town square park is getting torn up

and when it reopens, it's going to look nothing like the old one.

Crews have broken ground on a full rebuild of Town Square Park, that green space downtown right next to the Performing Arts Center on Fifth Avenue. It's the heart of a lot of summer events, and it's due for a serious refresh.

The plan comes from a design first drawn up back in 2019. We're getting better sight lines so the space feels safer and more open, a lot more lighting, two new stages, and a market area for vendors and events.

The whole project runs about 5 million dollars. Around 2.8 million of that comes from bonds voters already approved, and the rest is donations through the Anchorage Park Foundation. They're still chasing the last million, and a local foundation has promised to match half a million if the community pitches in.

While the work is going on, the park is closed off, so the popular Live After 5 concerts have moved one block over to F Street for now.

For anyone who works downtown, catches a show, or brings the family to summer events in the heart of Anchorage, this is the spot that's about to get a whole new look.