{
  "story": {
    "slug": "the-playground-the-fire-took",
    "headline": "the playground the fire took",
    "deck": "A new inclusive playground is opening at Taku Lake Park in south Anchorage, twelve years after fire destroyed the original.",
    "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/the-playground-the-fire-took",
    "section": "Life",
    "area": "Anchorage",
    "published_at": "2026-08-13T20:00:00+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:18:22.643135+00:00",
    "body_md": "A new inclusive playground is opening at Taku Lake Park in south Anchorage, built to let children with a range of physical, sensory, and developmental abilities play together. The project was led by the Anchorage Park Foundation and the Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department, with community partners joining the effort. It replaces the park's original playground, which burned down in 2014, leaving the site without a playground for twelve years.\n\nFor south Anchorage families, the new playground means kids of every ability now have a place to play together at the lake they already visit for the trails and the water. The design brings physical, sensory, and developmental play options into one space so every child can use the same equipment on the same afternoon.\n\nFunding for the project came from several sources. Anchorage voters approved funding, and additional support came from Tote Maritime Alaska, the Reitman Family Charitable Fund, and the Rasmuson Foundation.\n\nThe playground arrives at a park that has been steadily rebuilt over the years even without a playground in place. Taku Lake Park has added tennis courts, pickleball courts, a FitLot outdoor fitness area, and a skatepark, and families have continued to use the park throughout that time.",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/new-inclusive-playground-opening-at-taku-lake-park-in-anchorage/article_486d3271-c023-4f44-a477-a31ef3f1e3fc.html",
        "label": "youralaskalink.com"
      }
    ]
  },
  "envelope": {
    "story_id": "ad1e5483-729b-446f-b561-cd4ce7e1bb2a",
    "slug": "the-playground-the-fire-took",
    "summary": "A new inclusive playground for children of all abilities is opening at Taku Lake Park in south Anchorage, replacing the original playground destroyed by fire in 2014. The Anchorage Park Foundation and the Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department led the project, funded by Anchorage voters, Tote Maritime Alaska, the Reitman Family Charitable Fund, and the Rasmuson Foundation.",
    "key_facts": [
      "The original Taku Lake Park playground burned down in 2014.",
      "The site went without a playground for twelve years.",
      "The new playground is designed for children with physical, sensory, and developmental abilities to play together.",
      "The Anchorage Park Foundation and the Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department led the project.",
      "Funding came from Anchorage voters, Tote Maritime Alaska, the Reitman Family Charitable Fund, and the Rasmuson Foundation.",
      "Taku Lake Park also added tennis courts, pickleball courts, a FitLot outdoor fitness area, and a skatepark over the years."
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "a": "It's at Taku Lake Park in south Anchorage.",
        "q": "Where is the new Taku Lake playground?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Twelve years. The original burned down in 2014 and the site sat empty until the new one was built.",
        "q": "How long was the park without a playground?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Anchorage voters, Tote Maritime Alaska, the Reitman Family Charitable Fund, and the Rasmuson Foundation, along with the park foundation and city parks department.",
        "q": "Who funded the new playground?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Yes. It was designed so children with physical, sensory, and developmental differences can play together on the same equipment.",
        "q": "Can kids with disabilities use it?"
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
      {
        "claim": "The Taku Lake Park playground burned down in 2014.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/new-inclusive-playground-opening-at-taku-lake-park-in-anchorage/article_486d3271-c023-4f44-a477-a31ef3f1e3fc.html",
        "source_label": "youralaskalink.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "A new inclusive playground is opening at Taku Lake Park, led by the Anchorage Park Foundation and the Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/new-inclusive-playground-opening-at-taku-lake-park-in-anchorage/article_486d3271-c023-4f44-a477-a31ef3f1e3fc.html",
        "source_label": "youralaskalink.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Funding came from Anchorage voters, Tote Maritime Alaska, the Reitman Family Charitable Fund, and the Rasmuson Foundation.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/new-inclusive-playground-opening-at-taku-lake-park-in-anchorage/article_486d3271-c023-4f44-a477-a31ef3f1e3fc.html",
        "source_label": "youralaskalink.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Taku Lake Park has added tennis courts, pickleball courts, a FitLot outdoor fitness area, and a skatepark over the years.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/new-inclusive-playground-opening-at-taku-lake-park-in-anchorage/article_486d3271-c023-4f44-a477-a31ef3f1e3fc.html",
        "source_label": "youralaskalink.com"
      }
    ],
    "locations": [
      {
        "area": "Anchorage",
        "kind": "facility",
        "name": "Taku Lake Park"
      }
    ],
    "people": [],
    "organizations": [
      {
        "kind": "nonprofit",
        "name": "Anchorage Park Foundation"
      },
      {
        "kind": "government",
        "name": "Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department"
      },
      {
        "kind": "company",
        "name": "Tote Maritime Alaska"
      },
      {
        "kind": "nonprofit",
        "name": "Reitman Family Charitable Fund"
      },
      {
        "kind": "nonprofit",
        "name": "Rasmuson Foundation"
      }
    ],
    "event_dates": [
      {
        "date": "2014",
        "label": "Original Taku Lake playground destroyed by fire"
      }
    ],
    "story_status": "resolved",
    "what_changed": null,
    "keywords": [
      "taku lake park",
      "anchorage playground",
      "inclusive playground anchorage",
      "anchorage park foundation",
      "taku lake fire 2014",
      "south anchorage parks",
      "accessible playground alaska"
    ],
    "disclosure": "Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing.",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-01T05:23:37.758+00:00",
    "reviewed_at": null,
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:18:22.643135+00:00"
  },
  "entities": [
    {
      "slug": "taku-lake-park",
      "name": "Taku Lake Park",
      "kind": "place",
      "role": "subject",
      "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/taku-lake-park"
    },
    {
      "slug": "anchorage-park-foundation",
      "name": "Anchorage Park Foundation",
      "kind": "organization",
      "role": "subject",
      "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/anchorage-park-foundation"
    },
    {
      "slug": "municipality-of-anchorage-parks-and-recreation-department",
      "name": "Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department",
      "kind": "organization",
      "role": "subject",
      "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/municipality-of-anchorage-parks-and-recreation-department"
    },
    {
      "slug": "rasmuson-foundation",
      "name": "Rasmuson Foundation",
      "kind": "organization",
      "role": "mentioned",
      "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/rasmuson-foundation"
    },
    {
      "slug": "tote-maritime-alaska",
      "name": "Tote Maritime Alaska",
      "kind": "company",
      "role": "mentioned",
      "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/tote-maritime-alaska"
    }
  ],
  "corrections": [],
  "underwriting": null,
  "jsonld": {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "NewsArticle",
    "headline": "the playground the fire took",
    "description": "A new inclusive playground for children of all abilities is opening at Taku Lake Park in south Anchorage, replacing the original playground destroyed by fire in 2014. The Anchorage Park Foundation and the Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department led the project, funded by Anchorage voters, Tote Maritime Alaska, the Reitman Family Charitable Fund, and the Rasmuson Foundation.",
    "abstract": "A new inclusive playground for children of all abilities is opening at Taku Lake Park in south Anchorage, replacing the original playground destroyed by fire in 2014. The Anchorage Park Foundation and the Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department led the project, funded by Anchorage voters, Tote Maritime Alaska, the Reitman Family Charitable Fund, and the Rasmuson Foundation.",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-13T20:00:00+00:00",
    "dateModified": "2026-10-02T06:18:22.643135+00:00",
    "mainEntityOfPage": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/the-playground-the-fire-took",
    "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/the-playground-the-fire-took",
    "author": {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Slav Lund",
      "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/slav-lund"
    },
    "publisher": {
      "@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
      "@id": "https://thedailyalaska.com/#organization",
      "name": "The Daily Alaska",
      "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com",
      "logo": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/__l5e/assets-v1/905bb2e5-b597-453b-a39d-7741edb068dc/the-daily-alaska-logo.png"
      }
    },
    "isAccessibleForFree": true,
    "inLanguage": "en-US",
    "articleSection": "Life",
    "keywords": "taku lake park, anchorage playground, inclusive playground anchorage, anchorage park foundation, taku lake fire 2014, south anchorage parks, accessible playground alaska",
    "about": [
      {
        "@type": "Thing",
        "name": "Taku Lake Park",
        "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/taku-lake-park"
      },
      {
        "@type": "Thing",
        "name": "Anchorage Park Foundation",
        "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/anchorage-park-foundation"
      },
      {
        "@type": "Thing",
        "name": "Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department",
        "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/municipality-of-anchorage-parks-and-recreation-department"
      }
    ],
    "mentions": [
      {
        "@type": "Thing",
        "name": "Rasmuson Foundation",
        "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/rasmuson-foundation"
      },
      {
        "@type": "Thing",
        "name": "Tote Maritime Alaska",
        "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/tote-maritime-alaska"
      }
    ],
    "citation": [
      {
        "@type": "CreativeWork",
        "name": "youralaskalink.com",
        "url": "https://www.youralaskalink.com/news/local/new-inclusive-playground-opening-at-taku-lake-park-in-anchorage/article_486d3271-c023-4f44-a477-a31ef3f1e3fc.html"
      }
    ],
    "contentLocation": [
      {
        "@type": "Place",
        "name": "Taku Lake Park"
      }
    ]
  }
}