The National Park Service is accepting comments on future plans for Fort Hunt Park up until this weekend. You can send your comments online or mail them, postmarked by Saturday, Nov. 5.

Following an extensive meeting between the Fort Hunt community and the National Parks Service on Friday, Sept. 21, the period for comments was extended. 

Major concerns from the community included changes to the walking and biking paths, loss of picnic pavilions and athletic fields, and the potential misuse of the $250,000 to build a visitor’s center that could end up costing much more.

"The September 21 public meeting clearly demonstrated that we had not provided a reasonable opportunity for civic engagement," George Washington Memorial Parkway Superindendent Dottie Marshall said in a letter to Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland. 

"Consequently, I made the decision to extend the comment period by 30 days (November 6) and to hold another public meeting to consider alternatives that have been informed by the comments received. This meeting will likely take place in January, 2012."