City of Alexandria Seeks Public Comment on Proposal to Honor Betty King - Longtime City Resident and Citizen Activist

For Immediate Release: May 2, 2017

The City of Alexandria is seeking public comment on a proposal to memorialize the Edison St. entrance of Four Mile Run Park to honor Mrs. Betty King, a longtime City resident and citizen activist who passed away in June 2016. The Hume Springs Civic Association forwarded the proposal.

Betty King was a longtime resident of Hume Springs from 1985-2016 and her home overlooked Four Mile Run Park, where she enjoyed long walks in the park on a daily basis. Mrs. King served the City as a member of the Arlandria Small Area Planning Group; Four Mile Run Restoration Joint Task Force; and played an instrumental role in the partnership between residents and Alexandria Police Department to eject drug dealers from the Hume Springs neighborhood in the 1990s.

Mrs. King’s passion was contributing to her community. Mrs. King was a longtime member and past officer of Hume Springs Citizens Association; volunteered as a science tutor to elementary and middle school neighborhood children for the Hume Springs Citizens Association’s Thursday Night Tutoring Program; and ran for Alexandria City Council as an independent in 1991.

The public is invited to provide comment on the proposal to memorialize the Edison St. entrance of Four Mile Run Park to honor Mrs. Betty King through Wednesday, May 31, 2017. Those interested in providing comments will be able to record their comments by email to jack.browand@alexandriava.gov, subject line: Mrs. Betty King Memorial, or by mail to Recreation and Parks, Attn: Jack Browand, 1108 Jefferson St., Alexandria VA 22314. All comments received or postmarked Wednesday, May 31 will be reviewed by the City Council Naming Committee.

For additional information, contact Jack Browand, Division Chief, at 703.746.5504 or by email at jack.browand@alexandriava.gov.