Supervisors Endorse Western Loudoun Recreation Complex Design

 By Sophia Clifton

Members of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors’ Finance/Government Operations and Economic Development Committee voted March 10, to advance the design of the long-anticipated Western Loudoun Recreation Complex, moving the project one step closer to construction while also discussing rising costs and community needs.

The committee unanimously recommended that the full Board endorse the project’s major design elements and allow staff to proceed with final design work, marking a significant milestone for a facility years in the making.

“This item seeks the finance committee’s recommendation for the Board of Supervisors’ endorsement of the major design elements for the Western Loudoun Recreation Project,” Assistant Director, Facilities Capital Projects Don Bredice told supervisors at the outset of the presentation.

Planned on a 142-acre site west of Purcellville, the complex is designed to serve a growing population in western Loudoun County that has long lacked access to a full-service recreation center. The project combines indoor and outdoor amenities, including athletic fields, courts, trails, and a three-story recreation building featuring aquatics, fitness, and youth programming.

Staff emphasized that public input has played a central role in shaping the design. “The project team facilitated three public information meetings … Each meeting was followed by a public comment period … The input received … informed the project’s design,” Bredice said.

The proposed complex reflects a deliberate effort to balance active recreation with preservation of the site’s natural features.

Design manager Marissa King explained that “major site elements inform the layout,” including wetlands, historic structures, and tree lines. The plan incorporates “low impact site features, such as boardwalks and natural trails” to protect those areas.

At the heart of the project is a three-story recreation center intended as a hub for community activity. The building will include “the gymnasium, fitness center, indoor running track, a competition pool with spectator seating, [and a] leisure pool.”

The outdoor amenities are equally expansive, with baseball and softball fields, soccer and multiuse fields, tennis and pickleball courts, a playground, and open lawn space.

That open space was a key priority for staff.

“One of the things that we hear a lot of is … we don’t have a lot of space that is not already programmed for ballfield use,” said Steve Torpy, director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services. “So having some programmed open space where somebody can just go and toss a Frisbee around … would not be something that we would necessarily have programmed.”

Much of the committee’s discussion focused on how well the design reflects actual recreation demand in western Loudoun.

Supervisor Matthew Letourneau (R-Dulles) questioned the large number of pickleball courts—12 in total—calling it “more than we have anywhere else in Loudoun.”

Staff responded that the number is driven by usage data and local interest.

“We have a large component of Western Loudoun pickleball players,” Torpy explained, noting strong participation at existing facilities like Franklin Park and the Carver Senior Center.

The broader mix of athletic fields was also carefully considered, staff said, with a focus on serving local leagues rather than attracting large regional tournaments.

“The first and foremost approach that we’re taking is to take care of the youth leagues,” Torpy continued. “Large scale tournaments … traditionally don’t want to go out West because of the lack of hotels.”

Supervisors also raised the growing demand for cricket facilities, a need that extends across the county.

“I actually believe we should try to just have a dedicated cricket field,” Chair Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) said, noting that “pickleball is big, but cricket is big also.”

Staff indicated that the rectangular fields could be configured to accommodate cricket play if needed.

While the design received broad support, the project’s rising cost prompted candid discussion.

Randall asked staff to explain what she described as a dramatic increase—from roughly $73 million to more than $260 million.

“For public consumption, why is that escalation so significant and so quick?” she asked.

Staff attributed the increase largely to early estimating errors and evolving project scope.

“The original estimate … was a very preliminary estimate that did not factor in a lot of what we now know about the site,” said Scott Worrest, deputy director for DTCI. He added that it “utilized low dollar per square foot cost” and included “errors that we found as we went through this.”

Additional factors included combining the recreation center with the Fields Farm Park project and incorporating new features such as dedicated teen spaces.

“I really do appreciate the honest answer,” Randall said. “Staff are human beings … we make mistakes sometimes.”

At the same time, she stressed the importance of accountability.

“Price matters when you’re making these decisions,” Randall said, calling the increase “a huge … not a small escalation.”

Despite concerns about cost, supervisors expressed strong support for moving the project forward, citing the lack of recreation facilities in western Loudoun.

Letourneau noted that restarting the project elsewhere would likely be more expensive and time-consuming.

“We’ve done an analysis… and [it is] on par with where it should be,” Worrest said, adding that relocating would set the project back “years, years, years.”

Letourneau framed the project as an equity issue for the county.

“We do have a big part of the county that is just not covered by this type of facility,” he said.

He added that while neighborhood concerns are inevitable, similar facilities have ultimately become valued community assets.

“There’s generally neighborhood concerns about almost everything that we build,” Letourneau said. “Usually, the county especially finds a way to be a good neighbor.”

Construction on the Western Loudoun Recreation Complex is currently anticipated to begin in early 2027, pending final design approval and funding.

As the committee voted unanimously to advance the project, supervisors reflected on the broader role recreation centers play in community life.

Supervisor Juli Briskman (D-Algonkian) described visiting existing facilities and seeing “birthday parties just churning through there” and families gathering for swim programs, calling it “fantastic” and something to be “really proud of.”

With its combination of indoor and outdoor amenities, environmental sensitivity, and community-driven design, the Western Loudoun Recreation Complex is poised to become a similar hub for residents in the county’s western reaches.