By Adam Pinkser KTUU

10:41 p.m. AKDT, October 11, 2012
ANCHORAGE, Alaska—

The Anchorage Fire Department wants to build an 8,000 square foot facility with 4 bays at Rabbit Creek Park.

Residents say they don't want to lose that land because having access to the park is one of the main reasons they moved to the area.

"When the municipality starts taking park land, to build infrastructure it's not a sustainable model,” said Shelly Nuss who lives on Seafarer Loop.  “We only have so many parks in the city."

Deputy Fire Chief John Drozdowski says the previous administration got state funds to modernize fire stations throughout the municipality.  The proposed new station at DeArmoun and Lake Otis on the edge of the park, would replace the Huffman Road fire station.

"The crews at Station 9 will stay at Station 9, while a new station is built, and once that station opens we'll move them in,” said Drozdowski.

Drozdowski says the parks and recreation commission is expected to make a decision on the fire station at its November 5th meeting.  The zoning board would then have to sign off on the design of the building before plans can move forward.

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