MAR 3, 21 .. OUR LOCAL SITKA STREET PARK ..

Back in 1990, when Patti moved into her condo here in the Eastridge Development in Anchorage, Alaska, I wonder if she fully realized what a special place it is to live. 

We have a very pleasant 20-minute walk to Hillstrand Pond (which you have seen in several Posts) to visit with the ducks that live there. 

And we are also very close (a 10-minute walk) to a wonderful park, The Sitka Street Park.

In this Post we are going to share with you The Sitka Street Park.

To see where it is located here in Anchorage, please click onto the below link.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Anchorage,+AK/@61.2046917,-149.8509558,15.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x56c8917604b33f41:0x257dba5aa78468e3!8m2!3d61.2180556!4d-149.9002778

We will begin by looking into the park's entrance off Sitka Street.

In the above photo, notice the 3 signs posted to the left of the entrance into the park. Also in the above photo to the right in the distance you can see a small plane preparing to land at Merrill Field. Now the center sign will make a little sense.

Sitka Park is not open 24-hours a day. There is a gate that is closed at 10pm.

In we walk. To the left in the below photo notice the pleasant, covered picnic pavilion. This is one of the highlights of the park.

Off to the right as you enter the park, is a parking lot.

In the summer.

Now we will focus our attention upon the Picnic Pavilion, the large round structure on the left side of the below photo.

Will you all just look at the Picnic Pavilion in the summer!

The below photo shows the area behind the Picnic Pavilion. The park is located within a very large and pleasant 'green strip' here in the Anchorage Metro Area.

Now we will focus on another major attraction especially attractive to the children, The Slide.

In the summer.

Doesn't it look different in the Summer?

Now we come to another major attraction. The Climbing Rock. In the summer months, the young children are able to climb this (to them) very large rock. When we watch them we both agree that, if we were parents, none of 'our' children would be climbing it!

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The last of the attractions is The Hill. This is a winter attraction that the children have a lot of fun sleding down. In the summer it is 'just a hill'.

You can see from the sled tracks that it gets used a lot!

Hi Green Hill. We know, YOU LOVE THE WINTER!

Now we are going to take a long hike to the far reaches of the park ending up on 15th Avenue, a major thoroughfare here in Anchorage.

Off we go. In the distance is a nice, wooden bridge we will be walking across and getting some nice views of the 'green strip' we are in.

Across the wooden bridge we now proceed, looking left and right as we cross it.

Having crossed the bridge, we head back into the woods.

I ask you, is this nice or is THIS NICE!

The Fairview Sign in the Summer. Nice!

This is where we are, the corner of Orca and 15th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska.

Off to the left in the below photo is the Alaska Regional Hospital, our second largest hospital in the State.

Time to head back to our Condo. Along 15th Avenue we walk.

 Thanks for joining me. Patti wisely opted to stay home because this hike would not have been much fun for her.

Smiles Cap and Patti (who was with me in spirit!) 

MAR 2, 21 .. WINTER ICE SKATING AT WESTCHESTER LAGOON, ANCHORAGE, ALAKSA.

This past Sunday, February the 28th, Patti and I had a grand afternoon. First we visited the Snow Sculptures on display in the Ship Creek District of Anchorage. Directly following this Post, you will see our Post dated FEB 28, 21 showing the Snow Sculptures.

Then the two of us drove over to Westchester Lagoon to see families ice skating with their children.

The below link will show you where Westchester Lagoon is located here in Anchorage.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Anchorage,+AK/@61.2057599,-149.917176,15.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x56c8917604b33f41:0x257dba5aa78468e3!8m2!3d61.2180556!4d-149.9002778 

Will all of you just look at the length of the above link !

IF you look closely at the above map, 15th Avenue and U Street front Westchester Lagoon.

Let me assure all of you : Westchester Lagoon is located in what one would classify as one of the more exclusive areas of Anchorage.

Westchester Lagoon in the Summer.

In the Winter.

In the Summer.

Winter ice skating at Westchester Lagoon.

In the next two photos below, please notice in the background to the left of center a white truck.

Now you don't think for one instant that the hoi-polloi of Anchorage are going to be without their hot coffee and other treats on a nice winter afternoon of ice skating do you?

Winter ice skating at Westchester Lagoon.

Westchester Lagoon in the Summer.

Winter ice skating at Westchester Lagoon

"Cap?" .. 

"Yes 'Zilla?" .. 

"Cap where is the ice hockey rink? You know, like we have down here in Ontario, California."

"Well 'Zilla! We don't have one out here at Westchester Lagoon BUT we do have a pair of goals where the kids can play a little 'shinny' ice hockey!"

Each and every single great ice hockey star began exactly like this young man! Who knows what his future may become? He kept falling and he kept struggling to get up and fall again! THAT is the spirit of the greats!

You have all seen the Coffee Truck you see again below. The ice hockey area is immediately the the left of the below photo.

To the left of the Coffee Truck in the above photo is our white truck. Again you can see this is a very nice area to live in.

Yes there were even some folks out on their skis.

"Well Patti! The time has come for us to head back home to our Condo. What a great afternoon this has been!"

We hope you all enjoyed our Sunday at Westchester Lagoon.

Cap and Patti