The Arlandria News Round-up: Four Mile Run Edition

The Results Are In
We have a winner in the Four Mile Run Bridge design competition! The winning design (pictured) by the team consisting of the firms Arup (Engineers), Grimshaw (Architects) & Scape (Landscape Designers) was announced on Saturday, March 27th at the George Washington Masonic Memorial following a day of presentation by all three finalist teams. In the near future, The Arlandrian will feature a review of all three very worthy finalist designs.  But for those who can't wait, the presentations made by the three teams are all now available online at the competition website: www.4milerun.org.


Taking The Trash Out of the Run
The 22nd Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup organized by the Alice Ferguson Foundation is coming to clean up the Four Mile Run Stream on Saturday, April 10th from 9am till Noon. There are currently two sites for volunteers: Four Mile Run at Mt. Vernon Avenue and the Eaton Square Clubhouse at 801 Four Mile Road.

Tidying Up Hume Springs
Neighbors in Hume Springs will be holding their own clean-up on Saturday as well.  Folks will be gardening and removing litter from 9am until 1pm.

Clean Up After Yourself
Since last Sunday, the Alexandria Police Department has been increasing enforcement of already existing litter laws throughout the City as part of the third annual Litter Enforcement Week that is taking place from April 4th to 10th. Litter Enforcement Week is part of the Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative, a region-wide effort spearheaded by the Alice Ferguson Foundation to reduce trash and litter, increase recycling, education, and awareness of trash issues in the Potomac Watershed.  See: www.potomaccleanup.org for more info.

Taking a Taxi to the Airport on Four Mile Run

A proposed water taxi service has begun promoting itself recently under the name American River Taxi. Their initial plans include a number of stops along the Potomac in Old Town, Georgetown, Southwest and National Harbor.  Future plans include a potential stop at National Airport.  The airport stop would presumably be at the mouth of Four Mile Run near the economy parking and the shuttle bus stops and the intersection of the Four Mile Run and Mt Vernon trails.

Take the Four Mile Run to 5k Fridays
The Crystal City Business Improvement District, which promotes a lot of fun activities right in our backyard, is sponsoring 5k Fridays. Every Friday in April at 6:30pm, participants will run a professionally timed and certified course organized by Pacers Running Stores. Every race starts and finishes at 2121 Crystal Drive. Just a short walk to a quick run.

Here Come The Arlandria Aces!
Collegiate summer baseball season is just around the corner. Soon Arlandria's Frank Mann Field in Four Mile Run Park will play host once again to the Arlandria...um...Alexandria Aces. Until then, here's a short video presentation about the Aces to entertain baseball fans (who may not see much entertaining baseball in the Metro area for a while):

Alexandria Aces from The Other Sports Show on Vimeo

Wildlife Returns to Four Mile Run
With the spring weather, noticeable signs of life have returned to Four Mile Run. And a good sign it is; demonstrating the strengthening health of the stream.


Acres of Diamonds in Our Own Backyard
The 55.9 acres of Four Mile Run Park often go overlooked. It might be a place that folks where folks may take a jog or a bike ride, where folks may see a baseball game or play soccer, but it is not well regarded for its natural beauty.  It's there though if you look for it. And well worth fighting for: