In what some see as a baffling move, the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department is promoting a weekly preschool biking event in Town Square Park, a downtown space long associated with drug use, crime, vagrancy, and public safety concerns.
The “Biker Buddies” program is aimed at children ages 3 to 5, and is being held every Tuesday in July from 10 am to 1 pm. Parks and Rec. officials are urging parents to “bring your 3–5-year-old downtown” to participate in what they describe as a fun and confidence-building experience, complete with strider bikes and free helmets courtesy of the Anchorage Health Department.
But Town Square Park, located at 544 W 5th Ave, is not known for tricycle races or family picnics. It’s known for crime, trash, human waste, and open drug use. Families avoid it, not roll into it with toddlers on training wheels.
Last year, city crews responding to complaints about the park found discarded needles, human waste, and violent confrontations on a near-daily basis. Even during broad daylight, park-goers report witnessing stabbings, drug deals, overdoses, and mentally unstable individuals shouting at passersby.
Despite that, Anchorage Parks and Recreation appears to be trying to rebrand the park’s reputation, using Biker Buddies as the vehicle for change. In promotional materials, the department promises a “SPOKE-tacular time” for kids and emphasizes skill-building in a “fun-filled weekly event.”
But the question remains: Why Town Square?
When someone raised the point on Facebook that there are safer places to take children, Parks and Rec replied: “Hey there, we understand your concerns. One of the reasons we host events like this is because the more positive activity a space gets, the safer it becomes. Luckily, this event includes staff members and an APD presence to help families feel safe while enjoying the park.”
In other words, they’re sending the kids in first to pioneer activity in a place that is so unsafe they have to bring in police.
City officials have not directly addressed the safety concerns, nor whether any enhanced security will be provided during the events. But they have removed a lot of trees from the park, as a way to discourage homesteading vagrants.
Parents who are curious about Biker Buddies — and brave enough to expose their children to Town Square Park — can learn more at: www.muni.org/Departments/parks/Pages/BunkerBiking.aspx.
Leftists will never let reality enter their decision making process. Logic:
1. Town Square Park has the word park in its name.
2. Parks are where children play.
3. Children should play in Town Square Park.
See… perfectly logical.
.
.
Then someone bursts the leftists bubble with reality. They say the ‘park’ has been overrun by drug addicts and vagrants, and it is not safe to encourage children, especially pre-school children who will pick up whatever they see and instantly cram it into their mouths, to play there. The leftist will automatically step you through the above three steps, totally ignoring the reality of the situation.
.
But, one thing I am sure of, none of the leftists pushing for this would ever allow their pre-school children to participate.
Such a slanted, closed minded spewing of animosity. And, I guess you somehow really know that the”leftist won’t let their children participate . That makes you a mind reader also?
I think they are referring to the leftist history of ” rules for thee but not me.” I won’t go there and I am armed adult. Take your kids there if you think it’s good idea.
You are correct. I do not know that leftists will not allow their kids to play in Town Square Park.
However, I have decades of experience observing the behavior of leftists, and frankly, the odds of them letting their kids play there on a regular basis approaches zero.
.
As to my stepping through their logic, liberals insist on living in a world the way it “should” be. Not the real world. Again, I have decades of experience to back that up. Everything the liberal left does is about making everyone else live to their ideals, because it is the way the world “should” be.
.
Com’n on over to reality here Pisces. We want you here.
I don’t see a problem. There is nothing unsafe about crazed drunk women screaming obscenities aloud while everyone just walks by. There is nothing wrong with drugged out shirtless men dancing to their hearts content while another one comes and kicks him in the chest at 3AM on a saturday night. Nothing unsafe about mobs of inebriates passed out on the walking paths with garbage all around them. Its is just normal Democrat city behavior.
The world is a crazy place, may as well expose your kids to it to toughen them up about the real world or else they will identify as a fairy or a cat or something.
The good thing about all this is, more and more parents are going to be involved with their own kids lives so they can protect them from the predators who pose as caregivers and teachers.
The world truly is healing.
Or one can sit in a nearby restaurant and watch from the window booth while people openly copulate in the park. It’s all about the love, not hatred. Nothing unusual about that. I watched hippies do it in the ’60’s.
La France administration is just prepping the little darlins on what to expect in a liberal utopia…
Rampant drug use, homelessness, public defacation, increased crime, public intoxication…
Nothing to worry about here especially since its being done under the guise of the greater good…
I know I feel better.
You know, I suspect pushing society to collapse is the just what the left wants. Then, they can justify ‘tough measures’ like forcing a communist dictatorship, claiming that ‘democracy hasn’t worked.’
Bringing the revolution is the goal. Whoever is most ready and emerges on the other side alive wins.
Place your bets…………
Why not send in the police without the kids?
Better yet, get rid of the park altogether and turn the land back into tax revenue generating businesses like it was before Tony Knowles screwed up downtown.
Yep, best Burger King in ANC was in that “park”
I ate there a lot and enjoyed the street view of 5th Ave.
Now the only “shop” there is Mark Begich’s wife’s Tea store.
Nothing fishy about that of course, as Knowles & Begich are on the same team.
Whopper or Filet of Fish?
The Assembly should bike there first, and they should do it at random times with police at the ready.
Clearly the pedocrats in Anchorage are running low in their ready supply of ritualistic sex abuse and torture victims. They heed the call of moloch.
If a city promotes draq queen story hour for kids, biking in Anchorage town square park is relatively safe.
Side note, my son was leaving the theatre with his mom there this winter and had a random passing street stranger threaten him with a knife. Son is less than 120 lbs. What is the use of reporting it even?
I’d rather have drag queens reading to my kid than let them play in ANY of the parks in this city. I have yet to find one park here that isn’t overrun with homeless.
“…….What is the use of reporting it even?……..”
If police respond and confront him, and he refuses to drop the knife and gets aggressive, the police have the legal duty to put him down, thereby avoiding the DA altogether.
Except the current administration feels the need to heavily compensate the families of these suicidal fools that get blasted by the police.
The last one cost taxpayers 7 figures for doing their job.
Child abuse!
Mayor dip schlip is pushing parks and recs to do this to show how she has single handedly cleaned up downtown. She is so dumb she believes her own BS. Sad to see this happen but there will be low life’s who will participate because they are brainwashed into believing Mayor Dip Schlip
I am an adult and I would not walk through that park by myself and cannot imagine bringing a toddler down there with all the crazies in the park. What is the point of this? Do they think the crazies are going to move on because some 3 year olds are riding tricycles in the park?
They should use the cop(s) assigned to this duty to kick the street people out of the alcoves and sidewalks downtown. Everyone should go drive around downtown just once at 9 or 10am and look at what our “All American” city has come to and what the tourists have to maneuver around. Absolutely disgusting!
Perverts, commies, and sickos.
The exact same mentality that wants schools to be gun free zones – so spree killers won’t run up against any resistance.
Wonder if they’ll have “Gender Affirming Care” booths, for the children.
This is why Trump was elected three times in a row…
Oh my. Isn’t this a liability waiting to happen.
Is it a teaching moment when little 4 year old Dorothy notices a Native Alaskan inebriate sleeping on the concrete next to a turd that he or one of his compatriots recently excreted? That’s the last place I’d look to take a young impressionable child. This is an amazingly poor plan. Clean the pot before you use it.
The fresh turd is not the worst.
It will be the needle, or the fentanyl powder that is left laying about that I am more afraid of. Toddlers have a tendency to go straight for what they should avoid, and shove it directly into their mouth.
Are the “biker buddies” going to be drag queens? If so, liberal parents will be lining up to get their kids registered. Safety? What do they care about safety as long as their babies are experiencing “diversity”. Needles and poop are just part of the kaleidoscope.
Well, I am going to be the odd person out here as I don’t think it is such a bad idea. I would like to see that little plot of land ‘rebranded’ and it sounds like they are attending to safety for the activity. I have memories of that ‘park’ in its early years and I was working downtown. It was actually pleasant. Why would we not want to fight to bring that back and kick out the lowlifes? Tuesday from 10-1 ish is not a popular time for most druggies and vagrants. The kids might have a positive influence. Just because it was an idea under the egregious LaFrance admin does not mean it might not be such a bad one. Maybe one bright spot in the darkness.
So you think that moving the problem is a success?
How about fixing the problem? How about treatment programs, lockdown mental health, and/or prison? Clear choices.
“…….So you think that moving the problem is a success?……..”
It sure is, especially if you move it far enough. Sending it to Seattle or California is my idea of a resounding triumph.
If Mayor Bronson had suggested such an idea as this he would have been crucified on a stake!!
Just wondering if you are planning on taking your little tykes to the spoke-tacular event???? One should definitely offer their own children up for this skill-building event if they think it’s such a good idea.
Elizabeth, I agree with you, that it would be nice to take this space back.
That being said I have an objection to using 3-5 year olds to do so, especially riding bikes and tricycles. Kids that age are prone to exuberance and have no situational awareness. Being on a conveyances physically separates them from their responsible adult (between two very busy streets, I might add). I have walked through this area in winter on a weekday morning and it scared me then.
I would suggest the mayor consider another activity like lunch time live music, invite multiple food trucks to set up in the park once a week or move yoga in the park to that space. Then we are dealing with adults and there is strength in numbers.
The second consideration is to enforce our ordinances. It is nice to have APD there, but just a presence is not enough. Individuals, who commit infractions or crimes may get arrested, but it is my impression that the city prosecutors can’t be bothered to bring charges and a revolving door has developed, making it clear to the perpetrators that they can act out with impunity.
That has to stop first and our mayor should take the initiative on that!
Agreed on reclaiming the space! The muni is installing more cameras around the park to make it a safer space, too.
Which assembly pervie wants to see little kids being creeped on
They want the little kids there so that THEY can creep on the kids
Dumb bell mayor and assembly!
THEY HAD to paint over 3 years of our contribution brightening it up. Never paid, and this 65 yr old sat on the concrete to do this. What, was flowers and Alaska culture not family oriented enough. They just want to run the Native People out of the Parks. Now look at Cuddy Park again..doesn’t work. Wasting tax dollars. LaFrance has no clue and high on herself.
The intentions are doubtful… Better a millstone… Luke 17:02
Boozing buddies! I like it!
The same Karens who bring their kids to drag shows and drag Queen story hours will be there with their offspring. Sane parents will not.
Rather than escorting children through a morass of criminal activity, perhaps the police should go through the park BEFORE the children arrive and make some arrests.
Make Anchorage Safe Again
Using public spaces, like Town Square Park, is the best way to reclaim the space. People up to nefarious deeds won’t be hanging around populated areas. They closed down the area and cleaned it up. Now the best way to keep it from being a space for miscreants is to plan events and for the good citizens of Anchorage to enjoy the space together with their families.
That might work, if the Samoan community planned their outdoor events in Town Square. But 3-5 year olds?! Absolutely not.
This is one of the most clueless and tone deaf ideas I’ve seen in decades. Must have come straight from the Mayor’s office. Town Square started off nice. I used to take my kids there in the 80s. It was a wonderful place to see the Christmas tree be lighted, summer events and outdoor concerts. No more. Since it has been taken over by bums (please, don’t call them people experiencing homelessness), it became a cesspool. City Hall has never been aggressive about keeping the bums out to keep it safe for taxpayers and families. The ACLU has been more than happy to help keep Town Square nasty. On any given day at any given time you can see drug abuse, drunkeness, pathetic bums copulating and public defecating and urination. It’s all so… (D)emocratic. Clean this place up, keep it clean, drive out the bums and keep them away and maybe in a year the reputation will change and decent people can return.
The Alaska Confused Lawyers Union (ACLU) will not allow this
The bums must have free movement (along w/ free everything else)
The park has a bad rep, and for good reason. However we went down there for a Friday Night event and it was wonderful! The city has been cleaning the area up!! It is a park that belongs to everyone and it is time we reclaim it! This article takes this kid biking event in isolation from all the work being done and other events already happening!! And the comments are amazing, calling our officials commies and pedifiles?? I am not here to defend every action of our officials, for sure But this piece is just stirring people up with fear. Sad, really.
Oh darn we just can’t ca!L commies, commies, wouldn’t be nice, would it. As far as being pedoes,might be,might not be, but they’re definitely creeper-adjacent
OK “Townsquare Park” gets a lot of funding for special events with upscale police protection and try to make it a place for families to load the kids into the suv and have a couple hours of clean catered event with freebie handouts.
While the rest of the parks are ignored and unsafe and a complete disaster like Davis Park for the folks in mountain view who dont have the time money and resources to load the kids and haul them downtown to Lafrances little safe haven for a special weekly event for the elite group.
So we pick and choose who gets attention and let the rest go to hell because they didnt solve any problems they just let the criminals move their destruction elsewhere.
There are wayyy better places to take the kiddos.
My word, Anchorage! Where are the recall petitions for your fine mayor, assembly, etc. for NOT doing their job? Does no one in Anchorage have a spine?
Man Bronson just let that part go to hell in a handbasket and now you wanna sit back and just tear down anybody or attempt that tries to fix what he let go broke