In the News

Congressman Gerry Connolly was joined by Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova, Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland, Fairfax County Park Authority Chairman Bill Bouie, and FCPA officers and other parks and trails activists at a ceremony this weekend to dedicate the 41-mile trail stretching from Great Falls on the Potomac to Lorton on the Occoquan as the “Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail.”  Connolly was honored for his work to create the trail during his tenure as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.  FCPA Chairman Bouie noted at the event, “Gerry made this happen despite the obstacles, delays and naysayers. 

41-Mile Trail in Fairfax County Renamed Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail

(Click the image to enlarge the map)

The Fairfax County Park Authority held a ceremony this weekend in Lorton to rename the 41-mile Cross County Trail the “Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail," in recognition of Congressman Connolly’s strong support for open space and parkland during his tenure on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Fittingly, the dedication ceremony for the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail (GCCCT) took  place on National Trails Day on a portion of the trail at Laurel Hill Park, Giles Run Meadow, 8400 Lorton Road, in Lorton, VA.

“Gerry Connolly has been an advocate for the preservation of open space and his leadership paved the way for the successful acquisition for thousands of acres of parkland,” Fairfax County Park Authority Chairman Bill Bouie said “Gerry has been an integral part of the Park Authority’s success over the past decade.  While many of us can envision needs and goals for the future, Congressman Connolly has always been one of those individuals who could make them happen.”

Noting that “Congressman Connolly clearly championed this trail and the renaming is a fitting tribute to his dedicated public service,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bulova also recognized “the many individuals who quietly worked behind the scenes to create the cross county trail.”

Trails do not just magically appear for our enjoyment; their construction and maintenance takes hours of dedicated planning and labor. That is especially true in Fairfax County where volunteers are the backbone of our trail maintenance and construction.  While The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors took action last year to rename the trail after Connolly.  The Board cited Connolly’s “countless contributions to parks during his tenure as the former Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and as a longtime steward of the environment.”

In the board action approving the naming of the trail for Connolly, the Supervisors also noted Connolly’s work with the Fairfax County Parks Authority and other citizen groups to establish the trail, pointing out, “He is informally considered to be the ‘father” of the CCT and this trail naming is a well-deserved tribute to Mr. Connolly.”

Connolly said, “I am truly humbled by this honor, The Cross County Trail is one of my proudest accomplishments in public office. There are a lot of people who share this honor with me, including the Park Authority staff and the groups and citizens dedicated to making the trail a reality. This project is a sterling example of what can happen when the local community, volunteers and our elected officials work together. Thanks to that effort, we are leaving behind a real gem for future generations to enjoy.”

Connolly was presented with a framed copy of the sign that will be located at various entrances to the trail, as well as a trail marker and patch bearing the new name of the trail.

In June 1999, then-Providence District Supervisor Connolly joined Fairfax trail advocates on a Trails Day hike along a portion of the trail and immediately agreed to push for the creation of a trail that would run from Great Falls on the Potomac River to Fairfax County's southern border with Prince William at the Occoquan River.  That same month, Connolly offered a motion to create a cross county trail.  The motion won unanimous approval from the Board of Supervisors.

Over the next several years, Fairfax Board Chairman Connolly worked with the Park Authority and citizens trail advocates to create the trail which follows the existing stream valley trail system belonging, for the most part, to the Park Authority.  The trail links existing trails together with other public lands owned by the National Park Service, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, the City of Fairfax, Reston, and public sidewalks through eachmagisterial district in Fairfax County to form a continuous pedestrian route from Great Falls to Prince William County.

Building on the success of the Cross County Trail, Congressman Connolly introduced the Complete America’s Great Trails Act in the House of Representatives. This legislation establishes tax incentives for landowners to grant public access and conservation easements in National Scenic Trail corridors. “Ten of our 11 National Scenic Trails are incomplete, including sections of the Appalachian Trail,” Connolly said.

“Our collaborative effort and success with Fairfax's Cross County trail is a great model to use at the federal level.  This legislation is a critical step towards completing our trails and protecting our nation’s beautiful lands.”

In approving the motion to rename the trail after Connolly, the Board of Supervisors said in its report, “Gerry Connolly strongly supported acquisition of open space and the development of trails to provide recreational and leisure opportunities to the residents of the county during his tenure on the Board of Supervisors. He was the champion who issued the clarion call to acquire and set aside ten percent of all land in Fairfax County as Park Authority-protected parkland. This goal remains an ongoing effort, edging ever nearer with each acquisition.  Nearly 24,000 acres have been acquired. During his tenure as Chairman, more than 1,500 acres were acquired. He also is a strong advocate for environmental stewardship and continuously champions the value of parkland and park amenities in the community.”

In 2009, the Park Authority presented Connolly with the prestigious Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award for his local, regional, and national accomplishments to protect the environment and preserve open space.

Click here for a pdf version of the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail