
Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - A ribbon-cutting for the new Rotary Park pavilion in Juneau happened on Wednesday evening in the Valley.
The new pavilion was built last fall, and families have already been using it, but Michelle Strickler, President of the Glacier Valley Rotary Club, said now was the time to celebrate its construction.
"We're so excited," Strickler said. "The shelter was built a little bit late, in the fall last year, and we had a really tough winter. So, we kind of lost the opportunity to have a beautiful evening to celebrate with the community. We are so excited for the community to come out today, have a hot dog dinner, get some door prizes, listen to some great music, and ribbon cut this beautiful new pavilion that we're all going to enjoy for years to come."
Strickler spoke about the mission of Rotary International.
"The mission of Rotary is service above self, and we look for ways we can engage in our community, with our community, to meet needs," Strickler said.
And Strickler said the pavilion will be a place of celebration for years to come.
"What's so special about Rotary Park, to us, is that we know that play is an important part of every child's experience growing up, it creates a place of safety and creativity and fun," she said. "This park is part of a lot of kids' lives. So, we're excited to see many, many generations enjoy this park for years to come."
Strickler said that both CBJ Parks and Rec and Tlingit & Haida Central Council contributed $35,000 towards the project, the Juneau Community Foundation provided funding via their Parks and Trails Fund, and a matching grant funding was provided from the state.