13253 Elmhurst Dr (View map)
Project Overview
Hamilton Park's playground renovation was completed in October, 2020. Pending available funding, the park's paved trail improvements and construction of a sledding hill were scheduled for construction in 2021.
Parks and Recreation worked extensively with the Old Seward/Oceanview Community Council and a neighborhood advisory committee on identifying the priorities. The proposed improvements included maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing cracked asphalt trail, safety surfacing upgrades to existing toddler play area (ages 0-5), new “beginner" sledding hill (3-4 feet in height), an upgraded playground with custom designed “Ninja Course" play equipment geared for children ages 5-12, and a new ADA access connection from existing asphalt trail, as well as landscaping and beautification.
- Preferred Option B Description: Community council and advisory group members ultimately selected a "Ninja Course" theme, to include swings and a sledding hill:
- Custom “ninja course" style play equipment designed for children aged 5-12 yr. old, but also to serve as an adult 'parkour'-style workout area. This equipment has several routes of circulation, allowing user to incorporate a wide variety of physical skills. The layout and configuration was custom-designed based on feedback from neighbors and the applicable budget. More info: click here.
- It was determined that surplus soil excavated during construction could be utilized to shape a small sledding hill, designed with younger children in mind.
- Installation of a two-bay swingset with standard two-belt swings and a “Friendship Swing" to encourage conversation and interaction among users.
Park History
Hamilton Park is a 1.69-acre neighborhood park within the Old Seward/Oceanview Community Council boundary area of southwest Anchorage, and was named for the subdivision nearby. The park property was purchased in August of 1974 and was developed with Land Water Conservation funding as a small neighborhood park and underwent a redesign in 1986 to eliminate drainage problems. Prior to the 2020 improvements, Hamilton Park featured a toddler play area, basketball court, picnic tables, and asphalt trail connecting the surrounding neighborhood to the park.
Project Timeline
April 2019: voters approved a $200,000 Municipal Park Bond
Fall 2019 - Winter 2020: Public outreach, planning, and design for the new playground & other site improvements
Summer 2020 : Construction of new improvements
Public Engagement
Public engagement is important to any planning project. To ensure that the site plan aligns with the desires of the community, Anchorage Parks and Recreation gathers public input in a variety of ways and engages a broad range of community stakeholders in any park planning project.