Site work for a playground / park / athletic field in Homer, Alaska. Conceptual plans call for site work for a playground / park / athletic field.

Karen Hornaday Park is Homer’s largest, most diverse public recreation space. At 40 acres in size, it offers a wide variety of activities, including camping, ballfields, playgrounds and two public pavilions with picnic facilities, barbecue grills and campfire circles. For those looking to relax, the park offers benches to view Kachemak Bay and the surrounding mountains and glaciers, as well as access to a more intimate, natural area along Woodard Creek on the park’s eastern boundary. The park hosts an estimated 100,000 user days each year. This includes 18,000 campers, 2,000 Little League participants and spectators, plus general use park visitors and attendees of approximately 1,000 small gatherings and large events reserved in the park annually such as the Scottish Highland Games festival and concerts. The Karen Hornaday Park Master Plan, first approved in 2009, is outdated. Development of a new plan by the Park, Arts, Recreation and Culture Advisory Commission and adoption by City Council is necessary to configure and coordinate eff orts to provide safe and accessible park entry for vehicles and pedestrians, and accessible park amenities in the play area and pavilion, which the park currently lacks. The highest immediate need is an ADA accessible public restroom facility. At present, the park only offers portable toilets; the former restroom facility was demolished in 2020 due to safety concerns. Over the years the physical structure had deteriorated and its advanced age combined with high use resulted in worn interior finishes, making cleaning difficult; aged bathroom fixtures and dilapidated stalls made it nearly impossible for City maintenance personnel to provide a safe, sanitary facility. The portable toilets currently provided are inadequate to support the needs of the many visitors and groups who utilize this public recreation space. This project significantly improves safety for pedestrians and accommodates a variety of park users with varying abilities, facilitating access to the park and ensuring inclusive recreational opportunities for all to enjoy. The project is included in the City of Homer's 2024-2029 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). As January 11, 2024, information regarding a design firm and the general contractor selection timeline has not been disclosed. A firm construction timeline has not been established. *Project information has been obtained through a public capital improvement plan (CIP). A CIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the CIP often evolves based on funding availability and the project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available.