Happiness Is A New Playground In Kodiak

Joyful giggles and the carefree sounds of children at play float on the wind at the new Pacific Terrace playground. Completed in summer 2023 as part of several ongoing upgrades at Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’s 40 unit affordable housing facility, the new play area is something the entire community now enjoys.

Thoughtfully designed to address the play needs of different age groups, there are actually two separate playgrounds connected by a walking path: a large, 2,400 square-foot area for children ages 5 to 12, and a smaller, 900 square-foot separate area set under the trees for children ages 2 to 5. 

Creating two play spaces provided the opportunity to install equipment best suited for both older and younger children. Having the ability to separate the two areas also offered a quieter spot for younger children to play without the distractions of the more rambunctious older set.

“While the playground was built for Pacific Terrace residents, everyone in the community is welcome and it is wonderful to see so many families bringing their kids here to play, especially on sunny days,” says Maren Miller, AHFC’s property and program manager.

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“The community response has been fantastic and everyone seems to appreciate having such a nice new area to safely play. We are regularly seeing a lot more kids and families at the playground since it reopened — it makes me smile.”

- Maren Miller, Property and Program Manager

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Safety First

Time and weather had taken a heavy toll on the previous playground equipment. Replacing the dilapidated, splintered wood structures with modern materials better equipped to withstand Kodiak’s weather pattern was essential. Safety was the priority.

AHFC contracted an architect and engineering firm to best utilize the available space. Working with Design Alaska, they started with a site visit to determine options for reshaping the existing play area and discuss elements that could allow future expansions and changes. The overall goal was to not only modernize the playground but streamline the process.

The team came back with six modern design variations that included all of the necessary elements of a complex play area promoting active and social-emotional play. This included a variety of challenging levels and types of play necessary to help children develop a full range of age-appropriate skills whether playing alone, in groups, or with caregivers. Safety considerations were incorporated into all elements of the design options, such as fall height protection, as well as the ability to conduct in-house equipment repairs.

Completing the Puzzle

The playground upgrade was part of a Physical Needs Assessment process required by HUD and managed annually by AHFC’s Facilities Management team. PNA projects are recommended annually first by site staff and then vetted by facility and regional managers based on a level of priority and funding availability. This particular playground was in the PNA database for about five years moving up the list by level of importance and financial feasibility. In 2021, the project was approved to move forward using federal funds appropriate for the purpose.

As they conducted various cost analyses along the way, several alterations were incorporated such as changing the safety surfaces from wood fiber and rubber chips that required raking weekly, to large rubber tiles. The more cost-effective rubber tiles provided equal safety levels with the added benefit of being able to switch out individual tiles showing wear or damage.

They also changed the grade of the area adding an extra 45 tons of fill —16 dump truck loads — to make the area level and connect the two play areas with a path. The accessible gravel path was designed to later upgrade to a cement walkway for ease of access and maintenance.

Play Day

The playground equipment includes traditional active play favorites such as monkey bars, slides, and interactive activities. It also features inclusive play elements, and sensory and social stations that can be manipulated for different levels of interaction. There are also duplicative equipment areas that allow adults and children to play side-by-side –this is especially important for encouraging children to try new experiences. The playground is larger than the old site with room to expand.

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“Upgrading the playground was a great way to make the property more welcoming and both residents and neighborhood families enjoy it immensely.”

- Mike Carlson, Construction Coordinator Lead, Public Housing - Facilities Management

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A New Playbook

The benefits of building the AHFC Kodiak playground reaches beyond the western Alaska community. The experience provided a unique opportunity for Design Alaska to create an AHFC Playground Handbook with site improvement standards. The standards were created as a preliminary step in the upgrade of existing playgrounds on AHFC properties. The majority of AHFC’s existing playgrounds are more than 15 years old and are becoming harder to maintain and repair. The goal of standardization is to develop play area “modules” that can be inserted into different properties and configurations as funding becomes available.

The AHFC Playground Handbook includes various play structures for children ages 5 - 12 and 2 - 5, as well as modules for adult and child fitness areas, picnic areas, and a basketball court plus additional amenities. The standards use GameTime equipment as the basis for all designs. All standards and amenities comply with the American Disabilities Act and Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.

Playing It Forward

The lessons from Kodiak and the development of the AHFC Playground Handbook have since been used in Ketchikan to renovate and upgrade AHFC’s Schoenbar Park playground. A future installation upgrade is planned for the Corporation’s Riverbend housing complex in Juneau. Additional AHFC facility playgrounds have been identified for future upgrade consideration. 

“The AHFC Playground Handbook has truly been a game-changer providing a foundational path for infrastructures at future facilities and allowing an accelerated 6-month timeline once approved as part of the PNA,” says Carlson.

“Upgrading AHFC playgrounds to modern standards has been an incredible learning experience and it is exciting to see the positive impact these upgrades have on communities.”

Everything Old Is New Again

Pacific Terrace is a 13 building complex built in 1966 owned and operated by AHFC. In addition to the recently upgraded playground areas, the facility has undergone several renovations throughout the last two decades including new siding, roofing, and exterior door replacements in 1985; mechanical, electrical, and other renovations in 1987; and rebuilding retaining walls and resurfacing parking areas and sidewalks in 1995. 

In 2006, AHFC completed a redesign of the current buildings that involved demolition and new construction, as well as extensive remodeling. In 2024, the exterior was updated with all new siding and windows.

Part of AHFC’s public housing portfolio, Pacific Terrace provides affordable low-income housing and subsidized rent. The facility includes an onsite management office, a maintenance shop, and a 2,073 square foot multipurpose room. The 40 living units include:

• 713 square foot 1-bedroom apartments (9)
• 1,088 square foot 2-bedroom apartments (16)
• 1,236 square foot 3-bedroom apartments (10)
• 1,275 square foot 4-bedroom apartments (3)
• 768 and 1,178 1 and 2-bedroom ADA apartments (1 ea.)