Group in North Pole working to revitalize local park

NORTH POLE, Alaska (KTUU) - A group of interested people in North Pole are working to establish a lease with the Fairbanks North Star Borough to make improvements in Newby Park.

The park, established during the 1980s, sits on around 75 acres, with 19 of them used for a parking lot as well as fields for baseball, soccer and softball, while the rest is currently forested land.

Jerry Million, non-profit Friends of the North Pole Park and Recreation Complex member, formed for the purpose of revitalizing Newby Park, said the park has been borough property since shortly after it was established, falling into disrepair around the mid-2010s.

Since then, there has been limited maintenance taken on by local church groups and school sports teams. The restrooms remain closed off.

“They’ve just kind of maintained it enough to be able to use it,” Million said.

According to Million, the nonprofit hopes not only to revitalize the existing fields, adding gravel and putting in new dugouts, but develop the land to support more parking in addition to year-round activities like winter sports, a farmers’ market, rummage sales and car shows.

He said a renewed park would allow players from North Pole High School to use the space for games without always having to travel to Fairbanks to play, saving time.

Between local organizations, businesses and students, Million estimated that around 60 community members are working to improve the park.

“This will end up being a gem in the North Star Borough area because not only will North Pole utilize it, but [so will] Moose Creek, Chena Ridge, Two Rivers, Fairbanks [and] the Fairbanks schools,” he said, adding people in the Eielson Air Force Base area and Salcha could also utilize the park.

On July 24, the borough assembly unanimously approved the leasing of the property to the non-profit, but Million says the details are still being worked out, with the contract being established for review.

“Once we get the contract, we’ll look it over and if it’s agreeable and it’s what we, it will meet our needs, then we’re going to start signing the paperwork on it and start on... the phase process of getting the park in, in shape,” he explained.

When that process is completed, Million said entities around town are ready to help.

“We have local service organizations that are ready to step up. We have local businesses here that are ready to step up to get it back in shape,” he added.

Million encouraged anyone who is interested in helping with the effort to renovate Newby Park to contact him at (907) 322-3797.

He expects the revitalization process will take about five years and the non-profit eventually hopes to buy the land.

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