Assembly to consider $587,000 contract to rebuild Creekside Park paths and playground

The Anchorage Assembly will consider Wednesday, Nov. 4, whether to hire a contractor to rebuild the paths and upgrade the playground at Creekside Park.

The work is meant to improve the park and trail's condition, accessibility and long-term usability, according to an Assembly memorandum from Mayor Suzanne LaFrance. It's part of a larger city project at the park that also includes a Safe Route to School along Patterson Street between 10th and 6th avenues.

The 8-acre park at East 6th Avenue and Oklahoma Street was first developed in 1981 with a playground, baseball field, tennis courts and a parking lot. The city acquired land in the Creekside area with a 1979 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, so it must stay open for public outdoor recreation in perpetuity, according to Assembly records.

LaFrance recommends HPM Inc. for the $587,452.71 contract. Its bid was the lowest of six, about $33,400 above the city engineer's estimate. The work would replace worn pavement and poor soil under the paved paths, improve the playground area and regrade the site.

The contract is one piece of an $800,000 project paid for with a $500,000 state grant and $300,000 in city bonds, according to the city's project page. The larger project also covers playground equipment and surfacing built to current ADA standards.

Work is expected to start in 2026 and finish in summer 2027.