Forest Fair a success thanks to good volunteers, but party-goers after event not so good
To the editor
I wish to express my kudos to the Girdwood Forest Fair committee and the very many volunteers who made the fair possible. It was wonderful to see so many people on our bike path en route to the fair grounds again this year. Our valley hosted many happy families over the Fourth of July weekend.
I was disappointed, though, at what transpired downtown after the fair closed for the night. On Saturday night I woke up at about 1:00 a.m. rock music was coming into my house. I live more than a mile from the fair grounds. I understood that the Forest Fair music was to end at 8:00 p.m., and I was curious as to where the music was coming from, so I went downtown to look around. I took me a few minutes to drive around our four block long town center. I needed to put my truck into low range to keep from bumping into the hundreds of party goers. There was not a parking place to be found. People were parking on our public building lawns. It was a wide open party with two outdoor bands cranked to full volume.
I was here when the first Forest Fair and parade happened. It was nice then. The fair this year was also nice. My child made a bit of money in his booth. It was the way it should be. A lot of people had a lot of fun.
But, is what was happening downtown after the fair that Saturday night what we want for our community? Granted, many Girdwood folks had a good time that night on the 4th, but the vast majority of the crowd was not from Girdwood. Have you seen the Anchorage gang graffiti that we now have on our bike path? I certainly would not have wanted my children to have gone downtown in the evening this July fourth. Do we really want to give our town away?
I looked at the municipal website. I could not find where noise permits were issued in Girdwood that weekend. The way I read the code, outdoor concerts need permits. It might be fun, but it is against the law to have alcohol parties in a public place without a permit. Do you think that what happened in our downtown would be allowed next to the PAC in the park in Anchorage? No, probably not.
We need to decide what we want for our town.
The fair might have gone in the hole this year because the security contract was so expensive. Why has security become so expensive? Because of the late night booze, drugs, and music. The party. Not the fair. Camping was supposed to pay for the security, but no alcohol and parties were allowed in the campground, so the camping income was a bust. That Anchorage crowd does not want to camp, they want to party. Do we really need to host a huge Anchorage drinking party?
In my opinion we should move away from the public late night alcohol and outdoor music during the Forest Fair weekend. That combination has turned into our problem and that problem threatens the future of the fair. If a local establishment cannot contain its beverages and music within its premises then it should limit its customers. We as a community do not need to provide our local bars and liquor stores with a windfall profit at our community expense.
We as a community should request that the department of health and social services not issue outdoor concert permits after 4:00 p.m. on Forest Fair weekends. End the music early. The daytime concerts may have to be wonderful enough. Close down the Beer Garden at 4:00 p.m. Post and enforce the open container law downtown. Some how we need to go back to the way it was in the past. The late night party scene ruins our fair, and the local non profit organizations that we need so much come up short. Again I think of the hundreds of families walking down our bike path to the fair. To me, that is what the fair is all about. Let’s focus on the families. We don’t need the other.
Paul Crews
Girdwood
Forest Fair not so mellow
To the Editor:
The Forest Fair was not exactly the “mellow” event you describe. Your article reported a fight in front of Crow Creek Mercantile involving 10 people. To suggest this fracas was not directly linked to the Forest Fair is absurd. This is not normal behavior in Girdwood on the 4th of July or any other day. Unfortunately, this Fair still attracts enough of the wrong kind of people. Witness what occurred in Talkeetna at their fair. I suggest we postpone the Forest Fair next year for 3 or more years to let all of these types find some other place to have their fun. Not my idea of a family friendly and community oriented event.
Paul Wharton
Girdwood
A successful first year for Girdwood Charter school
To the Editor:
The Anchorage Family Partnership Charter School in Girdwood has successfully completed its first year. Girdwood is now poised to learn whether there is enough interest in this alternative program to continue for another year. A community meeting will be held at the Community Center on Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. All interested parents, students and community members are invited to attend.
Girdwood has long wrestled with the costs and benefits of sending its students to Anchorage but in the end had no real option (except intermittently). The most recent driving force for a high school program in Girdwood was Girdwood 2020 and especially Phil and Diana Livingston. They considered several alternative models for a high school program in Girdwood. In the end the Family Partnership Charter School seemed to be the vehicle best suited for Girdwood’s current circumstances. Reed Whitmore, the principal of the Anchorage-wide Family Partnership Charter School, a part of the Anchorage School District, visited Girdwood and agreed to participate in establishing a site here.
The program enjoyed the meaningful financial support of John Byrne of Alyeska Resort, and of Girdwood 2020. Important support also came from the Girdwood Board of Supervisors that made the beautiful new community facility available to the Family Partnership Charter School at a vastly reduced price. The use of the facility was a great psychological boost to all who were involved. Without the support of these important sponsors the program would not have succeeded this year given the limited number of students.
This charter school program may be the alternative Girdwood has been looking for. It provides high school students with an opportunity to stay in Girdwood. The program is not necessarily limited to high school students. The program can be an important alternative for dedicated skiers, for students who want to work or travel, and for parents who want to build flexibility into their schedules. Each student has a supervising teacher, without whom the program could not operate. The supervising teacher makes certain that the Anchorage School District requirements are being satisfied and provides the student with the administrative support and educational guidance to help each student to devise a program to meet their individual requirements.
This year the students used courses from the University of Nebraska and the Anchorage School District as well as others. The selection of courses is much wider than is available at any individual school. The school had a monitor who was available to provide information or guidance as necessary. We were fortunate to have monitors that were certified.
A charter school is not for everyone. This year school was four hours per day four days per week. The students are there to do their work. The monitor is not there to control or discipline students but is there to be available if a student needs some help with the coursework. The student has to be mature enough to accomplish the academic coursework with minimal structure, in return the student has maximum flexibility in designing an appropriate program and scheduling his or her time.
The Family Partnership Charter School in Girdwood can go where the students and parents want to take it. The success of this year shows that the structure itself is sound and can hold together to achieve a fully accredited academic year. Whether there will be a second year will depend upon the interest of the people of Girdwood. If you think that you or your student may be interested please attend the meeting on Aug. 13.
Rebecca and Jerry Reichlin
Girdwood
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