3865 Elmore Road (View Map)
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Improvements to University Lake Park focus primarily on a parking lot expansion in conjunction with riparian restoration, circulation improvements, and wayfinding. They build on the principles established in the University Lake Park Master Plan, approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission in January 2017.
In 2021, Anchorage Parks and Recreation installed lighting, expanded the existing parking lot, and created an additional trail connection from Elmore to the Chester Creek Trail. In 2022, the department will continue to build on these improvements by improving signage and wayfinding and completing soft surface trail improvements throughout the park. Ecological enhancements along eroded portions of
the lake will be realized by utilizing our Youth Employment in Parks (YEP) crew.
ABOUT UNIVERSITY LAKE PARK
University Lake Park is a 64-acre park located in the UMED District of Anchorage. The park is classified as a Natural Resource Area in the 2006 Anchorage Bowl Parks, Natural Resource Use, & Recreation Facilities Plan.
University Lake Park is located east of Elmore Rd. between Alaska Pacific University and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium medical campus. To the east and south is a popular multi-use trail connecting the Chester Creek Trail and the Campbell Creek Trail.
PARK HISTORY
In 1984, negotiations began for the purchase of what is now University Lake Park. The property was acquired through a land trade with Heritage Land Bank (HLB) for parks and recreation access by the Anchorage community.
University Lake, formerly Behm Lake, was a gravel pit used in the 1960s to develop lands in the University Area. Around 1980, Chester Creek was diverted to flow through University Lake. In 2003, the Anchorage Assembly passed AO No. 2003-108(s), authorizing off-leash dog park spaces at five municipal parks, including University Lake Park.
In 2016, Anchorage Parks and Recreation worked with an advisory group to develop a master plan for University Lake Park. The master plan received resolutions of support from the University Area Community Council, the Parks, and Recreation Commission, and the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The University Lake Park Master Plan was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission in January 2017.