Balto Seppala Park
3360 Wisconsin Street/3451 Milky Way Drive
Description
Balto Seppala Park is a community use park located in the Turnagain neighborhood in West Anchorage. The Park encompasses 18 acres and features two soccer fields, a sledding hill, picnic tables and play equipment for 2-5 year olds. There are parking lots, one located on Wisconsin Street to the east and the other on Milky Way Drive to the south.
History
In 1978, the Municipality purchased the land and made into parkland. The Turnagain Community Council held a contest to name the park. The Council chose the name Balto in honor of Leonhard Seppala’s dog that ran the final leg of the serum run to Nome in 1925.
In 1982, the original master plan was developed for the site.
In 1986, the bog area of the park was filled in by a contractor who used the fill he took from developing a nearby subdivision.
In 1995, the Kiwanis Club of Anchorage raised money to install playground equipment.
In 1996, the master plan was updated to the Lloyd Steele and Balto Seppala Park master plan.
In 2001, the Milky Way parking lot was approved and developed.
In 2010, the Lloyd Steele-Balto Seppala Park connector trail was built and included a boardwalk.
Report Card and Funding
In 2011, neighbors and community members filled out a report card and identified several issues including graffiti, worn and chipped picnic tables and broken play equipment. To address these issues, report card respondents developed a fix-it list. The report card and fix-it list helped illustrate the need for park improvements and was an important first step in attracting funding for upgrades.
In 2013, the Anchorage Park Foundation received $210K in state legislative funding to purchase and install new play equipment, build a picnic shelter, and repair the soccer fields at Balto Seppala Park. Parks and Recreation also received a grant for $75K from the Anchorage Park Foundation to add ADA accessible surfacing to the playground. In additional to this funding, APF will be adding another $40K of “Clean and Green” funding from the Rasmuson Foundation.
Summer 2015 Improvements
Parks and Recreation has been working with a Very Important Parks (VIP) Committee to identify and prioritize park improvements. The committee was composed of local park users, neighbors, and community council members. The VIP Committee identified the following improvements:
-Installing interpretive signs
-Creating a soft surface trail with Youth Employment in Parks
Volunteer Fix-It Event
July 11th, 9am-12pm
RSVP to Volunteer Coordinator Michelle Fehribach.