What is going up next to the school board building (in Ashburn)? Behind Royal Farms? Looks like another data center. — Paul I.
We’ve reported on this new structure quite a bit, but if Paul has questions, then surely others in the community do too. (The fact that you don’t all read every single story we publish — and commit them to memory — is beyond us.)
Paul, for once that new building is not a data center. That is the new Ashburn Recreation & Community Center. The steel skeleton is now peeking above the trees and visible from 267, so more people are noticing it.
You can see some of our past coverage here, but the gist is that it’s a roughly 117,000 s.f. county facility that will include 50-meter pool, as well as a leisure pool, a spa, a full-size gymnasium, a playroom, and a multipurpose room with a catering and teaching kitchen.
Outside, visitors will find a trail around the property, a courtyard with seating, a splash play area and a playground.
Ground was broken on the project back in June 2022. County officials and members of the construction team are getting ready to hold a “topping out” ceremony later this month.
Per a county press release: “The ceremony — a tradition in construction — symbolizes the completion of structural steel installation, which is marked by invited guests signing the final steel beam that is then placed into the structure.”
The ceremony will take place on April 25 at 3 p.m. and is open to the public to attend if you want to get an up close look at the progress.
Construction on the facility is expected to wrap up in the summer of 2025 and then it should open sometime later that year.
If you’ve got a Burning Question for The Burn about something you’ve spotted in the area related to roads, restaurants, retail or other things we cover, send it to and we’ll see if we can get you an answer.