Elderberry Park Master Plan

1297 W 5th Ave (View Map)

Elderberry Park is one of Anchorage's oldest and most loved parks. In 2015-16, Anchorage Parks and Recreation worked with community members to develop a Master Plan that will guide development at the park over the next 20 years.

THE MASTER PLAN

The Elderberry Park Master Plan is intended to guide development of Elderberry Park over the next 20 years. More specifically, the goals of the Master Plan is to:

• Improve circulation within the park to minimize conflicts between park and trail users

• Facilitate safe access to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

• Improve the visibility and historic context of the Oscar Anderson House

• Provide a park that encourages positive uses and discourages undesirable activity

• Improve interpretive and wayfinding signage

• Provide amenities that meet the needs of a wide range of park users

• Create a tool for future fundraising

The recommendations identified in the Elderberry Park Master Plan provide for active, accessible and healthy year-round recreation. The Master Plan recommends a new alignment for the access point to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail at the end of M Street. By removing high speed through-traffic from the park, park users will be able to more safely enjoy the neighborhood park and open space. Recognizing that Elderberry Park is also a popular tourist destination, the Master Plan provides for improved viewpoints and interpretive information as well as better visibility of the Oscar Anderson House.

HISTORY

Located in the historic South Addition neighborhood, Elderberry Park was acquired from the U.S. Government in 1917. In 1976 the Oscar Anderson house was moved to its current location in the park to preserve it as a historic site.

Elderberry Park is a neighborhood park and popular access point to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The park features play equipment for 2-5 and 5-12 year olds, a small plaza, a small parking lot, the Oscar Anderson House Museum and other park amenities.

Elderberry Park is full of activity in all seasons of the year. In the summertime, the park is popular among tourist and residents alike who come to enjoy the outstanding views and golden sunsets over the Cook Inlet.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Public engagement is important to any planning project. To ensure that the master plan aligns with the desires of the community, Parks and Recreation hosted two open house events and worked with an advisory group to prioritize improvements and develop recommendations.