New Frying Pan Equestrian Facility Receives Award

The Virginia Recreation and Parks Society presented the Fairfax County Park Authority with an award earlier this week.

VRPS named the newly constructed horse stables at Frying Pan Farm Park as the Best New Facility in a community with a population greater than 150,000. VRPS also recognized Fairfax County's at-large Park Authority board member George E. Lovelace.

The state-of-the-art equestrian facilities opened earlier this year at Frying Pan Farm Park. The new facility replaced the crumbling stables that were previously on the site with a $3 million complex, including a 90-stall horse stable, a 60-stall horse stable, manure shed, gravel parking area for trailers and a warm-up riding ring.

According to a Fairfax County press release the new facilities are already popular with local equestrians and have spurred renewed interest in horse shows and riding lessons in the region. The Best New Facility award is a highly sought after accolade that considers all aspects of construction, community need and the results the facility produces.

Lovelace received a Distinguished Volunteer Service Award for his work as a volunteer member of the Park Authority board, a position he has held since February 2004. He currently serves as the board's secretary. He is involved in several aspects of FCPA's mission and is a member of the diversity and succession committee, the park services committee and the strategic planning and initiatives committee. He serves as liaison to the Fairfax County Athletic Council and chairs the park operations committee. He is also a member of the park authority executive committee.

Additionally, Lovelace is a well-known local elected official, community activist and current member of the Vienna Town Council. He ahs previously served in the Virginia House of Delegates.

VRPS is a private, non-profit professional organization, founded in 1953. The organization's purpose is to unite all professionals, students, and interested lay persons engaged in the field of recreation, parks and other leisure services in Virginia.