William B. Lyons Park - Fix-It in Progress

335 Price Street

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William B. Lyons Park is Mountain View’s “Central Park”, offering a community gathering space and play opportunities to youth participating in Boys & Girls Club programs at the Mountain View Community Recreation Center next door.

After reviewing needed repairs to William B. Lyons Park, APF and APRD partnered with the Mountain View Very Important Parks (VIP) committee to seek an Alaska Legislature capital grant to accomplish a complete “make-over” of William B. Lyons Park. This $193,500 grant will enable APF and APRD to make extensive improvements to the equipment and facilities in the park.

In order to engage Mountain View youth in planning the park improvements, volunteers from the Alaska Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects worked with students at Clark Middle School to design new elements for the park (read this great article from the ADN!)

APF and APRD began implementing this community vision in Summer 2011 (see top photo.) and will be finished with project construction July 15th. In Summer 2010, volunteers made repairs designed to make the park more welcoming. Specifically, volunteers:

• Removed parking area that served as a drive through area, changing neighborhood traffic for the better and increasing the play space in the park;
• Spread top soil to prepare for reseeding the lawn;
  
• Re-painted park equipment and removed graffiti;
  
• Planted new trees and perennials in William B. Lyons Park;
• Planted seasonal flowers in the planters around the park.
  

APF and ARPD look forward to the final results of Clark Middle School’s partnership with ASLA and the opportunity to ensure that our work truly meets the community’s need.

Thanks to the Mountain View VIP Committee for their involvement in prioritizing repairs and recruiting volunteers! The APF is proud to fund neighborhood park fix-its with support from the Rasmuson Foundation & the Alaska State Legislature.

Park History

The Municipality of Anchorage purchased this property using bond funding and Community Development Block grants in 1972 to add additional parkland to the Mountain View area.

The park was originally known as Mountain View Park. It was renamed in honor of William B. Lyons, the pastor of New Hope Baptist Church. In 1997, the Municipality of Anchorage partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to build a recreation center at William B. Lyons Park.

Features & Amenities

• Picnic Shelter
• Community Amphitheater
• Adjacent to the Mountain View Recreation Center
  
• Parking lot with 42 spaces