How to ensure residents have access to recreational spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic was a question the Haines Borough’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) explored at a meeting last week.
“(We need to consider) how we can get people, our elders, our challenged individuals, people that just can’t go outside and go snowshoeing or nordic skiing or ice skating, and coordinate that with one of our potential facilities for recreation this winter,” PRAC chair Scott Sundberg said, adding, “It looks like it’s going to be a long winter.”
PRAC members discussed the possibility of using the school after hours as a venue for senior citizens and other vulnerable populations to recreate indoors, but there were concerns that some might not want to enter the facility given its high level of use during the day. The ANB Hall was also raised as a potential venue. Committee members settled on the Chilkat Center as the most promising option since the facility is borough owned.
PRAC directed interim borough manager Alekka Fullerton to work with Chilkat Center manager Kay Clements on a recreation plan for the facility, including capacity limits and other mitigation measures.
“This should be geared at people that need the space. I don’t know if it’s going to be an age limit, but it should be advertised as such, whatever we come up with. It’s not going to be a daycare facility,” Sundberg said.
The committee also recommended that the assembly discuss the possibility of using a portion of remaining CARES Act funds to light the sledding hill in an effort to give children greater opportunity for outdoor recreation this winter.
That same day, coincidentally, AP&T installed lights free of charge at the sledding hill using extra borough equipment, interim borough manager Alekka Fullerton said.
The committee is also looking into designating the skate park as a multi-use space to encourage more use of the facility.
“Over the course of the summer and early fall, people have approached me, wondering if it could be a multi-use facility,” Sundberg said. “It does have lighting, you can use it late into the evenings and it does keep at least the rain and a bit of snow off.”
Committee members agreed that it makes sense to allow for other compatible uses that don’t conflict with skating.
“If someone’s not in there skating, might as well use it,” PRAC member Garrett Montgomery said, referencing Pickleball games that have been held in the skate park in recent months.
PRAC member George Figdor said it would be good to check with regular skate park users to make sure this is okay. The committee plans to revisit the topic at a meeting in December.
At the same PRAC meeting, members also formed a subcommittee to work on incorporating multi-use trails in the borough’s Mount Riley development. This fall, the borough took initial steps toward the development and sale of roughly 450 acres on the northeast side of Mount Riley, a project that will likely span the next decade. In addition to housing developments, the Riley land will also likely include recreational spaces.
“There’s plenty of space for motorized and mixed-use trails… This area is just prime for recreation,” planning and zoning technician Libby Jacobson said at the meeting, citing the nearby shooting range, sledding hill and Lilly Lake trail. “I just think (PRAC) should have a really strong voice as the borough goes forward (with the project).”
Riley mixed-use trail subcommittee members are Sundberg, Montgomery and Lori Lapeyri Smith. Sundberg said the plan is to include members of the public in the subcommittee, encouraging those interested to contact him.