For Cheryl Stokes, Mount Vernon Rec Center invokes a feeling of nostalgia. Stokes, office manager at Fairfax County Park Authority, recalls fond memories at the Rec Center from long before she stared working at the Park Authority.
Growing up in the neighborhood right next to Mount Vernon Rec Center, Stokes remembers learning to tread water and to bunny hop on ice skates there. Boasting a swimming pool and an ice rink, Mount Vernon Rec Center became the “go-to” spot to meet up with friends. It also provided the perfect place to spend quality time with family, since it was safe, close by and financially accessible.
“My dad loved to swim, so me and my brother would come here with him a lot,” Stokes says. “He would do all sorts of goofy jumps off the diving board to make us laugh.”
On special days at the Rec Center, staff would fill the pool with giant inflatables. All the kids would be giddy with excitement, ready to jump in. “The 80s were a way different time,” Stokes laughs. “It was a total free for all, but it was so much fun.”
Stokes also vividly remembers log rolling competitions at the Rec Center and the resulting “on-the-edge-of-your-seat” atmosphere. The entire crowd would watch with bated breath as competitors shuffled like their lives depended on it, fighting for balance atop 10-foot, floating, foam logs. Stokes hopes they’ll revive that tradition at the new pool. Her other favorite thing about Mount Vernon of the past? The snack bar — “the crinkle fries there were elite,” she proclaims.
Growing up skating at Mount Vernon Rec Center, Stokes often traded the ice with the Washington Capitals, who used to practice at the Ice Arena in the 80s and 90s. “I remember thinking it was super cool, but I also used to be kind of scared of them,” she laughs. “The players would show off in front of us, doing all sorts of tricks. But they were super friendly with us kids.” With two new NHL-sized rinks, Stokes is excited to attend hockey games at the Rec Center and watch the hockey community grow.
Returning back to Mount Vernon Rec Center, Stokes tested out the new ice. As she laced up her ice skates with eager anticipation, she described the history of her 33-year-old skates. Stokes received them as a gift from her grandma in 1992, lovingly caring and maintaining the leather and laces, keeping the skates in mint condition throughout the years. “These are vintage, you know,” she says. As a child, Stokes begged her grandma for skates of her own. “She finally caved but made me promise to keep them forever. And I’ve kept that promise,” Stokes says.
Gliding onto the new ice, it’s like Stokes never left. She waves at a mother and daughter clinging to each other and smiles widely as a little kid zips around the rink like a pro. It’s clear how much history she has with this place, just like so many others in the Mount Vernon area. The building may be brand new, but the legacy and human connections are truly what make Mount Vernon Rec Center the beating heart of the community.
— Aditi Iyengar, Fairfax County Park Authority Marketing and Communications Intern
It’s an exciting time in Mount Vernon Rec Center’s history. As the community evolves and grows, will you join us? Whether you are just joining or recall your own fond memory at the Rec Center, share it with us at parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov or on social media using #MVRCstories tagging @FairfaxParks.
Our Stories and Perspectives 