You Heard it Here Last, But Really FIrst: Lake Newport Recommended Site for Indoor Tennis

For once, one of the hot scoops we shared months ago has actually come to fruition: Lake Newport has been recommended as the site for a fancy new indoor tennis facility.

The [Parks and Planning Advisory Committee] zeroed in on the Lake Newport site because it already had sufficient parking, arterial road access, substantial tree buffers and prior approval for covered courts, and because the facility would have a minimal impact on adjoining properties and no impact on other recreation facilities and would be next to an existing park.

Larry Butler, the Reston Association’s director of parks and recreation, said the presidents of clusters around the Lake Newport tennis facility had mixed reactions to the suggestion that the six outdoor courts there be replaced with five indoor courts. While they appreciated the outreach, he said, they wanted to know what a new facility might look like.

Giant plexiglass dome! Giant plexiglass dome! Okay, we're just hoping. So what happens next?

The advisory committee recommended that the RA begin to engage the community in the process and conduct additional studies to develop concept plans that could be looked over and approved by residents and the Design Review Board. A referendum sometime next year was suggested.

Board member Richard Chew recommended that when community outreach began, each of the surrounding neighborhoods be brought in individually for a presentation and to provide feedback before a community-wide meeting was held. He said the committee should also make presentations to the Environmental Advisory Committee and other affected groups, inviting the neighboring clusters to those meetings as well.

RA President Robin Smyers agreed, saying, "If we have multiple, multiple chances [for community input], I think that would be a real positive."

Speculating on the community’s reaction to the Lake Newport proposal, Chew said, "It’s almost this or nothing. But it may be nothing."

Based on past reactions, Chew may have a point.