News Briefs

Roadway Improvement Projects: Meeting April 17

Girdwood Townsquare has been redesigned for improvements to the streets, drainages, parking and pedestrian access. Roadways including Hightower Rd, Girdwood Place, Holmgren Ave., and Linblad Ave. are scheduled for paving, curbs, gutters, pedestrian improvements and drainage outfalls to California and Glacier Creeks. The Girdwood Transportation Center Park & Ride project on Girdwood Place and a portion of Holmgren Ave. will begin construction in the summer of 2007. Included are 42 on-street parking spaces, a bus turnout and a surface parking lot containing 25 spaces. In addition alternatives are being designed concerning access to the new Girdwood Library and Community Center along Glacier Creek Drive south of the Girdwood Fire Station. Representatives with the Municipality of Anchorage are holding an informational meeting on Tuesday April 17, 7PM at Glacier City Hall. All interested parties are encouraged to attend.

Whittier Water Wins Award

Next month Whittier City Water plant operator Ben Leniz will hand carry a sample of The City’s water to Washington D.C. for entry into an annual national taste contest.
Whittier won the right to compete by beating out the Alaska membership of the National Rural Water Association. Wasilla, Kodiak, Valdez, North Pole and all the rural communities in Alaska that sought the title of best-tasting water, tipped their cups last fall at the Sheraton Hotel. Judges peered, sniffed, tasted and spit through eight rounds of competition and finally declared Whittier the winner.
Mr. Leniz attributed his water’s superiority to a pristine glacial source and regulations that allow delivery without treatment.
“Our supply wells capture Whittier Glacier melt 100’ into the aquifer. We test it, but it’s so pure we don’t have to treat it.”
Although docking cruise ships purchase the super water by the tens of thousands of gallons, on board treatment prevents most passengers from enjoying some of the best tasting water they are ever likely to find.

Whittier Tunnel transition schedule for April set

Effective April 10 through April 30 the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel will be extending its hours of operation and will be open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. until 8:15 p.m. There will not be scheduled maintenance closures during this time. Bear Valley will open at 8:30 a.m. and on the Whittier side the first opening will be at 9:00 a.m. Bear Valley openings are all on the half-hour and Whittier the bottom half of the hour. The new Summer schedule will start May 1.

Girdwood realtor appointed to board of Foundation

George McCoy was recently named one of six new members of the Rocky Mountain Elks Foundation board of directors.
“We are proud to welcome these new board members from diverse regions of the country,” said Peter J. Dart, President and CEO of the Elk Foundation. “Their unique talents and backgrounds will help us develop effective strategies to conserve and enhance elk habitat for future generations to enjoy.”
Over 2,500 acres of elk country are lost every day, and that’s a fact that hits a particular nerve with Dr. George McCoy. While visiting a favorite hunting spot in New Mexico recently, McCoy was disappointed to find a chain across the gate and a litter of signs saying “Ranchettes for Sale.” McCoy has dedicated a great deal of time and effort to helping educate young hunters in Alaska about the responsibility of conserving elk, other wildlife and their habitat. With a Ph. D. in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and over 10 years as a Water Quality Specialist, McCoy fully understands the importance of riparian areas and the critical role they play in supporting wildlife. He’s now applying his passion to help ensure the future of elk country for the enjoyment of future generations.