Riding high over new horse park

Equestrians said 'Whoa!' to Turner Farm becoming a residential community

A new public riding park at the Turner Farm in Great Falls is open for business.

For Great Falls equestrian Molly Hockman, the park is a blessing and haven.

"A lot of people waited a long time for it," Hockman said. "By having a facility like this, it's easy for people to ride there."

Hockman joined a resident-led initiative nine years ago called Save the Farm to prevent Turner Farm, a former dairy operation, from being developed into a residential community.

Group organizations such as the Friends of Turner Farm helped secure the park for equestrian use, Fairfax County Park Authority officials said.

Although Fairfax County has become more developed, its riding facilities have dwindled, said Kirk Holley, the Park Authority's manager of special projects.

"The community knew in the mid-1990s that there was an opportunity for a park here . . . and lobbied pretty hard to get money for a park," he said. "This end of Fairfax County and Clifton are the two areas in the county that are still involved with horses."

Turner Farm is the second public equestrian facility in the county, he said. The first is the county-run working farm at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. A third equestrian park is planned at Laurel Hill in Lorton, with construction scheduled to begin next year.

The Turner Farm is "a little less formal" than the other two parks, Holley said.

The 52-acre park, at Georgetown Pike and Springvale Road, has a multipurpose arena, a dressage arena, cross-country riding courses, conditioning trails and bridle paths and a games area. A Park Authority dedication of the Turner Farm Park is set for 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Park Authority members say plans for the equine facilities at the Turner Farm almost fell through when project cost estimates came in at $1.3 million. To lower that figure, Park Authority staff members reduced the number of outside contractors and kept a portion of the project's construction costs in-house. Park Authority spokeswoman Judy Pederson said the facility was built for about $900,000.

"We've been very lucky to have friends, groups and organizations that are very dynamic. This is an example of that," she said. Additionally, residents and community groups such as the Friends of Turner Farm raised $10,000 to pay for improvements to the park.

The price tag does not reflect the park's true value, residents and park officials said.

"The zoning in this area would have allowed for development had the county not stepped in," Holley said. "To find 50 acres in the middle of [Great Falls] that is worth a zillion dollars . . . it's really neat."

"The [Park Authority] did an outstanding job," Hockman said. "It's one of the nicest facilities in the county."