My Favorite Park: Barbara Street Park
Jae’s three kids love to play at the park!
Barbara Street Park has been a part of my life since I was 9 years old. When our family first moved to Spenard, it was just across the street from our home. Fish Creek runs through it and collects into a nice little pond behind some nice homes. A favorite sledding venue as well as a place to play at the water’s edge, I remember when they re-routed the trail and bridge so it takes a slight dog-leg over the creek. It was to keep kids like me from sledding into the bridge.
Now back in Spenard, just across the street from our first home, my kids love sledding on the same slopes I did. They remind me of myself when I was a kid, playing in the same fashion and being intrigued by the same nooks within the park. We try to take care of it by picking up trash and removing graffiti. It’s a nice little neighborhood park and still draws out the children after a snow fall.
Barbara Street Park is the last official city park along the Kiwanis Fish Creek trail, but not the last park along the Creek; Herman Park is. A bike ride, walk or run along the fish creek trail system puts one through the colorful heart of Spenard. It’s a little gem of Anchorage few people visit.
Jae Shin is a principal at ECI/Hyer Architecture & Interior, and Anchorage Park Volunteer.
