Seward Parks & Recreation Department's ...

Seward is beautifully situated with nearby Alaska State Park, National Parks and US Forest
Service lands. Close by, there are fjords, mountains, glaciers, rivers and rain forests. Lately, a new focus
has been placed on providing other recreation opportunities such as bike and walking paths, ballfields,
landscaping, pocket parks, flower gardens and outdoor art.

Summer 2006 crew
Blake, Mark, Ryan, Rob, Derek, Erick, Mike, Charley, David & Karl
click to enlarge photo

Two Lakes Park - Another of Seward's natural treasures... A salmon spawning creek zig zags through the park. The picnic area and gazebo are great for smaller gatherings. Watch for moose and bear. The park claims its name from small First and Second Lakes. No overnight camping anywhere in the park. All campfires must be contained within provided fire rings. See also Two Lakes Trail. One annual events held here is the TYC's Easter Egg Flashlight Hunt.


Click photo Carol Griswold (second from top right) describes the
treasures of First Lake to a group enjoying National Trails Day.

Second Lake enjoys some winter use, when the weather is just right. Ice skating is perfect, when conditions allow. Our staff maintains the rink as conditions warrant. Volunteers are always appreciated to help in the efforts.

Iditarod Park - Not all visitors to Seward are aware that the National Historic Iditarod Trail originally began in Seward, Alaska. We are proudly Milepost 0. We commemorate the start of "the last great race" and this important trail with the Iditarod triangle memorial in a small park shared with the Founders' Monument, at the corner of Ballaine Boulevard and Railway Avenue. You will also see a very artistic tribute to dog mushing and a local musher. Hop up on the sled for a unique photo opportunity.
 

Adams Street Recreation Area - This recreation area includes Adams Street Picnic area, restrooms, drinking fountain, sand volleyball court, horse shoe pits and Seward's Evan Casey Skate Park, the first "sanctioned" skate park in Alaska. We thank the Seward Rotary Club for the wonderful skate park expansion the summer of 2004. And the newly forming skaters association and volunteers are building and adding new elements. Man, the skating athletes REALLY love Seward's Park! Stop by and check out the fun.

Rotary Leadership shown above at the new court addition, Summer 2004.

Hoben Park - Stop by the quiet park for a picnic or reflection where Fourth Avenue meets Railway Avenue, at the southern-most point in Seward. This park is filled with history and named after Harry Hoben. Preview the Alaska Sea Life Center and the historic Railway Depot. Future plans include a new fountain, landscaping, picnic tables and interpretive signs. Another old, Seward pioneer, the hybrid, Poplar "Cottonwood" tree resides in the park. (Click below to enlarge photos.)




The City of Seward continues to upgrade the park with the goal of nomination to the prestigious list of historic landmark sites.
2006 update: The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Office of History and Archaeology has filed the application for National Register of Historic Places. We anticipate a positive decision from the National Park Service. Thanks to volunteer, Shannon Kovac, Chair of Seward Historic Preservation Commission.

We continue working within direction from Council and the approved park design. (click for Leguineche design pdf) For beautiful historic photos of Hoben Park, see this page.

Obihiro Park - Obihiro Park is a product of a Land & Water Conservation Fund federal grant. The Japanese gazebo is a gift we (the City of Seward) received from Obihiro, Japan in 1993 when Seward and Obihiro celebrated 25 generous gift. You can also enjoy majestic vistas, Eagles lighting on the cottonwood trees, sea lions, otters, salmon jumping, etc...  Within the park is also an attractive Phoenix Ship memorial cut into a rock along the bike path.





click photo to enlarge

 

Benny Benson Memorial Park -
Benny Benson was a 13 year old boy in Seward when the American Legion hosted a statewide contest for the Alaska State Flag. Benny's design was selected and his memorial stands just off Third Avenue (the Seward Highway) and Dairy Hill Lane. For Seward's Centennial Celebration www.seward100th.com, the Seward Emblem Club #250 has refurbishing the memorial. Artist Damon Capurro added Alaska stone the memorial and replaced some of the blue tiles, part of the Alaska Flag. Wolverine Enterprises also added "The Alaska Flag Song" in art engraved into stone to the west side of the memorial. To see the sheet music, step up onto the stone and look into the rocks on the right side of the state of Alaska, drawn in rock on this side.


Click to enlarge photos.

July 9, 2003 Rededication photo. Former Mayor Stu Clark with microphone. Also pictured are the Centennial Singers and several Seward Emblem 250 members.

The City added to the park this summer (2003)by removing the bent, single pole which formerly displayed both the US and the Alaska flag. Now three poles fly the US, Alaska and a new City of Seward flag. Though this project would not have been funded without the Centennial celebration and budget, the City's flag and pole will be dedicated to those who lost their lives in the 9-11 attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.

The Dale B. Clemens Memorial boardwalk was constructed through the partnership of many, including the US Navy and provides access to view eagles, otters, kingfishers, an occasional moose and other wildlife. Feed the ducks near the north end of the boardwalk. Note the interpretive signs along the way.

The Seward Rotary Club volunteers constructed the boardwalk spur and the pavilion on the south side of the freshwater lagoon. The pavilion burned in August, 2000 and was rebuilt to some extent by the Rotary Club. Recently the newest portion of the boardwalk buckled due to frost heaving, so the through-way has been closed. SPRD will dismantle the affected area this summer.

By the way, the lagoon of water was created by the tsunamis of the 1964 earthquake. To learn more, catch the '64 Earthquake film at Seward's Library during summer months.

Benny Benson Park under water during the October 2006 flood.

Kawabe Park - is named for Seward businessman and pioneer, Harry Sotaro Kawabe, who was born in 1890 in Japan. He migrated to Seattle, Washington as a teenager, and after traveling, came to Seward in 1915, purchased a laundry and started the successful Seward Steam Laundry. He opened Seward Assay Office in 1934, then three months later founded Kawabe Investment and Trading, importing and exporting in the Kawabe building now housing Stylin' Stitches. This building is situated next to Kawabe Park at the corner of 4th Avenue and Adams Street.

The park pavilion serves as a bus stop in addition to the new accessible restroom completed the summer of 2002. Future plans include a year-round Christmas tree and possibly a town clock. Restrooms are opened seasonally, May 1 through September 30, as weather allows.

Step across the street from Kawabe Park to First National Bank of Alaska -
Seward Branch and see the bust of William H. Seward,
our namesake. This wonderful bronze was cast by local
artist Dennis Treadwell, in celebration of Seward's
Centennial in 2003.


Secretary Seward
by Mathew Brady, 1861

Forest Acres Park - is a well-kept secret for Sewardites. Tucked away in Forest Acres Subdivision, its acreage is well-used: campground, playground, sports, trails... The 2002 and '03 Three Bears Pumpkin Prowls were held here. The new location is a huge success with room to roam under the old spruce trees. The American Legions holds their annual, old-fashioned Easter Egg hunt here as well. Park along Dimond Boulevard, which also fronts the Seward Army Resort. Speaking of the Resort, plans are made for a private/public partnership to construct a new bowling alley in Forest Acres Park. This would displace the programs in the south end of the park: basketball, tennis, some memorials, some camping and the Bittick BMX Track.

Pat Williams Park- is also listed on our Campgrounds page, as it also serves our summer visitors with tent camping. Patricia Williams is credited with saving the trees one day with a single phone call to the City Manager. Her simple request to him was to stop the "clear cutting" going on in the open field just outside her window that day. Little did she know she started a movement to convert the field to a well-loved park and highly used picnic area with beautiful spruce, alders and natural grasses. SPRD hopes to add electricity service to the park and light the large spruce tree each Christmas season for Pat and the rest of her Seward neighbors and friends.
In 2003, SPRD converted the old campground bulletin boards to new, user-friendly, cedar information stations.
 

Founders' Monument - is a wonderful Centennial 2003 make-over gift from Wells Fargo. The founders' monument was originally a gift from the Seward Elks 2075. Prior to the Centennial, folks started talking about a face-lift for the obelisk and a new information plaque to replace the old bronze plate which was hard to read. Our Seward branch manager stepped up for the generous Wells Fargo contribution. Stop by and read the dedication story of Seward's foundation as a city, 100 years ago. Thanks to Wells Fargo, Lori Draper, the Seward Elks, Damon Capurro and the Centennial Committee.

The founders' monument commemorating the 1903 Ballaine landing, shown here on a sunny, hazy day, looking over Resurrection Bay. Stop by Iditarod Park.

Pocket Parks
 

Larry Urbach Pocket Park - was officially named by the Seward City Council in 2004. Dorothy Urbach and her daughters adopted the park in our Centennial year, 2003 and added two beautiful, custom reflection benches. The ladies are making additional plans to further memorialize Larry and to improve the park more.

ISTEA federal dollars originally funded this pocket park kitty-corner from Kawabe Park, just north of "the log cabin" at the corner of 4th Avenue and Jefferson. Mt. Ash trees and shrubs provide a nice eye break for downtown shoppers and business folk. This serves as a backyard, lunchtime respite for City Hall or other downtown employees, too.

Whale Tail Wayside Park - was constructed in 2003 as part of the State of Alaska's Port & 4th project. This little respite area sits at the corner of these two busy streets. The park is a unique, Seward welcome to the many visitors arriving by Alaska Railroad or cruise ship passengers from the Railroad dock. Enjoy the ironworks whale tails and octopus.

(See also Adopt-A-Parks)

Outdoor Art
The summer of 2001, the Seward Mural Society donated this beautiful wildflower quilt
mural to our community. The society continues to add outdoor art to our fair city,
where once there was no art. Thanks to all who contribute to the annual beautification
of Seward. See the detailed patchwork of the mural in Waterfront Park, just off
click photo            Ballaine on the shower house North wall.

Ponder....    "In the end, our society will be defined
                        not only by what we create but by what
                        we refuse to destroy."    ~John Sawhill, Nature Conservancy

Please visit us again.

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