This July, Celebrate ‘Where You Belong’ at Anchorage Parks & Recreation
Month-long celebration highlights the impact of parks and recreation
ANCHORAGE, AK – July 2024 – This July, join Anchorage Park Foundation for Park and Recreation Month as we celebrate how Anchorage is stronger, more vibrant, and more resilient because of the sweat, dedication, and large hearts of the municipality parks and recreation staff. Anchorage Parks and Recreation is responsible for beautifying parks, natural areas, and recreation facilities. The department operates year-round recreation programs for all ages and abilities and oversees Anchorage’s horticulture, park maintenance, and provides support for community gardens, dog parks, and a Youth Employment in Parks (YEP). Anchorage Parks and Recreation also supports hundreds of volunteers through special events, park adoptions, and program instruction at locations throughout the city.
Anchorage Park Foundation is celebrating the Anchorage Municipality Park & Recreation team as part of Park and Recreation Month, an initiative of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Anchorage Municipality Parks and Recreation is understaffed due to challenges offering competitive wages, with the maintenance department as low as 50% staffed. We are inviting our community to thank the hardworking employees of Anchorage Parks and Recreation by saying ‘Thank You’ and sharing their experiences, memories, and stories about what parks and recreation mean to them.
“In a large survey of Anchorage residents, we discovered that 92% reported using trails, and 83% told us that parks and trails contribute to their personal quality of life. We all have stories about how parks and trails in Anchorage have touched our lives, from big events like weddings to the simple pleasures of having a playful time at a park with the kids on a random evening. It is the staff at Parks and Recreation that help make that possible.” – Beth Nordlund, Executive Director, Anchorage Park Foundation
Anchorage Park Foundation and NRPA encourage everyone who supports parks and recreation to share how it has fostered belonging and why their local park and recreation professionals are important to them on social media with #WhereYouBelong.
To learn more about Park and Recreation Month, visit nrpa.org/July.
About Anchorage Parks & Recreation
Anchorage Parks and Recreation manages 10,946 acres of municipal parkland, 223 parks, 250 miles of trails and greenbelts, 110 athletic fields, 5 pools, 11 recreation facilities, and 82 playgrounds, including one of the highest concentrations of inclusive playgrounds for a city of its size.
About Anchorage Park Foundation
The Anchorage Park Foundation is a community-based nonprofit that mobilizes public support and financial resources to improve Anchorage’s parks, trails, and recreation opportunities in partnership with the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department. Anchorage Park Foundation’s programs and initiatives focus on promoting outdoor recreation as part of a healthy lifestyle, addressing inequalities in access to public lands, and empowering community members to get involved in improving the parks in their neighborhoods. For more information, visit anchorageparkfoundation.org
About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org.
