A federal judge on Wednesday sided with the McLean Youth Lacrosse organization to force the National Park Service (NPS) to immediately reopen Langley Fork Park in McLean, Va.
Attorney for both the NPS and McLean Youth Lacrosse will return to court on Oct. 18 to determine a permanent solution. In the meantime the park will remain open for anyone to use. The Washington Post reports:
"It’s a major relief," said David "Bucky" Morris, McLean Youth Lacrosse’s executive director. "I’m not sure how long it goes for, but, hopefully, it’s long enough that it goes through the government shutdown."
A spokeswoman for the Fairfax County Park Authority, which manages the park, said officials removed the temporary barriers at the park Thursday morning after receiving the Park Service’s permission.
"I can tell you this much: We’re glad it’s open for business. That’s the good news," said Judy Pedersen, a spokeswoman for the Park Authority. She declined to comment on the lawsuit.
According to local officials and the lawsuit, Langley Fork Park sits on federal land, but it is managed and maintained by the county Park Authority as part of an agreement with the National Park Service. When McLean Youth Lacrosse received a permit to use the fields there this fall, they paid the Park Authority — not the Park Service — $5,000, according to the lawsuit.