Friends of Wasilla Parks and Recreation hosts first meeting

WASILLA — The Friends of Wasilla Parks and Recreation held their first public meeting on Jan. 31 at the Menard Sports Center.

This nonprofit group was created by young adults from the community to upgrade and maintain existing parks and other recreational sites, striving to advocate young perspectives as the city continues to grow.

“It’s very important for these Wasilla youth to have their skin in the game,” board member Reese Clayton said.

There are currently five members on the Friends of Wasilla Parks and Recreation board. Clayton, 23, said that the youth of Wasilla needed a voice in their community. He said that there was a huge split between fellow youth and adults so that’s where their advocacy group comes in, to “build a bridge between the youth and all ages of Wasilla and preserve it.”

The group’s first major project is to upgrade the skate park at the Iditapark in downtown Wasilla. Clayton said that while there will be many more projects to come, this is their chief focus right now.

“The skate park used to be the hub for most action sports. Now the park is so overly populated people choose to not even use it nowadays,” Clayton said.

Clayton said that they’ve heard from countless sources that the skate park needs to be updated and expanded to accommodate the ever-growing needs of the community.

“Anyone who’s using the skate park can tell you it’s really showing its age,” Clayton said.

Clayton said that budgeting for the skate park is only “half the battle” because after they help the park grow, they are striving to keep that momentum going so youths can share their voices and take part in continuing the group’s growth moving forward.

“Most of all, we want people that use the skate park to be able to maintain the skate park,” Clayton said.

Updating the skate park is going to take time, according to Clayton. He said that despite the financial challenges ahead, he’s confident the community will rally behind them.

“So far from everyone that we’ve talked to and every group that we’ve presented to, we feel like it can be done,” Clayton said.

During the next meeting, they will render rough costs of park improvement. They will also open the floor for the public to share their thoughts and ideas for design rough drafts. Clayton said that he currently has a goal of raising $50,000 for upgrade costs. He said that they’ve already raised $10,000 since Jan. 1 and he aims to have that $50,00 in time for the next meeting, which will take place on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Menard Center.

Board member Isaac Watkins said that they are building an advisory board with multiple subsections for their group. Watkins, 19, said these advisory board sectors will each consist of five people with shared interests like BMX, skateboarding, scootering, and rollerblading. Each subgroup will have an elected leader who will serve a one-year term.

Clayton said that the group has already gotten the full support of the city of Wasilla, with avid backing by Director of Recreation Services Joan Klapperich.

“With each of these groups we are going to set monthly goals on different stuff to achieve. The end goal will be set the base on the demands that are heard our meetings. This will allow each group that can be organized to get their voice equally represented,” Watkins said.

The conference room inside the Menard was filled to the brim with various recreational enthusiasts, from skateboarders and scooter riders to quad skaters and bicyclers. A vast majority of the room appeared to be under 30, many likely under 25 with some middle-aged attendees who frequent the park and some residents who live across the street from the park.

Clayton made a quick poll with the crowd. He asked how many people used the skate park at least once a week. Almost all the hands shot in the air. He asked how many of them used the park multiple times a week. Again, almost all the hands went up.

“We want you guys to make the choices. We just want to be the people that help get them done,” Clayton said.

Clayton said that he and Watkins are BMX riders so they don’t know much about sports like skateboarding so that’s where the frequent users come in, to share their experiences and the changes they would like to see.

About a half dozen people shared their input during the public comment portion. Kiana Horst spoke provided public comment and offered a sidebar after the meeting. Horst, 23, is a BMX rider. He said that he was really encouraged by the big turn out and seeing people his age stepping up to create the changes they want to see in their community.

“Seeing it happen is amazing,” Horst said. “It’s good to see the next generation has the word that I never had at that age.”

Klapperich also spoke during the public comment portion, praising the young board members and young crowd coming together to take stand for something they all believe in. She said that it’s been a dream of hers to get all this young input from the community.

“This is what we need. This is your future. This is your park, your recreation,” Klapperich said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com