Table of Contents
The Four Mile Run Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to stewardship of the Four Mile Run stream valley, has received a Gold Medal from the state of Virginia for a project that opened a new public water access point along lower Four Mile Run, Governor Abigail Spanberger announced Wednesday.
The kayak and canoe launch, which is already open to the public, gives the community its first fully ADA-accessible route to the Potomac River. The facility features a 187-foot raised boardwalk ramp within the city's 49-acre Four Mile Run Park and is the first of its kind in the DC metro area, according to the Governor's office.
The City of Alexandria will host a grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 9 from noon to 3 p.m. at Four Mile Run Park. The launch features accessible design elements intended to make paddling easier and safer for beginners and people with mobility challenges. Situated on calm, shallow waters with connections to the Potomac River Water Trail, the site is also intended to support environmental education and community programming.
The project was developed through a partnership between the Four Mile Run Conservancy and the City of Alexandria and was partially funded by a FY 2023 Community Matching Fund Award.
The conservancy was among 11 winners recognized at the 2026 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards, presented Wednesday at the Environment Virginia Symposium. The program is coordinated by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to honor organizations that reduce environmental impacts, protect natural resources, and promote sustainability across the Commonwealth.
"Protecting Virginia's environment and promoting stewardship across the Commonwealth have impacts that will last for generations," Governor Spanberger said in a statement.
See a full list of the eleven winners and two honorable mentions here.
