Generous Donation Received
Girdwood Inc is thrilled to share about a generous donation received from The Byrne Family. On February 28th John Byrne III returned to Girdwood and announced the donation of $1,000,000 for the new childcare center. The Girdwood Inc/Little Bears Playhouse building committee had offered building naming rights for a donation of this size. In a heartwarming speech, Byrne expressed interest in naming the building after decades-long Girdwood local volunteer Diana Livingston.
Community Spotlight: Diana Livingston
Diana has called Girdwood home since 1976. She managed the books of several long-standing and successful Girdwood businesses. In 2004, she helped to found Girdwood Inc. This initiative, along with Chris von Imhof and others, helped preserve the Roundhouse at Alyeska. As the oldest structure on the mountain, it is now listed as a historical landmark. This action was deserving as it was a key feature of Mount Alyeska becoming the ski area it is today.
Diana has been a tireless community volunteer. She attended most Girdwood Board of Supervisors meetings for years and worked to fundraise infrastructure for the community she held dear. She served as Treasurer of Girdwood Inc for 20 years and remains a board member today. Diana is directly responsible for writing and being awarded grants for Girdwood and offering her CPA knowledge and expertise without any compensation.
Girdwood Workforce Childcare Project – Childcare Center Under Construction!
Girdwood Inc is pleased to report that state and municipal building permits are approved, and the childcare center has restarted construction! The building pad is complete and deep plumbing has been installed, with the foundation pour expected soon. The project is on target to be substantially complete by spring 2026. Little Bears Playhouse will open their new doors by fall 2026. Follow along major building milestones at Girdwood Inc Instagram account: @Girdwood_Inc
You can read more about the upcoming building on a recently published story on Alaska Public Media here. The photo above is the 2025 Rendering of the to-be-built building! If you are interesting in joining our gratitude tree, please click here!
Girdwood Comprehensive Plan
At the March 18th meeting, the assembly passed the Girdwood Comprehensive Plan. The updated Plan has been underway for a least 7 years by local volunteers and is replacing a plan from 1995. Five amendments were passed to be included in the plan. The final step, assembly accepting Planning Department’s memorandum and approving the finalized plan including amendments, occurred on April 22, 2025. This means the new Plan is now considered fully adopted. Girdwood Inc was the fiscal sponsor for this project. We would like to extend our congratulations to former and current Imagine Girdwood board members, as well as nearly one thousand individuals who participated to reach this achievement. You can view the plan at imaginegirdwood.org and will also be archived on the municipal website.
Girdwood Parks Master Plan Process Begins
Now that the Girdwood Comprehensive Plan has been completed, Girdwood Parks and Recreation can begin on a Girdwood Parks Master Plan. A Parks Master Plan will “inform Girdwood Parks and Recreation’s efforts to prioritize future projects desired by the community, support strategies to improve well-loved existing resources, and to acquire new park areas and resources for development,” stated Kyle Kelley. Huddle AK has been selected to assist in the planning effort and work through 4 phases over the next 12 months. An advisory group is being created now, and stakeholder interviews are occurring this summer. Public workshops are planned for August and December 2025. These workshops will provide opportunity to comment and help shape the Girdwood Parks Master Plan.
Project Anchorage
At the March 18th meeting, the assembly voted to indefinitely postpone AO 2024-105(SA). If the ordinance had passed, the matter of a sales tax would have been put on the ballot for the voters to decide the fate of the proposed 3% sales tax, with 2% being applied toward a reduction in property taxes. The vote was 8-4, in favor of not placing the question on the ballot. An indefinite postponement means the item is no longer up for consideration, but any member could bring a new version forward in the future. Community members working on the proposed Girdwood Arts and Recreation District project voiced interest in continuing to pursue the project, regardless of the Project Anchorage sales tax initiative. Out of 300 ideas submitted, this project was included in the final top 10 to move forward on the ordinance, which speaks to its area-wide appeal.
Girdwood Arts Council
We would like to welcome a new organization, the Girdwood Arts Council, to our membership. It is established to help Girdwood as a premier art center, and to be a catalyst for a wide range of the arts. “Girdwood is a well-known artistic community, we should continue to build up this place-making trait. Many resort communities are home to beautiful arts centers, which draw visitors contribute to the overall culture of Girdwood,” said Girdwood Inc board member John Rense. Stakeholders and those who are interested in furthering the arts or joining a committee are encouraged to reach out to Girdwood Arts Council and take this survey. Read more at girdwoodarts.org.
Development in Girdwood
Regarding development, there is so much happening around town these days! Girdwood Board of Supervisors has been including a spreadsheet of the various development projects in their monthly packet. Spreadsheet Author: Mike Edgington
Department of Transportation’s “Safer Seward Highway” Project
The Safer Seward Highway project focuses on the area between Bird and Potters Marsh, which spans from milepost 98-118. Unfortunately, since so much of our lives involve that highway, Girdwood Residents and commuting workers are some of the most vulnerable groups to accidents and delays. DOT provided us a map showing historical accident locations in this part of the Seward Highway, although Chief Michelle Weston asserts the number is higher and many incidents are not reported, as they require law enforcement to enter into the system. DOT reports that after 2.5 years of investigation, they have concluded that a 4-lane highway is best for safety. DOT are implementing Safety Seward Highway “Express Projects,” which are improvements that will come sooner than the larger project and can be acted upon now. These include: Sign Safety Express Project – bigger and better signage for wayfinding and mileage markers in pullouts as requested by Chief Weston. There will be a hidden driveway sign added with expanded notice for McHugh Creek. You should notice all the new signs installed before July 1, 2025. The DOT is planning to add a left turn lane at McHugh Creek and do additional rock stabilization at milepost 113.2, where traffic is often routed into the pullout due to icefall issues. The DOT team is trying for 2025 improvements, but stated those are more likely to occur in 2026. Eventually a four-lane road could mostly eliminate the many-hour closures and other uncertainties that characterize that part of the Seward Highway. We applaud DOT’s numerous efforts to communicate their plans and progress. In addition to safety improvements, we see potential benefits such as a bike path, much better viewing areas, safer school transportation, and greater access to Girdwood from a large and important workforce.
Girdwood Farmers Market Returns
The Girdwood Community Land Trust (GCLT) will be continuing pop-up markets in town square again this summer. For the past 4 years, GCLT has provided permitting and insurance for the Girdwood Farmers Markets. The purpose of these markets is to encourage local economic development by providing an inexpensive option for small businesses to pop up, as well as create a fun and healthy way for families to interact. This year, the market will run every Sunday, except for Forest Fair weekend. This is an opportunity to support local businesses, artists, creators and musicians in a family friendly environment. Events are Sundays 11-4 PM. If you are interested in having a booth or signing up to play music, visit girdwoodlandtrust.org.
Crow Creek Mercantile
We would like to extend a thank you to Daria Severson, who is the manager down at the Crow Creek Mercantile. She has been surveying the community to better understand how the store can meet Girdwood’s needs. We encourage people to communicate their thoughts to her at “the Merc.” To date, she says price is the primary concern, but they are also trying to provide additional healthy options. The Merc is owned by Albertson’s and receives its supplies from the Carrs system. As we all know, Albertson’s has not taken steps to invest in Girdwood, so the Girdwood store managers and staff do the best they can. We appreciate their hard work, and the challenges of a very small space.