Gum Springs Community Center
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NEW GUM SPRINGS CIVIC ASSOCIATION (NGSCA) NGSCA is a 501(c)(4) IRS tax exempt community organization that represents the residents of Gum Springs, which is the oldest African American community in Fairfax County, VA. |
Gum Springs
Established 1833
The oldest African American community in Fairfax County
Things Get Solved
When You Get Involved!
Gum Springs is within walking distance of Sherwood Regional Library, INOVA Mount Vernon Hospital, Mount Vernon Governmental Center that houses the Mount Vernon Police Station and the Mount Vernon Magisterial District Supervisor Office and churches of various denominations to include Bethlehem Baptist Church, Harvest Assembly Baptist Church, St. John Baptist Church, Greater Morning Star Apostolic Church and Mt. Vernon Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
A Letter From The NGSCA President
Letter sent on January 1, 2021 via eNews to eNews subscribers
Dear Gum Springs Residents & Supporters,
As we welcome 2021, the Gum Springs community must continue to remember its past because history seems to repeat itself. If we do not remember our past, how can we move forward for the future particularly when the Gum Springs community had some of the same concerns more than 50 years ago that remains unresolved as we move into 2021?
As we approach the first major African American federal holiday for 2021, we plan to use Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermon Rediscovering Lost Values as a guide and hope you will too. Dr. King’s 1954 sermon is applicable more than 65 years later--amazing! Click here to read the sermon as posted by Stanford University, Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. Click here to hear the sermon in the voice of Dr. King. The sermon is 30 minutes and 25 seconds long.
In remembering our past, there have been many studies, reports and surveys conducted on/about Gum Springs. Based on concerns identified by Gum Springs residents, the same or similar guiding principles, objectives, goals, recommendations, and findings were a common theme in the research and finalization of the documents.
Here are three of those documents that were applicable then and more so decades later:
- The Gum Springs Neighborhood Improvement Program Conservation Plan adopted by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) during 1979 (1979);
- A community design study and economic survey conducted in 1987 for the Saunders B. Moon Community Action Association through a grant provided by Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (1987); and
- The Gum Springs Redevelopment Plan approved by the BOS during 1990 (1990).
General (1979):
- Gum Springs is sound, a combination of economic, environmental and transportation problems, coupled with large amounts of vacant land, threatens the stability and character of the community.
Community Perceptions (1987):
- Long-time residents of the area perceive the community as an important historic black enclave which has been somewhat ignored by the surrounding larger predominantly white upper middle class community.
- Newer residents established basically around the border of the community are predominantly white middle class families, who through their homeowner organizations, maintain contact with the activities of the community organizations for informational purposes but prefer not to actively participate in the planning of those community activities. These residents do not appear to consider themselves as Gum Springs residents per se.
- The County Park Authority has plans to develop the flood plain of Little Hunting Creek as a stream valley park, including a recreational trail which would link the community to Mount Vernon. This trail would re-establish the historic trail link between Gum Springs and Mount Vernon.
- Traffic congestion at Sherwood Hall Lane and Fordson Road
- Improve traffic flow
- Need for traffic control at Richmond Highway & Napper Road
- Residents exhibit frustration as to the inaction of the implementation of the improvement plan objectives. This results in distrust of new governmental and any outside developer plan proposals presented for property within the community.
The Civic Association will also continue to address matters that inhibit the quality of life for Gum Springs residents such as:
- fighting against the systemic racism that the 11 homeowners on Holland Court aka Holland Court Property Owners Association re-introduced into the Gum Springs community during 2020 because they live on Holland Court. Gum Springs is one community with one voice and that voice is the Civic Association;
- finalizing requirements associated with the $60,000 heritage grant as the first step towards Gum Springs obtaining a historical designation after finally being recognized as the first African American community established more than 187 years ago in Fairfax County that has a direct connection to the first U.S.A. president, George Washington, and the Mount Vernon Estate;
- ensuring Gum Springs residents know the difference between the heritage grant and the draft Gum Springs Conservation Plan submitted to the County during 2015 for final review and approval by the BOS that affords the community protection from the dismantling of the community's identity. Neither are related; but, instrumental in the preservation of Gum Springs;
- ensuring Gum Springs seat at the table during traffic mitigation plans with the Mount Vernon Supervisor, Fairfax Department of Transportation and VDOT that is a required proffer condition as approved by the BOS in the INOVA Mount Vernon expansion plans. Although traffic congestion has been minimized during COVID-19, now is the time to address certain traffic issues to include but not limited to:
- proposed traffic signal at the INOVA Mount Vernon Hospital main entrance off Parkers Lane and not Holland Road. Traffic signal was proposed to alleviate traffic impact on Parkers Lane, Holland Road, Fordson Road and Sherwood Hall Lane. The completion of Potomac Trace with a projection of at least 128 vehicles with no agreed recommended resolution resulting from its traffic study will impact Holland Road;
- illegal turn/through lanes on Fordson Road at the intersection of Sherwood Hall Lane & Fordson and intersection at Fordson Road & Richmond Highway; and
- safety signs such as "Do Not Block" on Sherwood Hall Lane at Parkers Lane, Holland Road, Mt. Woodley and Fordson Road.
Do not forget Gum Springs Motto: Things Get Solved...When You Get Involved!
Finally, the Civic Association is looking for a prosperous year and hope that all Gum Springs residents will support their all-volunteer community organization through either "sweat equity" or a "monetary" expression regardless of the area of Gum Springs you reside. Pay your dues ($10 per person per year--a real bargain!) and/or donate. Click here to pay dues or donate online or make your check payable to NGSCA and mail to PO Box 6112, Alexandria, VA 22306.
Sincerely,
Queenie Cox
President, NGSCA
Community Meeting on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 7:30 p.m.
Topics of Discussion:
Topics of Discussion:
- Transportation concerns that affects Sherwood Hall Lane, Holland Road and Fordson Road.
- Residential segregation created by 11-homeowners on Holland Court via Holland Court Property Owners Association that may affect Gum Springs relationships with FCDOT, VDOT and certain local elected officials.
Confirmed: VDOT, FCDOT, State Delegate Paul Krizek and State Senator Scott Surovell
Dial-in: 518-418-1007 -- No access code required.
For online access, submit request below.
For online access, submit request below.
The Gum Springs Community presented Fairfax County Police Chief
Edwin C. Roessler a plaque for his pending retirement.
Here's a photo of the plaque.
Chief Roessler will be retiring February 2021.
Edwin C. Roessler a plaque for his pending retirement.
Here's a photo of the plaque.
Chief Roessler will be retiring February 2021.
2020 Connection Express Awardees
Holy Heart Award presented to Rev. Dr. Johnnie L. Abram who is not only a Gum Springs resident; but also, Pastor, Harvest Assembly Baptist Church. Rev. Dr. Abram is a loyal and hardworking cleric in the Gum Springs community and worthy of our Holy Heart recognition
Positive Participator Award presented to the Mount Vernon Police to include Captain Brian Ruck, Lieutenant Shawn Adcock and MPO Marvin Goodley. The Mount Vernon Police is very active in community engagement and continues to strive to improve relations with the Gum Springs community.
Standing Ovation Award presented to William A. Garrett who was born and raised in Gum Springs. William is the new City of Manassas Fire Chief of Fire and Rescue Services. William served previously as the City of Winchester Fire Chief and a Deputy Fire Chief for Fairfax County. Although William no longer resides in Gum Springs, he still has family ties to the community and stays in touch.
Positive Participator Award presented to the Mount Vernon Police to include Captain Brian Ruck, Lieutenant Shawn Adcock and MPO Marvin Goodley. The Mount Vernon Police is very active in community engagement and continues to strive to improve relations with the Gum Springs community.
Standing Ovation Award presented to William A. Garrett who was born and raised in Gum Springs. William is the new City of Manassas Fire Chief of Fire and Rescue Services. William served previously as the City of Winchester Fire Chief and a Deputy Fire Chief for Fairfax County. Although William no longer resides in Gum Springs, he still has family ties to the community and stays in touch.
2020 NATIONAL POLICE WEEK - RECOGNIZING MOUNT VERNON'S FINEST!
Things Get Solved---When You Get Involved!
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Note: Although NGSCA is a 501(c)(4) IRS tax exempt organization, your donation is not deductible. However, your donation will be greatly appreciated! All funds are used for solely to support and communicate with the community led by a cadre of volunteers. So, please consider making a donation.
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Be Proud You Live in Gum Springs!
Know who speaks and represents the Gum Springs community.
It's not your Condo or HOA or POA!!!
It's not your Condo or HOA or POA!!!
NOTE: When developers and certain Fairfax County agencies/organizations/staff solicit support from HOAs in the Gum Springs community and not the official organization representing Gum Springs--The New Gum Springs Civic Association, it's an old trick to create divisiveness within the community. HOAs should read their covenants carefully because HOAs have no authority to represent Gum Springs unless sanctioned by the Civic Association. No HOA has been given such authority or sanctioned by the Civic Association. The Civic Association represents the HOAs in matters that affects the Gum Springs community. For more about who represents Gum Springs, click here.
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Click here to view the draft Gum Springs Conservation Plan submitted to Fairfax County during August 2015. As of today, Gum Springs is still waiting for a response from Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority and Fairfax County Department of Planning & Zoning.
Click here to view the Gum Springs Redevelopment Plan which is a guiding document for proposed development/redevelopment projects in Gum Springs.
Gum Springs was not transformed from a “muddy hole” to a diverse community overnight. The Gum Springs Conservation Plan and Neighborhood Improvement Plan were instrumental in what you see as Gum Springs today.
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To read articles about Gum Springs, click on the document name: The UCM connection to Gum Springs A Place in Virginia Called Gum Springs printed in the New York Times on November 8, 1985 Gum Springs Working to Balance Past, Future printed in the Washington Post on September 10, 1988 The Price of Progress in Gum Springs printed in the Washington Post on December 19, 1994 Founded with Links to the Founding Fathers On Land Bought by a Washington Slave, the Roots Run Deep printed in the Washington Post on October 27, 2007 Faces of Gum Springs published in the Connection Newspapers (Mount Vernon Gazette) on February 19, 2015 Click here to view the video "A Certain Pride" and Click here to view the video "A Slave's Legacy." There are four parts to A Slave's Legacy. Click here to view a short video by Fairfax County Celebrating its 275th spotlighting Gum Springs. |
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