Native Plant Walk | JOA May 19

Did you know that May is Alaska Native Plant Month? And although Arbor Day is celebrated in April, did you know Alaska has its own on May 15? Join us at the Jensen-Olson Arboretum on May 19, at 11 a.m. to celebrate both with Arboretum Manager, Ginger Hudson, on a guided walk to learn about the native plants and shrubs found in the park. This event is free, and registration is not required.

StoryPath #3 | May 15-21

Renninger Park Public Meetings | May 21 & 22

Jackie Renninger Park Master Plan process began in 2023 with a public survey and Corvus Design is ready to present the findings along with a Neighborhood Park Assessment and trends in skate parks at two public meetings, one of which is geared toward youth. Attendees will have the opportunity to design the park using a large site plan and scaled cut outs of essential park elements. What would you include in this 5-acre site? Sport courts, playground equipment, picnic shelters, trails? Join us for the interactive public meeting on Tuesday, May 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Valley Library to help design the Jackie Renninger Park. The youth specific meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 22 at 5:30 p.m. at Zach Gordon Youth Center.

Roller Skating Begins May 23

Dust off your roller skates! Beginning May 23, roller skating is happening at Treadwell Arena every Thursday evening from 6 – 7 p.m. Skate nights will continue through June 27. The cost is $5/person and rental skates are not available, participants must provide their own. Acceptable skates include roller skates, derby skates, inline skates, and speed skates.

Jensen-Olson Arboretum Primula Day | May 25

With more than 170 varieties, Jensen-Olson Arboretum is home to a Nationally Recognized Collection™ for the Genus Primula by the Plant Collections Network. Celebrate the grand and beautiful collection with us at Primula Day on Saturday, May 25, hosted by Friends of Jensen-Olson Arboretum. The arboretum is open all day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A plant sale will begin at 10 a.m. and a guided garden tour takes place at 11 a.m.

Commercial Use Neighborhood Meetings

CBJ Parks & Recreation is partnering with Corvus Design to host five neighborhood meetings in May about commercial use on CBJ park lands and trails. These meetings are an opportunity to learn and provide feedback as CBJ works to define a thoughtful and strategic approach to commercial use in the community’s shared trails and outdoor spaces.

Each neighborhood meeting will focus on a specific area of town for discussion.

• Douglas: Wednesday, May 8, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Mount Jumbo Gym
• Downtown/Thane: Thursday, May 9, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at City Hall Chambers
• Twin Lake/Lemon Creek: *POSTPONED*
• Out the Road: Wednesday, May 15, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at UAS Rec Center Room 116
• Valley/Auke Bay: *POSTPONED*

Apply for a Fourth of July Vendor Spot at Savikko Park Starting May 15

Parks & Rec will begin accepting vending permit applications for the Fourth of July festivities at Savikko Park on Wednesday, May 15 at 8 a.m. All permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to apply is Monday, June 24 at 4:30 p.m. Learn more on the Parks & Recreation Vending Permits webpage. Applications and related material should be emailed to Recreation Supervisor Dave Pusich at [email protected].

All food vendors will be located near Treadwell Arena. There are 19 food vending spots available including a bigger space to accommodate a large food truck. For non-food vendors, there are five spots available along Savikko Road. Parks & Recreation supplies the vending space only. All other equipment – like tables, tents, and generators – must be provided by the vendor.

Youth Floorball Coming to Treadwell Arena

Parks & Recreation is adding Floorball to the Youth Sports lineup! Floorball that takes place at Treadwell Arena from June 3 - 26 while the ice it out. There will be two division of play: 8-10 years and 11-14 years. Players will need to attend a mandatory skills clinic on May 22 to learn some basics of the game. Then teams will have one 1-hour session each week on Monday or Wednesday evening that includes 15 minutes of skills followed by 3 12-minute periods of game play. Registration for the season opens at 8 a.m. on May 6 and costs $45 + tax. Find more information on the Floorball webpage.

Registration for Youth Soccer Programs Opens on May 6

Registration for Parks & Recreation's Youth Outdoor Soccer (ages 5 to 14) and Start Smart Soccer (ages 3-4) opens Monday, May 6, at 8 a.m. Early bird registration for Youth Soccer runs through May 19 and costs $55 +tax. Starting May 20, registration costs increases to $65 +tax. Start Smart Soccer costs $40 +tax. Scholarships are available; contact Recreation Coordinator Amanda Lovejoy at [email protected] for more information.

Dimond Park Field House Track Hours Change May 3

The track at Dimond Park Field House will be adjusting its hours starting Friday, May 3. The track will be open to the public Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The track will be closed on weekday evenings, Sundays and holidays. Visit the DPFH website to see the full schedule.

Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge Trail) Work Begins April 17

Work will begin on Wednesday, April 17 on the Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge Trail) Improvements project. This project, led by the State of Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, will reconstruct the northern portion of the trail between Montana Creek and River Road trailhead and replace the pedestrian bridge over Montana Creek. Construction is currently expected to last through September. The trail between River Road and Montana Creek, as well as the immediate bridge site, will be closed to the public for the duration of construction. Please obey all posted trail closure signs and barricades for the safety of yourself and others.