Mat-Su Borough Planning Dept.

08/29/2026

Peaceful Place Cleanup — Day 1 of Phase 2 complete!

What an exciting day of hard work in the rain! The difference is already obvious.

Huge thanks to the volunteers and residents who came out to help today. We’re especially grateful to Black Ice Excavating, and thank Adult & Teen Challenge, DeBach Towing, AK Haul, Frontier Waste, and Alaska Waste for their incredible support.

And a huge thank-you to our Borough staff and Alaska State Troopers for helping make today’s operation possible.

We’re back at it tomorrow, August 29, from 9 AM–4 PM! Come lend a hand, and join us for a BBQ at 1 PM.

Let’s keep making Peaceful Place a peaceful place!

08/27/2026

🚧 BIG LAKE RIGHT-OF-WAY CLEANUP: PHASE 2 STARTS TOMORROW! 🚧

Join us on Friday, August 28 and Saturday, August 29 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM as we work together to fill the dumpsters and finally clean up the remaining debris and trash throughout Drowsy Drive and Peaceful Place.

Whether you can stay all day or just stop by for an hour, every helping hand makes a difference.

✅ Friday 8/28, water will be provided &, Bring your lunch
✅ Saturday 8/29, water & BBQ will be provided (yeehaw)

A quick reality check: once a dumpster is full, it has to make the trip all the way to Central Landfill and back before we can start loading again. There may be some downtime between dumpsters, but we'll do our best to stay productive by organizing, sorting, and preparing material for the next load.

This effort would not be possible without the support of our incredible partners and volunteers (YOU!). A huge thank you to:

• Black Ice Excavating
• DC 907 Diesels
• Jodi Riddell and the Big Lake Community Council
• Debach Towing
• Alaska Waste
• Frontier Waste
• AK Haul Away
• Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks

And a very special shout out to Nori Dusenbury and her family, and neighboring residents, like Gary Keeling, for already filling multiple dumpsters, sorting debris and rallying neighbors to be part of the solution. Your hard work has made a visible difference already!

Also, thank you to Helen Lariviere for steadfast advocacy and support throughout this effort.

This cleanup belongs to the community! Let's finish strong and show what Big Lake can accomplish when neighbors come together.

See you tomorrow! 💪🗑️🚜

08/25/2026

Check out this amazing opportunity! 🚔

Have a teen interested in law enforcement? Great opportunity to come out and meet current explorers to learn about the program.

08/19/2026

📢 Big Lake Save the Date! 📢

Join us August 28-29, 9 AM to 4 PM, as we continue restoring the public right-of-way on Peaceful Place, Big Lake.

We need Big Lake volunteers and/or equipment to fill dumpsters and clean up the area.

No sign-up needed. Just show up and be part of the solution!

For more information:
📧 [email protected]
📧 [email protected]

08/19/2026

Come join the party in the Alaska State Fair Event Hall this Friday, August 21 from 4-6pm! Learn about the fascinating history of baseball in Alaska and so much more from a great lineup of speakers and local history museums and organizations, all while chomping on some free peanuts and Cracker Jack!

Join us Friday, August 21, from 4–6 p.m. at the Alaska State Fair Event Hall for “Alaska’s Field of Dreams: Baseball in America’s Far North,” a special America 250-Alaska celebration exploring the history of baseball in Alaska.

The afternoon will feature exhibits and activities, historic uniforms, historic videos, historical speakers and free peanuts and Cracker Jacks! 🥜⚾

Be sure to stop by the outreach tables and connect with local organizations sharing Alaska’s history, culture, parks, and community stories, including:

Palmer Museum of History & Art
Palmer Historical Society Alaska
Wasilla Museum
Wasilla-Knik Museum
Chickaloon Village Traditional Council
Willow Museum -WHWF
Alaska Children's Museum
Alaska State Parks

This is a great opportunity to learn, explore, and celebrate the stories that connect Alaska!

Alaska State Fair Event Hall
Friday, August 21
4–6 p.m.
FREE with Fair Admission

08/18/2026

08/14/2026

Phase 2: Right-of-Way Restoration Underway on Peaceful Place

First dumpster has been placed for right of way clean up. The neighbors asked for a dumpster to start filling to help their neighborhood. Thank you to Frontier Waste for partnering with Development Services.

Let's fill this dumpster up!

A larger right-of-way cleanup of Peaceful Place is planned for August 28 & 29. To volunteer labor and equipment, please contact CLEANS at [email protected] or Big Lake Community Council at [email protected].

08/13/2026

Phase 1 Complete: Right-of-Way Restoration Underway on Peaceful Place

Phase 1 of the Peaceful Place Right-of-Way Restoration effort is now complete. Yesterday, the Borough Development Services Division, with support from Code Compliance, the Alaska State Troopers, and local towing contractors removed 50 junk vehicles from the public right-of-way in 5 hours.

This video highlights the before-and-after conditions and the progress made in restoring public access, safety, and functionality to the roadway. Restoring a right-of-way is a multi-step process, and vehicle removal is only the beginning.

Next Up: Community Cleanup Event 📅 August 28-29

The next phase focuses on removing accumulated junk, debris, and trash from the right-of-way. We are asking for the community's help to make this effort a success.

If you can volunteer labor and equipment, please contact us: CLEANS at [email protected] or Big Lake Community Council at [email protected]. Every contribution helps move this project forward and supports a cleaner, safer neighborhood for everyone.

As the Borough restores the public right-of-way, we encourage property owners to work proactively with the Borough, community organizations, and other available resources to address conditions on private property. The Borough respects private property rights, values voluntary compliance, and remains committed to working with residents whenever possible.

This effort is about restoring the community, improving health & safety, and creating lasting positive change.

Let's solve this together.

08/13/2026

Yesterday at 9:00 AM, the Borough Development Services Division, with support from Code Compliance and the Alaska State Troopers, conducted the removal of 50 vehicles from the public right-of-way in accordance with MSB 11.10. The removals included junk trucks, cars, trailers, and off-highway vehicles located along Peaceful Place, Drowsy Drive, and Lazy Lake Drive. Patriot Towing & Recovery, Elite Towing & Recovery, Alaska Car Crushing & Recycling, and Debach Auto Salvage assisted with the operation, removing all unauthorized encroachments within 5 hours.

The next phase of work in this area will be a right-of-way cleanup event scheduled for August 28 and 29. Big Lake community members are encouraged to participate by volunteering labor and equipment where available. The Borough, with support from Frontier Waste and Alaska Waste, will provide dumpsters and cover associated disposal costs.

To ask questions or volunteer Aug 28 & 29, contact CLEANS at [email protected] or Big Lake Community Council at [email protected].

As the Borough restores the public right-of-way, we encourage property owners to work with the Borough and community partners to address conditions on private property and achieve voluntary compliance with applicable codes. Community support and cooperation will be essential to the long-term success of these efforts.

About 100 Big Lake residents gathered Thursday on a corner near Beaver Lake.

08/12/2026

This is just the beginning...

About 100 Big Lake residents gathered Thursday on a corner near Beaver Lake.