Wasilla Sunrise Rotary to build new playground

WASILLA — If you’ve wondered what the dirt work going on at Newcomb Park is for, the wait is over.

Wasilla Sunrise Rotary Club is set to begin installing the Valley’s first inclusive playground next week. It’s designed especially for children who might find obstacles to playing on traditional playgrounds, said Greg Brooker, community service chair for the club.

“The equipment is in and we will off load it Friday and plan to begin construction in the next week,” he said.

Other Alaska Rotary clubs also have built similar accessible playgrounds in Eagle River, which was the first to open in Alaska in 2012, and in Anchorage.

By comparison, Brooker said the Wasilla playground is a relatively modest undertaking. But with a budget of $50,000 to raise and only 36 club members, he said this project is right-sized.

“This looked like it was something that was doable in a reasonable timeframe, at a reasonable price,” Brooker said.

Rotary President Dan Kennedy said the new playground will be installed adjacent to the city’s new playground for 2- to 5-year-olds at Newcomb Park.

He said the project began after a Rotarian left a $10,000 bequest to the club for a community service project.

“That was the impetus,” Kennedy said. “So we began to look for something that was unique and needed by the community.”

Other funding has come from The Alaska Mental Health Trust, which gave $15,000, the Mat-Su Health Foundation gave $10,000, another Rotary Club chipped in some leftover grant funding from another project and Sunrise Rotary Club, Kennedy said.

Still, the club is short of its goal by about $5,000, he said. People can pass donations to any Sunrise Rotary Club member — like Brooker or Kennedy — or mail checks to Wasilla Sunrise Rotary Club, P.O. Box 876972, Wasilla, AK 99687-6972.

Sunrise Rotary has three annual fundraisers, one of which — Gallons for Giving — also is a fundraiser for the playground this year. Tickets are $5 for a chance at winning 500 gallons of fuel from Crowley and are available from Sunrise Rotary members or online at wasillasunriserotary.com.

Other familiar fundraisers, including the rose sales for Administrative Assistants Day and sponsoring a play at Valley Performing Arts, support the club’s various community service projects, including a scholarship program and international youth exchange, Kennedy said.

Brooker said the playground project also has benefitted from support from community partners, such as Mat Valley Federal Credit Union, Denali Orthopedics, Matanuska Telephone Association and the city of Wasilla.

“We’ve had good support from the city and community. And I just can’t say enough good about public works,” he said. “Once the project is complete, the city will take ownership and maintain the equipment.”

Brooker said now that they have the basic idea figured out, the club may pursue other inclusive playground projects.

As for volunteers to help assemble and install the playground, those slots are already taken, he said.

“I’ve told dozens of people about the park we are putting up and they have volunteered to help,” Brooker said. “That’s the great thing about our community.”

Kennedy said helping their community is the mission of every Rotary group internationally.

“That’s what we are here for; we are community volunteers,” Kennedy said. “We want to give a little bit back to the community that supports us.”

Sunrise Rotary Club meets 7 to 8 a.m., Tuesdays at the Regan Building, 3161 East Palmer-Wasilla Hwy. For more information, visit wasillasunriserotary.com.

Contact Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.