it doesn’t become overrun. According to Wilson, NOVA Parks has expanded park hours and is working with the City of Alexandria to discuss possible new park entrances.
“This is an area … that is really challenged to find access to natural spaces,” Wilson said, noting it is near Southern Towers and other densely populated residential complexes. “That is an incredible concentration of people who are just desperate for natural spaces, and here we have it.”
Along with the two capital projects, NOVA Parks is also having discussions with the city government about the future operations of Cameron Run Regional Park. The current lease agreement for NOVA Parks to operate the park expires at the end of 2028. Without a new agreement, the park would revert back to city control.
NOVA Parks’ capital budget regularly includes funds for maintenance of Cameron Run Regional Park and investments in the Ice & Lights winter light attraction. Wilson said “any larger investments are going to be dependent on conversations with the city.”
While the regional park system’s capital budget receives funds from member jurisdictions, nearly 75% of the latest plan draws from other sources like grants, license fees, donations and endowments.
