“Community effort to create park is an example of grassroots democracy at its best”

JUNEAU – As the Anchorage Assembly considers a proposal that would hurt the efforts by Muldoon area residents to create a city park on the former site of the Alaska Greenhouse, Rep. Pete Petersen (D-Anchorage) has introduced a resolution (HCR 27) to support the effort to create what local residents have dubbed the “Muldoon Park Strip.” Despite residents’ desires to create the park, the Municipality of Anchorage is considering whether to sell most of this land.

“As the representative for Northeast Anchorage and Muldoon, my job is to listen to my neighbors and help them build the community they want,” Petersen said. “The community effort to create this park is an example of grassroots democracy at its best and I am proud to stand with them.”

The park would be located between Muldoon Road on the west, the military reservation on the west, Debarr Road on the north, and 14^th Avenue to the south. Although the land remains undeveloped, local residents use it for hiking, cross-country skiing, dog walking, picnicking, and other recreational activities.

On Tuesday the Assembly will be considering a proposal to reroute the portion of Chester Creek that flows through this property. Residents are concerned that passage of this proposal would indicate that the Assembly is not planning to support the park proposal, since ordinarily the route of the creek would be addressed during the park planning process. The Legislature has approved a $1 million grant for planning this park

“The Muldoon community needs a central focal point to distinguish it as a community and not just a road or sprawl,” said Stuart Grenier, a longtime community activist and Northeast Community Council board member. “The Muldoon Park Strip and Town Square at the old greenhouse property with it creek and sled hill would go a long ways to distinguish us as a community and not just a road.”

The Municipality of Anchorage purchased this property in 2006 after it was seized from its former owners by the federal government during a drug prosecution. The eastern most 12 acres have already been designated as park land, but this portion has no frontage on Muldoon Road and would be significantly less accessible than if the western portions were included in the park.

HCR 27 has been referred to the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee. East Anchorage legislators Rep. Max Gruenberg and Rep. Sharon Cissna (both D-Anchorage) are cosponsors of the resolution.